Badminton is considered the second most popular sport in the world, and it’s extremely popular in countries like Malaysia, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, India, China, Japan, and some countries in Europe.
Besides, its popularity is spreading across many other countries and regions where it was not as popular.
It is a sport that requires agility and stamina. That alone has made many people, particularly those working to shed some weight to add it to their daily schedule. Some other people are playing badminton to improve their flexibility and others to improve their social life.
But did you know that badminton is among the games with a very long history?
These are 45+ facts about badminton.
1. It is the fastest racquet sport.
The fastest ever recorded shuttlecock moved at a faster speed than that of the fastest recorded table tennis ball. Besides, badminton players run faster than those of other racquet sports do, regardless of the size of a court. The fans are also as enthusiastic as those of other racquet sports are.
2. It’s the second most played sport in the world, after football (soccer).
It is evident that badminton has the second largest number of players after football on the globe. After badminton became one of the Olympic Games, 1.1 billion individuals watched it from their homes – via television. Today, it is very hard to say that badminton is not popular.
Therefore, you should get a racquet of your choice, a partner, and start playing this game. Compare to other sports, it requires less investment.
3. Goes way back in time.
Badminton has a very long history than most of us would think. It is believed that the ancient Greeks and Egyptians played a similar game. In the early 1600s, the English played a related sport they called Shuttlecock and Battledore. The sport involved feathered shuttlecocks that the players hit back and forth using wooden bats.
Unlike modern badminton, the battledore did not involve nets, and the work of players was to keep the shuttlecock floating in the air. English military, situated in India, also played the game in the early 1800s and for the first time, they used a net.
4. The sport is very social.
5. It demands much from the players.
Badminton involves all forms of actions such as jumping, stretching, running, throwing, striking, and running backward such that the players end up covering every inch of the court. Badminton is not an easy game.
Apart from the quick reflex, speed, accuracy, agility, and endurance, it demands higher fitness levels and rapid eye coordination.
6. Feathers from a goose’s left wing make the best shuttlecocks.
The average shuttlecock weighs around 4.74 – 5.5 grams, and the best are made with the left-wing feathers of a goose. The manufacturers use the feathers to ensure that the shuttles can attain their full speed. Animal rights activists have always protested, but that hasn’t made much of change in the sport.
7. The Bath Badminton Club was the first official badminton club.
The Bath Badminton Club is the first-ever recorded badminton club in the world. In 1877, the club wrote the rules for badminton. Nowadays, the residence is still known as the Badminton House
8. Badminton entered the United States in the 19th century.
People in the United States play badminton, as a fun activity, in their home backyards. However, it is not among the favorite sports played in schools and universities. The game entered the United States in the 19th century, but it became established in the 1930s with the creation of the USA Badminton (formerly known as the American Badminton Association).
9. Originally, it was called Shuttlecock or Battledore.
Earlier names of the game include the Hanetsuki, a sport that people played with wooden paddles. The basis of the game was to keep the shuttlecock floating in the air for the longest time possible.
Battledore was another name for the sport before a Duke named it badminton after the Badminton Hall.
10. Eight players were disqualified in the year 2012 Olympics.
Eight badminton players were disqualified from the 2012 Olympics women’s doubles after they were accused of failing to use their best efforts to win.
One team from Indonesia, one from China, and two from South Korea were disqualified after making many basic errors. The organizers accused them of planning to lose so that they could manipulate the draw for the knockout stage.
11. The largest shuttlecock is 18 feet tall and weighs 2,500kg.
The largest shuttlecock in the world is situated on the lawn of the Kansas City Museum. This shuttlecock is 18 feet tall and has a weight of 2,500Kg. The weight is around 48 times that of the real shuttlecocks.
The museum does not charge any fees to enter. That means you will be able to see other items after witnessing the largest shuttlecock in the world.
12. Asians have won 70 percent of all Badminton World Federation events.
Since the year 1992 Olympics, Asians have won the majority of Badminton Olympic medals. The most successful countries are Indonesia and China, which have won around 70 percent of the BWF events.
Only three countries – China, Indonesia, and Malaysia – have won the Thomas Cup or the men’s championship since the year 1948. The USA won the Uber Cup, or the women’s championships, in 1957, 1960, and 1963; other holders are Japan, Indonesia, China, and South Korea.
13. One of the longest match lasted for 124 minutes.
According to Badminton World Federation, in the longest recorded badminton match, Sun Jun from China played against Peter Rasmussen from Denmark. In the game that lasted for 124 minutes, Rasmussen won 16-17, 18-13, and 15-10.
14. The shortest match lasted for six minutes.
The shortest badminton match recorded in history lasted for only 6 minutes. The game took place in Hong Kong during the 1996 Uber Cup. During the match, Ra Kyung-min, a South Korean, crushed Julia Mann from England 11-2, 11-1 within 6 minutes. The game surprised many people because they expected different results.
