BADMINTON MILESTONES

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1893 - The BADMINTON ASSOCIATION OF ENGLAND was formed on 13th September at "Dunbar" (now No. 6), Waverly Grove, SOUTHSEA, Hampshire. At that time it was the home of Major S.S.C. Dolby who, at the inaugural meeting, was elected President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Association.

1902 - The "ALL ENGLAND BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS" [formerly "The Badminton Association Tournament"] were held for the first and only time at the Crystal Palace, London. The new title served to emphasise that the event was open to players throughout England. Held annually under the same name ever since and, in the absence of an official World Championships, they were accorded that unofficial title, attracting entries from all around the globe. This unwritten status continued until 1977 when official "World Championships" were instigated by the International Badminton Federation..

1934 - The INTERNATIONAL BADMINTON FEDERATION was formed with the following 9 founder members: Canada, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales. Sir George Thomas Bt. became the first President.

1937 - The first WIRELESS COMMENTARY on the All England Badminton Championships was broadcast by Bernard Taylor. He was allowed fifteen minutes.

1938 - RALPH NICHOLS, the last Englishman to win the All England Championships, Men's Singles Title, received two guineas (Ł2.10) and a Lyons cake as his prize.

1939 - The THOMAS CUP is officially described as being "Manufactured in London in 1939, the cup stands 28 inches high and has a span, including the handles, of 16 inches. Made in 3 pieces - plinth, cup and lid - the latter being surmounted by a figure of a player. Engraved on the front of the cup are the words 'The International Badminton Championship Challenge Cup presented to the International Badminton Federation by Sir. George Thomas, Bart., 1939". However, owing to the intervention of World War II it was not until 1948 that the first Championships could be staged.

1948/9 - The first MEN'S WORLD TEAM BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS, commonly known as "The Thomas Cup", were competed for by 10 nations on a zonal basis. The final was held at Preston, England where Malaya beat Denmark 8 - 1.

1956 - The UBER CUP is officially described as being "A beautiful piece of silver of unusual design. Surmounted over a swivelling globe stands a lady player on a shuttlecock. The trophy is 18 inches high and was manufactured to Mrs. Uber's own design by Messrs. Mappin & Webb of London. Engraved around the base are the words 'The Ladies' International Badminton Championships Challenge Trophy presented to the International Badminton Federation by Mrs. H.S. Uber, 1956." It was in 1950 that Mrs. Betty Uber, a distinguished Badminton Champion in her own right proposed the establishement of a Ladies' World Team Championships, but although the idea was accepted in principle , because of financial difficulties the competition did not get under way until 1956/7..

1956/57 -The LADIES' WORLD TEAM BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS, commonly known as "The Uber Cup", were first competed for by 11 nations on a zonal basis. The final was held in Lytham St. Anne's, Lancashire, England where the U.S.A. beat Denmark 6 - 1.

1966 - The 8th COMMONWEALTH GAMES, held in Kingston, Jamaica. Badminton was included for the first time as an official sport in these Games..

1967 - The EUROPEAN BADMINTON UNION was founded at a meeting in Frankfurt-am-Main by the following 11 founder member clubs: Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Finland, Federal Republic of Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. At that meeting largely at the instigation of FR Germany it was decided to hold biennial European Individual Championships starting the following year.

1968 - EUROPEAN INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. The first competition in this biennial event was held at Bochum, in the Federal Republic of Germany.

1972 - The 20th SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES, Munich West Germany. Badminton was featured as a demonstration sport at these Games..

1977 - WORLD BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIPS. The first competition in this biennial event was held in Malmo, Sweden.

1978 - The EUROPEAN BADMINTON UNION CHALLENGE CUP was presented by the President, Dr. Herman Valken. It is competed for annually by the champion clubs of each member country affiliated to the EBU.

1988 - The SUDIRMAN CUP is officially described as "standing 80cm high, made of 22 carat gold plated silver and supported on an octagonal base made of solid 'jati' wood. The body of the cup is in the form of a shuttlecock and surmounted by a replica of the Borobudur temple. The handles are in the shape of stamens, symbolising the seeds of Badminton." The cup was donated to the International Badminton Federation by the Indonesian Badminton Association [P.B.S.I.] in memory of Dr. Dick Surdiman, founder of the association and it's President for 22 years. It is the trophy competed for in the World Mixed Team Championships at the biennial World Championships.

1989 -The WORLD MIXED TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS. Teams competing in this event at the biennial World Championships have the Sudirman Cup as their ultimate goal.. The competition was first held in Indonesia in 1989, where the host country became the first holder of the trophy, beating South Korea 3 - 2 in the final.

1990 - The 22nd SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES, Barcelona, Spain. Badminton was included for the first time as a fully fledged Olympic sport at these Games. Only singles events were included in the programme.

[Further milestones will be added as deemed necessary.]