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
Bears vs. Cardinals: The NFL’s Oldest Rivalry Book Preview
In this episode of “When Football Was Football’” Joe Ziemba previews his latest book,
Blue Corner Pro Boxing Returns to Kansas City in January 2026
Kansas City fight fans are preparing for a major moment as Blue Corner Pro
Broadway Joe’s Lasting Impact on the NFL
Does Joe Namath deserve to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? To
Bob Lilly a.k.a. “Mr. Cowboy” – (Mark and Dave’s All-Time Favorite Player)
After an All-American career at Texas Christian University, Bob Lilly was the first-ever draft
1-on-1: Magic Johnson vs. Rony Seikaly
Doing a good deed is always a good thing. It shows others that we
When Machine Gun Jack Met The Galloping Ghost!
Some may claim that Chicago has a bad reputation…and not necessarily just in football!
The Hidden Gems of the Squared Circle
ROGER: BRYAN CLARKE as ADAM BOMB– one of four wrestlers we’ll be discussing on
History Of Counter-Strike Skins
Weapon cosmetics turned online battles into a showcase of style and status. The changing