Tennis

From Ffaith

It is generally agreed that the game of Tennis was invented by a retired British Army officer, Major Walter Clopton Wingfield in 1873. The Major at that time lived in Nant Clwyd in North Wales. The Major called his game "Spharistike" - Greek for "ball play" but early players preffered "tennis-on-the-lawn" or "lawn tennis". Although many authorities believe that the Major adapted the principles of real tennis, squash raquets and badminton for outdoor play, others have noted the similarities between Wingfield's patented game and the old Welsh outdoor game of Cerrig Y Drudion.

Supporting the theory, a certain Colonel Mainwaring made the following statement at a meeting of the Cambrian Archaeological Association, London, in August 1887,  : "I should like it to be entered on record that the now popular game of lawn tennis was the old Welsh game of Cerrig y Drudion."