the origin of squashThe origins of Squash date back to the early nineteenth century in England. Like tennis, badminton and Basque pelota, squash would be one of the descendants of the famous Jeu de Paume. La Paume was invented in France in the 13th Century although some historians have been able to find variants of this game since Antiquity.
The Jeu de Paume arrived in England in the 16th Century under the name of Court Tennis.
Then, around 1850, they invented the set of rackets. This new game was played with several rackets and a leather ball but on a large ground (18,21m - 9,08m) first outside and then covered. In vogue at that time, the "rackets" was then practiced mainly by the English aristocracy and especially in the prestigious institution of London, the Harrow School.
It was on the walls of this great school that two pupils, waiting for their turn to play "rackets", amused themselves by striking the ball against the walls. They had just invented the beginnings of squash.
However, it will be necessary to wait for the creation of a hollow rubber bullet to switch from "rackets" to squash. The name "squash" is then given in reference to the sound of the ball crashing against the wall (squashy = soft).
