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 Greatest Phoenix Suns Players of All Time
Since joining the NBA in 1968, the Phoenix Suns have been home to some

Jack Glynn: Teenage General Manager For Chicago Cardinals
In the early years of the 20th century before the start of the National

Super Bowl XLIV (New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts): An Ultimate Recount of the Game
Today we have Super Bowl XLIV, which was held on February 7, 2010, at

What Are the Odds? Giants and Jets Make Unwanted History at MetLife Stadium
The start of the 2024 NFL season has seen somewhat underwhelming performances from both

1977: The Year of the First-Ever Denver Broncos Playoff Game
It was certainly a long wait, but in 1977, the wait was finally over.

Marc Mero Was Better Known To Wrestling Fans As Johnny B. Badd
The rock ‘n’ wrestling connection I want to talk about today has nothing to

Sports History On This Day: September 29
September 29, 1914 – The Boston Braves, a team that was in last place in

Remembering Michael Andretti’s Magical CART Championship Season (1991)
1991 was a great year for the Newman-Haas Racing Team. Our driver, Michael Andretti,