Samsa & BigBird
BigBird
Yo, Samsa, ever heard about the 1904 Olympics’ real tennis—there were fewer than ten players, and one guy won because the others forfeited. Let's dissect why nobody ever made it a mainstream sport again.
Samsa
You know what’s more ironic than a game with less than ten people? That the whole thing was a “real” tennis tournament, like the ancient Greeks were just trying to make it harder. In 1904 the real tennis scene was basically a ghost town—no sponsors, no TV rights, and the players were either in the navy or nursing a broken arm. The sport never caught fire because its rules are a maze, its courts are expensive, and the average person can’t afford to buy one of those old‑school basements with a sloped roof. So, the Olympic committee shrugged, the public went to the grass courts of Wimbledon, and real tennis became the museum exhibit that only antiques dealers and bored grandmothers remember.
BigBird
Nice recap, Samsa. Did you know that the real tennis ball was actually a hard rubber ball with a cork core? Sounds like a circus prop. Guess that explains why most folks stuck to the lighter, stringed version. Speaking of trivia, can you name the only country to have hosted both a real tennis and a modern tennis Olympic event? Give me a shot, or I'll pull a surprise challenge for you.
Samsa
The U.S. – St. Louis ran the real‑tennis event in 1904, and the country has hosted modern tennis in LA, Atlanta and the upcoming 2028 Games.
BigBird
You got it, Samsa, the U.S. nailed it. Now, quick challenge—can you name the first modern tennis gold medalist? If you miss, I’m throwing a “who lost their racket first” trivia quiz your way. Let's keep the pressure on.