Sport History
Oxenford Studios (OXS) Squash Sport History Squash Origins and the sport today: The origins of squash come from the game of real tennis, which led to the game of rackets. In the early 18th century, inmates at Fleet Prison in London would smack a ball against one or two walls. As the game expanded, courts were built with a paving-stone floor. The game of fives was also played – the ancient version of handball. The combination of fives and rackets led to the creation of squash. Harrow School outside London is the official birthplace of squash, with the first four courts constructed in 1864. The first squash court in North America appeared at St Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, in 1884 – in 1904, the earliest national association of squash was formed in Philadelphia. The United States Squash Rackets Association (USSRA) is now known as US Squash. In 1912, the RMS Titanic had a squash court in first class. Today, the sport is governed by the World Squash Federation (WSF). Formed in 1967, it has 149 member federations as of 2016. While recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the sport of squash is not on the Olympic program and failed with a bid to be included at Tokyo 2020. Squash at the Commonwealth Games: Squash is one of 10 core sports at the Commonwealth Games, meaning it has to be included in the program. The other nine are: aquatics (diving and swimming), athletics, badminton, boxing, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, rugby sevens and weightlifting. Squash has been part of the Commonwealth Games competition since Kuala Lumpur 1998.
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