Chapter 1
Secrets of the lawn and turf
Chapter 2
Court street and ring lingo
Chapter 3
Quirky terms from global arenas
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret language of sports
Ch 1 · Secrets of the lawn and turf
schopenhauer The tennis term deuce evolved from the French word for two, representing the two consecutive points needed to win.
schopenhauer The term hat-trick began in cricket when a bowler was awarded an actual hat for taking three consecutive wickets.
BETA
schopenhauer Sort unusual sports terms to learn the secret slang of athletic history.
Fun Fact
Tennis love: The term 'love' in tennis likely comes from the French word 'l'oeuf,' meaning egg, representing the shape of a zero.
Glossary
turf (noun)
The upper layer of soil bound together by grass and its roots. Since 2001, Wimbledon has used entirely perennial ryegrass turf to improve durability and heighten ball bounce.
The upper layer of soil bound together by grass and its roots. Since 2001, Wimbledon has used entirely perennial ryegrass turf to improve durability and heighten ball bounce.
Quiz
What did cricket bowler H.H. Stephenson receive in 1858 that inspired the term 'hat-trick'?
Quiz
In which English town was the original horse race held that gave us the term 'derby'?
Quiz
The soccer term 'clean sheet' refers to a game with no goals conceded. What physical item does this term historically refer to?
Quiz
What does the golf term 'birdie' originally refer to in 19th-century American slang?
Quiz
The tennis term 'deuce' comes from 'deux,' which is the word for 'two' in which language?
Quiz
What does the term 'steeplechase' in running and horse racing originally refer to?