Croquet In America

Description

The sport of croquet was born in the British isles in the mid 19th century and soon migrated to most other English-speaking countries. In the United States, manufacturers popularized a version of the sport that could be played on rough turf with lightweight, inexpensive equipment. It is this lightweight, scaled-down, toy version of croquet which most Americans have either seen or played. Croquet as a public sport suffered a setback in the 1890's when the Boston clergy spoke out against the drinking, gambling, and licentious behavior associated with it on the Common. The game of Backyard Croquet has maintained its popularity in America for more than a hundred years as the ideal complement of garden parties, family gatherings, outdoor fund-raisers, and social events both raucous and elegant. The sport resurfaced in the 20's, 30's, and 40's as a favorite pastime of famous entertainment and literary figures, including the Algonquin Roundtable. The more sophisticated sport of 6-wicket croquet, requiring heavier equipment, good lawns, and a more intense sporting attitude, though widely played in England and most Commonwealth countries, was rarely seen by Americans until the late 1970's. A much-publicized challenge match between the Westhampton Mallet Club on Long Island and London's Hurlingham Club in 1960 is credited with sparking the resurgence of the sport of croquet in America. The United States Croquet Association was organized by Jack Osborn in 1977 with a nucleus of six...

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