One spent many pleasant moments this weekend after uncovering a cache of books that no one has seen for some 80 years: Squash and Badminton Annual, the magazine of winter court games of Massachusetts 1932, and 1933 and Set For Three, A Brief History of Squash Rackets I, Massachussets, 1905-1934, Volume 1. One saw pictures and history of the game that started by displacing squash tennis in 1905 and already by 1927 allowed women the privilege of playing the game in the mornings at the Union Boat Club and the Harvard Club. Eleonara Sears was the womens champion and she was closely followed by Mrs. George Wightman, Miss Maurine Boyen and Mrs. Will Howe, and Miss Priscilla Bartol. The game took a big change in 1921 when Harry Cowles became the coach at Harvard until 1932 and taught the college kids the short drop and the volley pioneered by Palmer Dixon. Jack Summers, coach at MIT and John Skillman, coach at Yale, were already prominent in the pro circuit. It is rare that I read something that I don’t learn something about markets and it was the case here.

Here’s a list from the April 1934 magazine of don’ts in badminton.

1. Don’t alter your grip for any stroke

2. Don’t lose short

3. Don’t try to kill everything

4. Don’t omit to feint but not too often

5. Don’t do a half-hearted smash

6. Don’t try impossible strokes

7. Don’t underrate your opponent

8. Don’t give up trying

9. Don’t forget to encourage your partner

10. Don’t get in your partner’s way

11. Don’t forget that to lose your temper generally loses the game

12. Don’t ever stand still but be always on the move. (more…)