15. Badminton became an Olympic game in 1992.
It is claimed that badminton is the second most popular sport after football. However, what you did not know is that badminton was not an Olympic game until recently. The sport became an Olympics game in the year 1992.
Moreover, more than 1.1 billion watched the first badminton game on television that year. In 1972, it was a demo sport during the Munich Olympics. Only the doubles and singles were played in 1992, and mixed doubles came into being during the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
16. Around 6.5 million Americans play badminton.
17. During a rally, the players or racquets should not touch the net.
During a rally, is not allowed that any body part of the player, as well as the racquet, get in contact with the net. Moreover, a player should not drop the racquet, or throw it to hit the shuttlecock. If a player drops the racquet unintentionally, the game will continue if he can pick it up quickly.
18. Kim Dong Moon won two world badminton championships in the year 1999.
In the year 1996, Kim Dong Moon competed for Korea in the Summer Olympics. In the mixed doubles division, he won the gold medal with his partner Gil Young-ah.
Three years later, in 1999, he won two world badminton championships on the mixed and men’s doubles divisions. On the mixed doubles, his partner was Ra Kyung-min, who is currently his wife.
19. Legal serving is below the waist.
In badminton, the players have to hit the shuttlecock in the upward direction using the underarm. The rules do not allow serving in a “tennis style.” When serving you have to hit the shuttle below your waist.
20. Only China, Malaysia, and Indonesia have won the Thomas Cup.
The Thomas Cup, a world men’s championship, was the first BWF major tournament and was held in the year 1948.
Since that year, the number of tournaments has been increasing, particularly after the addition of the women’s championship, the Uber Cup, Sudirman Cup (for mixed teams), World Championships (individual events), the World Grand Prix Finals, and the World Junior Championships.
However, what you did not know is that only three teams – China, Malaysia, and Indonesia – have won the Thomas Cup.
21. The International Badminton Foundation had nine founding members.
The International Badminton Federation (replaced by the Badminton World Federation in 2006) came into being in the year 1934, with only nine member countries – Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England, Denmark, New Zealand, Canada, Holland, and France.
The number of member countries rapidly increased, and it now stands at around 200. The first Open Tournament was held at the Guildford in 1898 and the first-ever “All England” Championships took place in 1899.
22. Badminton racquets weight between 60-100 grams.
23. Badminton can be played in singles, doubles, or even mixed doubles formats.
Badminton games can be singles, doubles, or even mixed doubles. One-against one is known as a singles game, a two-against-two match is known as doubles.
In doubles, any of the players can hit the shuttle, and, unlike table tennis, they do not have to necessarily hit in turns. The exemptions are only on the two first shots of the point. Mixed double games involve both men and women – a man and a woman on each side.
24. India participated in the discovery of the sport.
Badminton games existed in India before Poona came into being. The British military named it Poona because of its origin, and some historians believe that Poona stands for the game of Pune city. Initially, the Indians used their bare hands to play the game and later their legs.
The game was popular among Indian men but very hard for women, and was separated into a men’s and women’s game.
25. Initially, players used their feet to play.
A game known as Ti Zian was common in China, and it is one of the forerunners of badminton. In this sport, players did not use a racquet; instead, they used their feet to hit the shuttle. Today, the game is common in some parts of China. Men hit the shuttlecock back and forth, over the net, using their feet.
26. Planning and strategizing is paramount in badminton.
Incorporating different strategies in your game will help you become a successful badminton player. A large part of the game is quite psychological. It’s important that you understand the psychology of your opponents and then use their weaknesses to your advantage.
27. It is an excellent way to remain active.
Badminton can be a great workout, and an appealing option to stay active. The sport is easy to play, does not require much or costly equipment, and you can play it in the open air.
According to the British Heart Foundation, 50-year-old people can burn roughly 380 calories within one hour of playing badminton. It will keep you active, relieve your mental stress and minimize your death risk by around 47 percent, in addition to boosting your mood.
28. The games can, also, be slow and relaxing.
The speed of the shuttlecock doesn’t have to be always fast pace, badminton can also be a relaxing sport for beginners, particularly those who want to play it at a recreational level.
For instance, many people travel to the No Strings Badminton event in England, whose main purpose is to bring recreational players together, and offer them a chance to play the game in an enjoyable and pleasant way.
29. Promotes a healthier heart.
Playing badminton, regularly, can help improve the functioning of your heart. It is proven that badminton can prevent and reduce hypertension, strengthen the heart muscles and reduce the risk of blood vessel clogging by around 43 percent. In other words, you can stay healthy by just playing badminton a few times each week.
