Sport and Games Atlas

How The Game Is Played
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Origin Year

Origin year places a sport in the year its own laws were first fixed. Wikipedia notes association football "is played in accordance with the Laws of the Game, a set of rules that has been in effect since 1863." Browsing by origin year shows how long a sport's modern rulebook has actually existed.

Facts
Comparison
Era of Origin
1860 1
Defining Characteristic
Racket sports (or racquet sports) are games in which players use a racket or paddle to hit a ball or a shuttlecock. 2
Origin Year
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Tennis
WikipediaTennis, Origins of the modern game section
Quote, Tennis, Origins of the modern game section
Between 1859 and 1865, Harry Gem, a solicitor, and his friend Augurio Perera developed a game that combined elements of racquets and the Basque ball game pelota.
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2. Wikipedia: Racket sport
WikipediaRacket sport, lead section
Quote, Racket sport, lead section
Racket sports (or racquet sports) are games in which players use a racket or paddle to hit a ball or a shuttlecock.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is table tennis grouped with tennis rather than with volleyball?

Table tennis uses a handheld paddle across a net, while volleyball is played with the hand or body alone, so it sits under Court and Net Team Sports.

Racket Sports covers sports in which a ball or shuttlecock is struck with a handheld racket or paddle across a net, including badminton, squash, table tennis and tennis. Volleyball is excluded because it is played with the hand or body alone rather than a handheld striking implement, so it is grouped instead under Court and Net Team Sports.