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C1875
The Public Schools Racquet-match
Racquet or rackets was the game that squash was based on. Rackets or racquets is an indoor racket sport played in the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, and Canada. Rackets began as an C18th pastime in London’s King’s Bench and … Read Full Description
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Details
Full Title:
The Public Schools Racquet-match
Date:
C1875
Artist:
Unknown
Condition:
In good condition.
Technique:
Hand coloured engraving.
Image Size:
190mm
x 270mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1875
Description:
Racquet or rackets was the game that squash was based on.Â
Rackets or racquets is an indoor racket sport played in the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, and Canada.Â
Rackets began as an C18th pastime in London’s King’s Bench and Fleet debtors prisons. The prisoners modified the game of fives by using tennis rackets to speed up the action. They played against the prison wall, sometimes at a corner to add a sidewall to the game. Rackets then became popular outside the prison, played in alleys behind pubs. It spread to schools, first using school walls, and later with proper four-wall courts being specially constructed for the game.
The game is played in a 30 by 60 feet (9.1 by 18.3 m) enclosed court, with a ceiling at least 30 feet (9.1 m) high. Singles and doubles are played on the same court. The walls and floor of the court are made of smooth stone or concrete and are generally dark in colour to contrast with the white ball. A player uses 30.5-inch (77 cm) wooden racket, known as a bat, to hit a 38 mm (1.5 inch) hard white ball weighing 28 grams
From the original edition of the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. Very scarce.
