Article taken from Sydney Olympics Official Badminton Page

Before Badminton House, there was poona. Before poona, there was jeu de volant. Before that, battledore and shuttlecock, and, before that, Ti Jian Zi. It's not easy tracking the family lineage of the sport now known as badminton.
As far back as the 5th century BC, the Chinese were playing Ti Jian Zi, or shuttle-kicking, a game played with the feet. The shuttlecock was there, but it remains unclear whether it led to the game of battledore and shuttlecock that arose about five centuries later in China, Japan, India and Greece. The battledores were the early versions of today's racquets.By the 1600s, battledore and shuttlecock had developed into a popular children's game. It soon became a favourite pastime of the noble and leisure classes of many European countries, becoming known as jeu de volant on the Continent.
In India, a game closer to modern badminton, poona, had evolved by the mid-19th century. While British army officers stationed there were learning the game, the Duke of Beauford was introducing it to royal society at his country estate, Badminton House in Gloucestershire, England. Within four years, the Bath Badminton Club had formed, and a new version of the game played there laid the basis for today's rules. The game remained a genteel affair for society's elite until the end of the century. Then, as badminton associations formed in England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and France, a more vigorous game began to spread.
The International Badminton Federation (IBF) was born in 1934, with a membership of nine countries ranging from the Netherlands to Canada, and with India, Australia and the United States joining soon after. The Asians were ready and waiting to dominate when the game came back to them. Since 1934, China and Indonesia have won 70 per cent of all IBF titles even with 131 countries now belonging to the federation.

The game reached the Olympic stage as a demonstration sport at the 1972 Munich Games. It returned as an exhibition sport in Seoul in 1988, then was accepted to full medal status in 1992 at Barcelona. By then, it was too late for great players such as China's Li Lingwei and Han Aiping. During the 1980s, they had won six women's World Cups, six Grand Prix singles titles and 63 championships between them. It also was too late for Denmark's legendary Morten Frost, who won more than 70 major men's titles during the '80s, not to mention other great players of the game such as China's Han Jian, Yang Yang, Zhao Jianhua, Xiong Guobao, Indonesia's Icuk Sugiato, Lim Siew King, Malaysia's Misbun Sidek. Nonetheless, they had shown the way for their compatriots. At the 1996 Atlanta Games, China tied for the medal lead as Asian athletes won 14 of the 15 medals. The only non-Asian was another Dane, Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen, who shocked the field with a gold medal in men's singles. After all these years, badminton probably is not far removed from its ancient predecessors, nor from the game of elite society in the mid-1800s except for the speed of the game. The fastest smash recorded, by Great Britain's Simon Archer, was clocked at 260 kilometres per hour.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The Thomas Cup - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Article taken from Badminton Association of Malaysia Website
The institution of a Men's World Team Badminton Championship was first given serious consideration by the I.B.F. In 1939 and it was then that the Federation was pleased to accept from its President, Sir George Thomas, Bart., the offer of a challenge trophy for the purpose.
Owing to the World War, it was not until 1948 that the first contest for the Championship could be launched. Competition now takes place every two years. Though officially known as 'The International Badminton Championship Challenge Cup', the beautiful silver-gilt trophy is known the world over by its more familiar title of 'The Thomas Cup'.

Manufactured in London in 1939, the cup stands 28 inches in height and has a span, including the handles, of 16 inches. It is made in three pieces - plinth, cup and lid - the latter being surmounted by a figure of a player. Engraved on the front of the Cup are the words, 'The International Badminton Championship Cup presented to the International Badminton Federation by Sir George Thomas, Bart., 1939'.

