Badminton is one of the oldest sports which began in India in the mid-19th century. It is played between two people, with a racket and a shuttle, which is played with the nets tied in between. However, as time changed, the game evolved with modern equipment and also different styles and methods of playing the game. Also, the rules changed as time evolved. However, there are some unknown myths and fun facts about shuttlecocks and badminton that you might not know. So here I am to discuss it with you. Let’s unlock the top secrets and fun facts about shuttlecocks and badminton. Read the blog till the end to know more.
What is Badminton, and How is it Played?
Badminton is a sport that is played with a racket in hand along with the two opposing players playing in a rectangular field and divided by the nets in between. However, badminton is played on different types of badminton courts. In this game, the players score points by striking the shuttlecock with the racket so that the shuttlecock passes the nets and reaches the land of the opponent’s half of the court. With this, the rally of the continuous batting comes to an end when the shuttlecock falls into the ground by chance.
A suitable badminton court is rectangular, with 31.4 meters in length, 6.1 meters in width for single matches, and 13.4 for doubles. Apart from this, a badminton court also consists of boundary lines, baselines, sidelines, centerlines and service lines. A net divides the court in half, 1.55 meters in between and 1.52 at the edges. Collectively all these physical structures point out the physical dimensions of a standard badminton court. Both the shuttle and badminton are similar to each other, but still, there are some differences between the shuttle and badminton that need to be analyzed.
Fun Facts about the Badminton and the Shuttlecocks
Activate Fun
Badminton is the best way to stay active as well as reduce your weight, with fun that no other sport can offer you. With just one hour of engagement in the sport, you can burn a huge amount of calories up to a certain extent. Thus taking part in badminton can also be a great way to burn calories and be in shape.
Popularity
Badminton is one of the fastest sports in the world and the second most popular sport in the world. This racket sport was invented in 1992 when it was first introduced in the Olympics. However, according to the BWF, it is estimated that badminton is played regularly, approximately 339 million people around the world.
Goose Feathers
Do you know that the shuttlecock is made up of the feathers of the goose? As per a myth, the shuttlecock is made up of goose feathers, and that too the left wing of the goose probably. It is also said that as long as the feather is straight, one can pluck the feathers and can place it on the cocks. The feathers of the ducks are also used for making the cocks.
Name Change
The Badminton game is said to have had a name change that evolved from the battledore and shuttlecock. It was previously known as shuttle and rackets, and the games involve nets where there are no scoring systems in place. The game was played for many years before we now know it as badminton.
Invented in India
Several pieces of evidence suggest that the badminton game was invented in India and also got huge popularity here. During the medieval period in Europe, children used to play the game named Battledore and shuttlecock which later became popular as badminton. However, the rules for the games were formed by the British colonists who were ruling at that time in India in the year 1867.
The Longest and the Shortest Match
The longest match lasted 25 hours, 24 minutes, and 44 seconds and was played by Mario Langmann and Thomas Paulweber in Austria in 2016. The shortest match lasted six minutes and took place between the South Korean and an England player, Ra-Kyung and Julia Mann.
Played With Feet
Badminton was first played with the feet; it originated in China. It is said to originate from the Ti Zian Ji, which was played with the feet that the players used. In this game, there was no use of rackets. Instead, the players used their feet to play the game. The shuttlecocks also differ when compared to the shuttlecocks used these days in the matches and the games.
Hence the following are the different fun facts about the Shuttlecocks and Badminton you might not know.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the shuttlecock get its name?
The shuttle got its name derived from the movement that it makes during the game. The back-and-forth motion of the shuttlecock is the reason for the shuttlecock to get its name. And this deals with the shuttle; the cock is derived from the similarities of the feather present on the rooster of the shuttlecock that provoked the idea to name it a shuttlecock.
What is the nickname of the shuttlecock?
The shuttlecock is also called a birdie due to its appearance and resemblance to the bird. It usually refers to the similarity of the shuttlecock to a small one which is in flight mode. The shuttle is a clipped word from the shuttlecock game.
What is the badminton bat usually called?
The badminton bat is usually referred to as the badminton racket for badminton racquet, which is an official term adopted by the Badminton World Federation that forms the basis of the sport.
In conclusion, both shuttlecocks and badminton are interchangeably used among us without knowing the proper history of each. However, they are interconnected with each other, but they also have some differences between them that need to be analyzed.