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Sport and leisure

A scene from an early rugby union game

The history of rugby: when was the sport invented?

A game of real tennis, also called royal tennis

Q&A Did the Tudors play tennis?

Men play kemari ball game

Q&A Who played the sport of kemari?

The card game cribbage

General Early Modern

Q&A Why do we say ‘level pegging’?

BDW39T The Australian XI of 1882, the cricket team toured England and won the only test at the Oval, the start of the Ashes legend. Image shot 1882. Exact date unknown.

In pictures: The Ashes through history

Belgium and the Netherlands compete in a tug of war at the Antwerp Olympic

Olympic oddballs: 5 unusual Olympic sports from the past

Wrestlers in ancient Greece

Q&A How did ancient athletes prepare for the Olympics?

An Indian cricket team in imperial Britain. (Photo by Elliott & Fry/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

An Indian cricket team in imperial Britain

WM Woodfull of Australia ducks to avoid a rising ball from Harold Larwood of England during the Fourth Test match at Brisbane on the infamous 'Bodyline' Tour of Australia. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

4 historical cricketing curiosities

England Women's World Cup squad, Mexico, 1971

The 1971 Women’s World Cup: game changers?

Dick, Kerr Ladies football team during World War I

Q&A Why was women’s football banned?

Gussie Moran shocked onlookers with her lace knickers on show at the 1949 Wimbledon Championships (George W. Hales/Fox Photos/Getty Images)

10 memorable moments in Wimbledon’s history

The Lord's pavilion

Lord’s cricket ground: the mecca of the sport

Arthur Ashe in action at Wimbledon, where he won the men's singles title in 1975. (Photo by Ed Lacey / Popperfoto / Getty Images)

My history hero Tracy Austin chooses Arthur Ashe

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From Mary, Queen of Scots to the FIFA Women’s World Cup: a brief history of women’s football