July 9, 1877 – The First-ever Wimbledon tennis championship tournament began. It was truly a watershed moment as Wimbledon was the first official lawn tennis tournament anywhere. The creators were the All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club as they decided to hold a lawn tennis tournament for men’s singles only that 21 amateurs showed up to participate in the London suburbs.
The club was originally centered around croquet, another lawn sport, but the growing popularity of tennis led it to incorporate tennis lawns into their expansive 4 acres of grounds purchased in 1868. The entrance fee of one pound for each participant could earn them the title of Wimbledon champion and a 25-guinea trophy.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
Kansas City Royals History (1976 thru 1985)
After the Kansas City Athletics moved to Oakland in 1968, the City was hungry
Senda Berenson and The First Women’s Basketball Game
The very first women’s game recorded happened only one year after the game was
Power Lifting Career of an Average Joe
Before you get started with this article, you may want to read the first
Mastering the Masters: A Brief History of the Tournament
This year’s PGA Masters Tournament is scheduled for April 11 through the 14th. A
Hidden Sports History: Women’s Soccer & Rowing From the 1800s
When it comes to sports, dozens of leagues entertain fans from around the world.
The Bizarre season of the 1970 St. Louis Cardinals
After winning the NFL Championship in 1947 and compiling a combined 21–5 record in
Wrestling History: Through The Eyes of a Boomer
This article is an excerpt from SPORTS & BOOMERS: The History of Sports Through
Olympic Weightlifting Career of an Average Joe
The first time I witnessed Weightlifting was on the television show “Wide World of