Who invented tetherball?

Question

You know, that game that's sometimes seen in school gyms and in various playgrounds and campgrounds, where two players bat around a volleyball-sized ball that's hung at the end of a rope strung to a tall pole.

Anyway, who invented this game? Where and when? Is it pretty much an American (or North American) game, or is it also played in other parts of the world?

Answer 1

some idiot that couldn't play tennis.

Answer 2

Who Invented Tetherball?

You've played it. You've been frustrated by it. But have you ever wondered where Tetherball came from? Of course you have. Well…



Unfortunately, definitive evidence is scarce at best. Claims that the game was invented by "my cousin Jed" are highly questionable. Assertions that it was developed by Mr. Nigel Tether of Ball, England are likewise doubtful (in fact, the very existence of a place called Ball in England seems dubious).



Some say that the game originated in Canada, but facts to back up this claim are few and far between, so therefore this information must be taken with a liberal dose of healthy skepticism.



What we do know is this: because the actual ball is so similar to a volleyball, Tetherball was probably developed after 1895, the year volleyball was invented. Actual volleyballs were used in early Tetherball courts, but recently some sporting goods companies have given the game its due respect and developed balls made especially to be tethered.



Because Tetherball has not been accepted by the sporting community as anything more than a playground distraction, not much work has been done on the history of this fine game. There is no "American Association of Tetherball Enthusiasts" or "International Tetherball Coalition." Even simple Tetherball leagues or tournaments are difficult, if not impossible, to find.



Without an organized outlet for our Tetherball urges, we must take solace in the occasional game with a friend, and with the knowledge that Tetherball is not losing any steam. Children are still attracted to the beauty of its simplicity and its subtle elegance. Perhaps today's children will the founders of tomorrow's National Tetherball League. And maybe one of those children will uncover the lost inventor of Tetherball.



Yes, it seems that this game will continue to be relegated to the realm of childish games for the time being. And the true origins of this game may not come to light within our lifetimes. But those of us who know the pleasure of a long and exciting match, Tetherball will forever be a sport as great as any other, and greater than most.