Croquet History

A mixed heritage

No one is certain about the exact origins of croquet. Some say its roots are in France and that it is a variation on the game Pall Mall. In any event, what we do know is that it was played in Ireland in the mid-19th century and was brought over to England in the 1850s.

Croquet was primarily popular during this time among the aristocracy. It was played most often by women at garden parties, which came to be known as croquet parties by the 1860s.

The key players

There are two men that made significant contributions to the game of croquet in its early stages. John Jaques was the first person to design equipment for croquet. Not only did he sell it, but he also published the first comprehensive code of laws in 1864. His equipment is still manufactured today in England.

The second person is Walter Jones Whitmore, who published the first standard rules and tactics book. His three articles, written in 1866 and published in 1868, were complete with diagrams. Whitmore is considered the father of modern day croquet.

Coming to America

Croquet became popular in the US at about the same time, or a little later, than it did in England. In 1871 Milton Bradley published a handbook containing the rules of croquet. In 1882, a group of New York-based clubs formed the National American Croquet Association.

Olympic bound

Croquet was introduced as an Olympic sport at the 1900 Paris games. American and English players often disagreed over new English rules which had been introduced. Another version of croquet was then introduced in the 1904 Olympics, but was never played again in the Olympics. This particular version became known as "roque," distinguishing it from the original English version.

Backyard fun

By the 1950s croquet was played in backyards across the US. By this time, about half a dozen different variations of the game were being played. Croquet continues to be played seriously by a few, and it has remained a backyard game played by many.

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