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
The New York Yankees in 1980: A Tale of Determination
After winning back-to-back World Series in 1977 & 1978, the New York Yankees had
Two Safeties From The Miami Dolphins “No Name Defense”
During the first half of the 1970s, the Miami Dolphins had a couple of
Century For Stripes: From Billy Jeffrey to Fraser Kershaw
In the chronicles of American soccer history, one name stands out as a symbol
1970s Baltimore Colts (An Up and Down Decade)
The 1970s was an up-and-down decade for the Baltimore Colts. After a disappointing 8–5–1
Harlon Hill: From Florence State to the NFL
Stories about unknown or undrafted collegiate players making it big in the NFL, are
A Decade of Dominance and Drama: The West From 2010 – 2020
If you are looking for a division that is a microcosm of football’s high-intensity
Early Rule Changes In Basketball (The First 50 Years)
Let us take a trip to the past to look at some of the
The Most Lopsided Blowout In College Football History
Every year in college football there is a game where one team finds out