The beginnings of badminton in Shanghai are nearly as obscure as the origin of the game itself. The French Club can, it is believed, rightly claim to have been the originator and centre. According to an old employee of the Club, shuttles were first seen flying around the ballroom of the old French Club, in Route Vallon, shortly after the Great War. As the game proved to be so popular, the Club decided, in the early twenties, to put up a matshed during the winter months over one of the hard tennis courts. This was large enough for three courts but in 1923 a larger shed was put up which had room for four nets.
Milton, late of the British Consulate, was probably the keenest exponent of me game and in 1923 was joined by Sullivan who then arrived from Home where he had played the game. It is largely due to the efforts of these two that such rapid progress was made.
Tu the year 1923, Interport contests were started. It is hoped to deal with these in a later article, but played in their gymnasium. It is Mr G. W. B. Dainton who is to be thanked for the Whalley International Shield.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.