The History of Table Tennis 乒乓球的历史Like many other sports，table tennis began as a mild social diversion.Descending，along with lawn tennis and badminton，from the ancient medieval game of tennis.It was popular in England in the second half of the nineteenth century under its present name and various trade names such as Gossima and Whiff Whaff.
正如其他运动一样，乒乓球只是社会中无足轻重的一部分。它跟草坪网球和羽毛球都是由中世纪网球演变而来的。在十九世纪的后半叶，乒乓球就以其现在的名字或其他商品名，比如Gossima，Whiff Whaff，在英国流行。
After the name Ping Pong （an imitation of the sound made by the ball striking the table and the vellum bats that were used）was introduced by J.Jaques &Son，the game became a fashionable craze.
而当“乒乓”（模仿球在桌面和皮纸球拍之间撞击的声音）这个名字被J.杰奎斯和他的儿子介绍开来之后，它就开始越来越受欢迎。
The game was popular in Central Europe in 1905-1910，and even before this is a modified version had been introduced to Japan，where it later spread to China and Korea.After a period when it had dropped out of favor in Europe，the game was revived in England and Wales in the early twenties.
在十九世纪初期的中欧，乒乓球运动很热，后来其运动方式稍加修改，传入日本，而后来又传入中国和韩国。乒乓球曾经一度销声匿迹，在十九世纪二十年代早期，它又在英格兰和威尔士获得新生。
By that time “Ping Pong”had been registered as a trademark，so the earlier name of table tennis was reintroduced.National associations were formed and standardization of the rules began，both in Europe and the Far East.Then，over the next sixty years，table tennis developed into a major worldwide sport，played by perhaps thirty million competitive players and by uncountable millions who play less seriously.However，the game itself has not changed in essence since its earliest days，though it is faster，more subtle and more demanding than it was even only twenty years ago.
在那时，“乒乓”被作为一种商标予以注册，所以，乒乓球的早期用名再度使用。在欧洲和远东，很多国家成立了协会，同时比赛的规则也被设立。其后的六十年间，它发展成为一项世界著名的运动。其运动员达到大约三千万，另有无数人以休闲方式接触乒乓球。然而，乒乓球运动本身，自古至今，它的精髓是没有改变的，尽管现在比20年前速度更快、更精细，要求也更多。
In various ping pong games，the most famous is the world championship competition，which was held once a year at the beginning，now，it is held twice a year ever since 1957.
在名目繁多的乒乓球比赛中，最负盛名的是世界乒乓球锦标赛，起初每年举行一次，1957年后改为两年举行一次。
In 1904，a Shanghai shop keeper called Wang Daowu，brought 10sets of table tennis tools home，the game was therein introduced to china.
1904年，上海一家文具店的老板王道午从日本买回10套乒乓球器材。从此，乒乓球运动传入中国。
One of the first public hints of improved U.S.China relations came on April 6，1971，when the American Ping Pong team，in Japan for the 31st World Table Tennis Championship，received a surprise invitation from their Chinese colleagues for an all expense paid visit to the People’s Republic.Time magazine called it “The Ping Pong Heard round the World.”On April 10，nine players，four officials，and two spouses stepped across a bridge from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland，ushering in an era of “Ping Pong diplomacy.”They were the first group of Americans allowed into China since the Communist takeover in 1949.
1971年4月6日，乒乓球曾经作为中美关系友好使者，为两国关系的发展做出了突出的贡献。那时，美国的乒乓球队在日本参加第31届乒乓球冠军赛事。他们惊奇地接受到来自中国的邀请，费用全部由中国承担。正如《时代》杂志所说：“乒乓球的声音回荡全球！”4月10日，9名队员、4名官员、两对夫妇登上了香港连接大陆的桥梁，捧出了“乒乓外交”。他们是1949年新中国成立以后，第一批踏上中国土地的美国人。
The History of Badminton羽毛球的历史
As to the beginning of badminton，there are a lot of stories.One saying that it started in Japan，the other says that it started from India.But one thing is for sure，which is that badminton was started in the U.K.，in about 1800，which was developed from tennis.You may discover that there are a lot of similarities between the two.In the year of 1870，a sort of ball made of feather and wood as well as a bat woven with strings were invented.Ever since 1873，the sport of badminton become more and more prosperous，when the field was a gourd like，with two wider spaces at both ends and a narrow stretch of land in the middle where a net was set up.This gourd like field was changed to a square shape in 1901.
羽毛球的起源，有很多种说法。一种说法是起源于日本，也有另一种说法是起源于印度。不过可以确定的是现代羽毛球运动大约在1800年诞生于英国，是由网球运动变化而来的。你或许会发现二者之间非常相似。1870年，出现了用羽毛、软木做的球和穿弦的球拍。从1873年起，羽毛球运动便逐渐开展起来，那时的活动场地是葫芦形，两头宽中间窄，窄处挂网，直至1901年才改作长方形。
In 1893，the first badminton committee was established，which was then the British Badminton Association，holding a championship competition in 1899nation wide.
1893年，世界上最早的羽毛球协会——英国羽毛球协会成立，并于1899年举办了全英羽毛球锦标赛。
In 1934，an international badminton association was founded with its headquarter in London.The members are Canada，Denmark，Britain，France，Ireland，Holland，New Zealand，Scotland and Wales.Ever from then on，there have been more and more badminton competitions.
1934年，由加拿大、丹麦、英国、法国、爱尔兰、荷兰、新西兰、苏格兰和威尔士等国发起成立了国际羽毛球联合会，总部设在伦敦。从此，羽毛球国际赛事日渐增多。
The Origins and Early History of Tennis网球的历史The earliest origins of tennis are a matter of some dispute.One side believes that the ancient Egyptians，Greeks，and Romans played a precursor to tennis.Drawings or descriptions of any tennis like games have not been discovered，but a few Arabic words dating from ancient Egyptian times are cited as evidence.The theory says that the name tennis derives from the Egyptian town of Tinnis alongside the Nile.
关于网球运动的最早起源存在很多争议。一种说法认为古埃及、希腊和罗马是网球的发源地。在古埃及时代，尽管没有相关的古代刻画图形作为证据，但是，却发现了源自古埃及时期的很多阿拉伯单词。有理论说，“网球”这个单词起源于尼罗河畔的一个名为Tinnis的古埃及小镇。
Aside from this word，evidence for any form of tennis preceding the year 1000is lacking，and most historians credit the first origins of the game to 11th or 12th century French monks，who began playing a crude handball against their monastery walls or over a rope strung across a courtyard.
除了这个单词，关于网球一千年前的情况，并没有历史记载。但是大多的历史学家把其历史归于十一世纪或十二世纪的法国僧侣，这些僧侣曾拿着粗糙的球打向寺院的墙壁，或者打过栓在院子里的绳子。
The game took on the name jeu de paume，which means “game of the hand.”Many who dispute more ancient origins argue that tennis derived from the French tenez，which meant something to the effect of “take this，”said as one player would serve to the other.
这种和尚所玩的游戏在那时被叫做jeu de paume，意思是“用手玩的游戏”。但是还有人说其起源于法国的tenez一词，意识是“接住”，也就是一方球手在发球时对另一方球手所说的词语。