We propose to look back and see what sports games were popular with high society in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Time has an amazing property to change everything beyond recognition. For example, sports that a couple of centuries ago were considered elite, today are either safely forgotten, becoming something almost exotic, or have grown into mass hobbies, having lost a significant share of their aristocracy.
We offer you to look back and see what sports games were popular with high society in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
England: Croquet is a gymnastic game from Through the Looking Glass
Every child knows that croquet is entertainment for royalty. And all thanks to Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Alice, however, during the game with the queen of hearts, was holding in her hands not a wooden hammer, but a pelican, instead of a ball she was served by a hedgehog, and instead of a hoop - soldier-cards bent in an arc.
French painter and graphic artist Manet, Edouard 1871-1872.
In the 1850s, a passion for croquet seriously swept England, or rather, the elite elite of her society. Croquet fields were built, clubs formed, tournaments were organized. At the end of the 19th century, the entertainment of the English nobility conquered the Russian aristocracy as well. This exquisite "gymnastic game" was favored by the royal family, for example, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich and his sister, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna. Academician Dmitry Likhachev, also not indifferent to croquet, wrote that "the nineteenth century is full of this game." However, not only XIX, but the beginning of XX too. Among the avid croquet players one could see the ballerina Anna Pavlova, Fyodor Chaliapin, Maxim Gorky, Leonid Andreev, Lev Tolstoy, Isaac Levitan, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Yuri Gagarin and even Vladimir Ulyanov-Lenin.
In Soviet times, croquet turned into a massive game, and even in the literal sense of the word, a yard game, and towards the end of the century it was completely forgotten. Now it is not even included in the All-Russian Register of Sports. However, things are not so sad abroad. Let the passion for croquet have faded (or, more precisely, it was supplanted by other games), but did not go out altogether.
Under the guise of entertaining entertainment for guests, croquet is popular in country villas in England, USA, Australia and New Zealand. In 1989, the first World Croquet Championship was held in London, which suggests that croquet has not sunk into oblivion on a global scale and, perhaps, it will soon have a triumphant return to the category of elite games.
Spain, Italy, Germany, Spain: fencing is a nobleman's noble passion
It is now the ability to wield cold weapons - the lot of actors, historical restorers and professional athletes. But in the past, fencing was one of the "seven noble passions of a knight" and an obligatory skill of any nobleman. The main centers of development of this elegant sport, which requires not only perfect body control, but also a subtle mind and erudition, are Spain, Italy, Germany and, of course, France. The art of handling a sword, rapier, saber is based not on brute physical strength, but on tactics and combat technique. Therefore, fencing, shrouded in the romance of duels, was a noble and sophisticated occupation. Let us recall at least the brave musketeers or midshipmen. The real flourishing of sports fencing was in the 18th – 19th centuries. At that time, individual teachers-fencers enjoyed a very special status, fencing classes, halls and schools were widespread, where representatives of the privileged classes were trained.
By the end of the 19th century, fencing had already finally taken shape as a sport, and fencers fought with might and main at the first Olympic Games of our time in 1896. Hardly anyone from today's elite (with the exception of actors who simply need it) knows how to fence, despite the fact that this Olympic sport is still alive today. True, already without any aristocratic entourage.
Hound hunting is a top-class sport
It may seem that hunting is either a trade or just entertainment. However, at the end of the 18th-19th centuries, hunting with hounds was a kind of special elite sport, accessible only to the very best. Imagine, for a hound hunting it was necessary to maintain a large stable with excellent horses, a kennel for several hundred dogs (greyhounds, cops, hounds) and a numerous staff of grooms, hounds, hunters, game rangers, etc. Everyone who took part in this a large-scale action, should, according to tradition, put on a special hunting suit. Add to this the observers who went hunting as guests, and we get a picture of a grandiose in its scope of action.
The hunters were required to have an excellent ability to stay in the saddle (sometimes a round-up hunt lasted several days, moreover, it often turned into frantic races with obstacles), courage, endurance and ingenuity. Landowners and noblemen, members of the imperial families went headlong into this gambling, expensive and, undoubtedly, beautiful occupation.
In addition, the imperial hunt was a kind of ceremony designed to show foreign guests all the greatness and splendor of the state. It was attended by the sovereign himself and the grand dukes, generals and the closest courtiers, as well as invited guests, among whom there were also many emperors. What is the scale! Perhaps no other type of active recreation at that time was, and simply could not be more elite.
