12 story library more to explore 12 REASONS TO LOVE TENNIS by Joanne Mattern
1 Tennis Was Played by Kings Playing paume circa 1614 Tennis has been around for a long long time It started in France in the 1100s as a game called paume or palm Paume was played like handball Players used the palms of their hands to hit the ball back and forth Tennis became popular 4 among France’s kings King Louis X
Paume played in 17th century France of France was a huge fan of the game However he died of a chill after playing a game in 1316 In 1437 King James I of Scotland tried to hide in a sewer drain to escape assassins who wanted to kill him But the drain had been sealed and James was killed At first the game was played with bare hands Later players wore leather gloves By the 1300s players used racquets with strings made of animal guts in a wooden frame 1789 Year of the French Revolution when people got rid of the king and formed a new government Tennis was seen as a royal game so it was banned The announcement of the Revolution was called the Tennis Court Oath Tennis became even more popular after the Revolution ended WHAT’S IN A NAME Tennis comes from the French word tenez It means Here or Be ready 5
