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Badminton in Singapore

Badminton was brought to Singapore by the British colonial rulers in the early 19th century. Singapore, as part of the Malayan team brought glory by winning its first attempt in the Thomas Cup in 1949 and remained champions for almost a decade.

Early History
Badminton was the invention of the Duke of Beaufort who had sought for a game that could be played indoors during periods of bad weather. This late 19th century game was first played in Badminton, a village in Gloucestershire, England and thus the name, H.O. Seldy, an Englishman, was the first to draft a set of rules in 1877 which were concretised soon after World War I. It soon became popular with the British military officers and became a worldwide sport, particularly enjoyed in England, America, Denmark and India. The All England Championships of the 1920s helped the sport become established as a competitive game.

History in Singapore
Badminton was introduced to Singapore through the British military men. It began as a game for the British upper class, which was soon picked up by the Eurasians who were seen as the early local sportsmen of this game. By the mid-1930s, badminton had became a popular sport played by Malayans throughout the Peninsula. As badminton courts were easily set up, whether in a simple hall or in the open sandy grounds of villages, it encouraged the growth of badminton clubs. The establishment of the Singapore Badminton Association in 1934 gave official endorsement to the game. Through badminton club competitions and the annual competition under the Singapore Badminton Association, players were groomed and trained to compete. The Malayan Badminton Championships attracted the best players in Malaya.

Thomas Cup
The All-England Championships were revived after the war and Malaya was invited to participate at this international arena. The Thomas Cup, its ultimate trophy, was named after the pre-war All-England champion, Thomas,George, Sir. It was he who had proposed for an international badminton competition.

Within two years of its post-war revival, the joint Malayan team took home the Thomas Cup in 1949. It beat Denmark 8 -1 in this first bid for the Thomas Cup. The team was led by Lim Chuan Geok and included badminton stalwarts like Wong Peng Soon and Ong Poh Lim, most having been trained before the war.

The year 1952, saw the Malayan team maintaining its position with the defeat of America 7 -2. The match was fought in Singapore's newly built Badminton Hall. Ong, Wong along with Ismail Marjan were part of this team. These three continued to make several wins as individuals and partners in the All-England Championships.

The Thomas Cup blaze continued in 1955 with the defeat of Denmark 8-1 at the Badminton Hall. However, by 1958, the Malayan glory faded when the team lost to Indonesia 3-6.

Time-line
1934 : Singapore Badminton Association was established.
1949 : The Malayan team takes home the Thomas Cup in its first bid for the Cup.
1952 : The Badminton Hall was built as the venue of the Thomas Cup finals where Malaya retains the Cup.
1955 : Malaya defends the Thomas Cup again.
1958 : Malaya loses the Thomas Cup to Indonesia.



Author
Bonny Tan



References 
Tan Chong Tee. (2002, August). Upholding the legacy: Singapore badminton (pp. 3-21, 57-65). Singapore: Asiapac Publication.
(Call no. 796.345095957 TAN)

'Hall of dreams' makes history. (1999, September 2). The Straits Times.

Singapore Badminton Association. (2003). History. Retrieved July 11, 2003, from www.singaporebadminton.org.sg/His.asp


Further Readings
Badminton Association of Malaya. (1955). Thomas Cup Singapore 1955: Souvenir [programme]. [Singapore: Straits Times Press].
(Call no.: RCLOS 796.345 BAD)

The information in this article is valid as at 2003 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Recreation>>Sports
Badminton (Game)--Singapore
Sports, recreation and travel>>Indoor games
Sports, recreation and travel>>Ball games>>Racket games>>Badminton