30. The shuttlecock can reach a speed of up to 300mph speed during smash shot.
Badminton is known to be the fastest racquet sport. The shuttlecock can move at speeds of over 300mph. You might also be amused to know that the ever recorded fastest badminton hit speed stood at 306 mph (493 km/h). It was hit by Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia while trying a new racquet technology.
31. During a doubles rally, the number of shots can be between 40 to 50 in 20 seconds.
Professional doubles players can hit approx. 40 to 50 shots in around 20 seconds. That is a large number of shots compared to other racquet sports, maybe with the exception of table tennis.
32. British military officers brought the game to England in the 1800s.
During the 19th century, the British military officers situated in Poona, an Indian town, decided to add a net when playing battledore, an ancient game predecessor to badminton.
In the year 1867, the rules for this sport, Poona, were written and the officers took the game back to their home country. They played it at the residence of Duke of Beaufort’s Gloucestershire and named it after the Badminton house, the duke’s residence.
33. Badminton dates back to ancient Greek and Egyptian civilizations.
Some historians believe that the ancient Greeks and Egyptians played many games including early versions of badminton. Some of them used balls and racquets. In the Americas, the Aztecs and Mayas played it too, but the rules and the field were different. The Chinese and Indians also played an essential role in the development of the sport.
34. Badminton is a lifetime activity.
35. Badminton comes from the residence of the Duke of Beaufort.
Badminton is a parish or village situated in South Gloucestershire, England. The Badminton House is the seat of the dukes of Beaufort and stands in a vast park within the locality. Thomas, Viscount Somerset of Cashel, the third son of Edward 4th, acquired the original Badminton manor from Nicholas Boteler in the year 1608.
36. The badminton court measurements are 13.4 meters by 6.1 meters.
The rectangular court should measure 44 feet (13.4 meters) by 17 feet (5.2 meters) for singles, and 20 feet (6.1 meters) width for the doubles. The net should be 5 feet (1.5 meters) high and stretch across the court’s width at the center. A space of 4 feet (1.3 meters) around the badminton court is necessary.
37. Badminton players use gum sole shoes.
Just as you expect in any other sport, using the proper shoes is essential for badminton. Gum sole shoes have a better grip than regular running shoes. So, they’re able to withstand a quick change of directions, shortstops, jumps, among other movements, while providing the best support possible.
With regular running shoes, players are more likely to trip and roll an ankle, which could result in serious injuries.
38. Official Badminton games are played indoors
The shuttlecock is lightweight, which means that the slightest breeze will whisk it away. That is the main reason why all professional matches are played indoors.
39. Lin Dan is considered the world’s best player.
The world and Olympic champion Lin Dan, a.k.a. Super Dan, is possibly the world’s best player. He’s the first badminton player ever to complete the “Super Grand Slam,” after winning all nine majors.
40. Only one chance when serving.
If you’re a tennis player, you’re probably used to having two chances to serve. However, in badminton, like in table tennis, you only get one opportunity to serve. So, if you make a mistake while serving, you’re out of luck.
41. Deception and anticipation are essential skills in badminton.
Apart from the physical strength needed to play badminton, cunning and anticipation are crucial abilities to succeed on the pitch. Since the shuttlecock decelerates fast, players are able to throw their opponent out of rhythm and manipulate the direction and spin of the shuttle. So, it’s critical that players are able to, somehow, anticipate those shots.
42. Badminton fans are in love with the sport.
Each time you look at badminton spectators, you are likely to notice that cheering is something very special. Badminton matches are notorious for their long and riveting exchanges that make people excited.
As a result, the fans cheer from their heart and remain excited until the game ends. There is a reason why badminton is the second most popular sport in the world.
43. Wobby shuttlecock flight indicates poor quality.
44. The shuttlecock feathers have 62-70mm length.
The feathers have to be measured from the base to the tip, and they have to be of the same length. The length can be between 62-70mm, and the shuttle has to weigh between 4.74 to 5.50 grams.
45. Shuttlecocks are graded according to their speed.
Shuttlecocks are graded according to their speed and quality. If you are able to achieve a particular level and you can hit from one baseline to the other, you should go for the shuttlecocks with regular speed. If you do not have enough strength to do that, go for the shuttlecocks that move at faster speeds.
46. When it is hot, the shuttle travels faster.
Shuttles travel at different speeds. Apart from the grade of the shuttle, the temperature, altitude, and weather will also affect the speed of a shuttle. When the temperatures are very high, the shuttle will move at a faster speed. On the other hand, when it is cold, the birdies will travel slower.
When playing in air-conditioned halls, go for the slightly faster shuttles. And, when playing at a higher altitude, the slower speed shuttles will serve you better.
If you’re reading these lines, it means that you, probably, read the entire article. We salute you for your great interest in badminton! We really hope that you find this article useful. Please, let us know your thoughts in the comment section. Thanks!