Castletown Lawn Tennis Club

Malew Street, Castletown, IM9 1AE

The invention of vulcanized rubber in 1890 meant that tennis could be played outdoors on grass. In 1873, Major Walter Wingfield, invented a game called Sphairistike on an hourglass shaped court, with the net in the middle. The game was adopted by Croquet Clubs, and in 1877 the All England Croquet Club, held its first tennis tournament at Wimbledon. The rest, as we know, is history.