The British and sport

Britain does not often produce sportsmen or sportswomen who are successful in world sporting championships, but it has been good at inventing sports and writing rules of games.

Golf was first played in Scotland in the fifteenth century and the most famous golf club, Saint Andrews in Scotland, is still the most respected authority on golf in the world. Cricket was first played in England in the sixteenth century and its rules were written in the eighteenth century.

Football, rugby and hockey were first played in British public schools in the nineteenth century. The rules for all of these games were written between 1870 and 1890. The rules for lawn tennis were first written in 1875.

a  What is a spectator sport?

b  Give an example of a team sport.

c  Which sports do you associate with Britain?

d  Can you name any important sports competitions which take place in Britain?

Michael Vaughan-Rees, Geraldine Sweeney, Picot Cassidy: In Britain. 21st Century Edition, Cornelsen Verlag, 2000, page 60