Jeu de paume

Jeu de paume (UK: /ˌʒɜː də ˈpoʊm/, French: [ʒø d(ə) pom]; originally spelled jeu de paulme; lit. 'palm game'), nowadays known as real tennis, (US) court tennis or (in France) courte paume, is a ball-and-court game that originated in France. It was an indoor precursor of tennis played without racquets, and so "game of the hand", though these were eventually introduced. It is a former Olympic sport, and has the oldest ongoing annual world championship in sport, first established over 250 years ago. The term also refers to the court on which the game is played and its building, which in the 17th century was sometimes converted into a theatre.

In the earliest versions of the game, the players hit the ball with their hands, as in palla, volleyball, Fives, or certain varieties of pelota. Jeu de paume, or jeu de paulme as it was formerly spelled, literally means "palm game". In time, gloves replaced bare hands. Even when paddle-like bats, and finally racquets, became standard equipment for the game by the late 17th century, the name did not change. It became known as "tennis" in English (see History of tennis), and later "real tennis" after the derived game of lawn tennis became the more widely known sport.

The term is used in France today to denote the game of tennis on a court in which the ancient or modern game might be played. The indoor version is sometimes called jeu de courte paume or just courte paume ("short palm") to distinguish it from the outdoor version, longue paume ("long palm"), played on a field of variable length.

At the 1908 Summer Olympics, jeu de paume was a medal event: American Jay Gould II won the gold medal.

Since 1740, jeu de paume has been the subject of an amateur world championship (Real Tennis World Championship), held each year in September. It is the oldest active trophy in international sport.

World Jeu de paume Championship

Various other forms of handball may be related to one degree or another; this is generally difficult to ascertain with certainty, and some, like the Mesoamerican ballgame clearly have an independent origin.

Various other racquet games (squash, badminton, etc.) may be related to one degree or another.