Episode Details

Have you ever wondered how tennis started? Believe it or not, it didn't begin with bouncy yellow balls and fancy rackets! Hundreds of years ago, French monks invented the game to get some exercise in their stone courtyards. But instead of rackets, they used their bare hands to smack a heavy leather ball stuffed with sheep's wool—and sometimes even human hair! Ouch! In this fascinating episode of History's Not Boring, Mira and Finn serve up the incredible history of tennis! You'll discover how the sport evolved from monks playing the "Game of the Palm" to kings playing in massive royal castles. Find out how early rackets were strung with sheep intestines, why a score of zero is actually called "love" (hint: it has to do with eggs!), and why the very first Wimbledon tournament was held just to raise money to fix a broken grass roller pulled by a pony! From a game with the completely unpronounceable ancient Greek name "Sphairistikè" to the massive Grand Slam tournaments of today, get ready to smash some amazing historical facts. Hit play and let's explore the wild, wacky origins of tennis!