History of Thomas Cup

The history of the Thomas Cup goes back some 50 years when an English nobleman, who after having derived much pleasure from the game, decided that he had to leave something for posterity.
The man in question was the wealthy baronet of Yapton, Sir George Alan Thomas, a leading player on the English front who between 1903 and 1927 won a number of titles, including the All-England title for four years.Sir George envisaged a World Cup championship for badminton similar to that of soccer and his idea was well received by the International Badminton Federation (IBF) and the rules were drawn up for the competition to be held once every three years. In 1939 Sir George presented the trophy to the IBF and the scene was set for the first ever world team championship for badminton.
Though officially known as "The International Badminton Championship Challenge Cup', the beautiful silver-gilt trophy is known the world over by it's more familiar title of 'The Thomas Cup'. Manufactured in London in 1939, the Cup stands 28 inches in height and has a span, including the handles, of 16 inches. It is made in three pieces - plinth, cup and lid - the latter being surmounted by a figure of a player. Engraved on the front of the Cup are the words: 'The International Badminton Championship Cup presented to the International Badminton Federation by Sir George Thomas, Bart., 1939'.
However, plans were put on hold due to the outbreak of the Second World War and it was only as decade later that the aborted plans were revived. Ten countries took part in the inaugural championship and Malaya was the only representative from the the Pacific Zone, while the United States came through came through from the Pan American Zone and Denmark from the European Zone.
The largely unknown Malayan team consisting of Wong Peng Soon, Ooi Teik Hock, Law Teik Hock, Teoh Seng Khoon, Chan Kon Leong, Yeoh Teck Chye, Lim Kee Fong and Ong Poh Lim, left on a long and tedious journey for English shores unaware of the relative strength of the competing nations as there had never been a competition of this nature.
Arriving in the midst of the English winter and as Cup fever built up, much of the attention was paid to Dave Freeman of the United States who had an unbeaten record dating back to 1939 and he was a wizard and symbol of exceptional physical fitness. With him spearheading the US challenge, they became a force to be reckoned with.
The Malayans met the US side in the inter-zone final and were not given much of a chance. But interest built up as the Press became impressed with Wong Peng Soon to the extent that they even began to compare him to Freeman.
The stage was set and interest reached fever pitch as nearly 3,000 people cramped the small Kelvin Hall and the festival of badminton began. Malaya took a 3-1 lead on the first day with Freeman getting the US point and cliched the tie on the second day with a decisive 6-3 score. This took them to the final with Denmark where they looked vulnerable, especially since Wong Peng Soon was forced out due to a shoulder injury. Wong's replacement was Law Teik Hock who played the match of his life as he whipped the reigning All-England champion Danish captain Joern Skaarup 15-5, 15-0 and set the pace for a famous Malayan victory by the score of 8-1 after taking a 4-0 lead on the first day.
Malaya went on to retain the trophy in 1952 as they defeated the United States 7-2 in the final and completed a hat-trick of wins when they won the Cup again in 1955 after beating Denmark 8-1.
The Malayans who by 1958 had established themselves as a dominant force in the world and having had accepted it as a matter of course, were brought back to earth with a nasty bump as their run came to an end at the hands of the Indonesians who were making their debut.Their pride and confidence was not unfounded as they have won all the major titles for a continuous period from 1950-56. They also won the prestigious All-England title.The notion was that Malaya with a good blend of youth and experience was in no danger of giving up the title with a team that included Eddy Choong, Ooi Teik Hock, the Kew San, Abdullah Piruz, Lim Say Hup and Johnny Heah.
But newcomers Indonesia powered by Ferry Sonneville with a team comprising hitherto unheard of players like Tan Joe Hock, Tan King Guan, Njoo Kiem Bie and Lie Po Djian, had other ideas as they threw all pre-tournament hype of being the underdogs out the window. After annihilating the other favourite, Denmark, 6-3 in the semifinal, Indonesia went on to prove their superiority over Malaya in no uncertain terms as they cruised to a 6-3 win. The Indonesians continued their domination in the next championship as they tore apart Thailand 6-3.

In 1964 they retained the title in Tokyo amidst controversial circumstances, when continued barracking by the over-zealous 600 strong Indonesian crowd at the Danish players made the Danes lose their concentration and the Final with a score of 4-5.
The over-zealous Indonesian spectators tried to distract the Danes, whom many favoured to defeat the aging Indonesians. It was back to Indonesia for the 1967 final crowd distraction once again reared its ugly head when the match with Malaysia was abandoned, with Malaysia leading 4-3. The partisan crowd began to interfere with play to such an extent that the referee Herbert Scheele had no choice but to abandon the match. The IBF convened an emergency meeting and ruled that the match should be resumed on a neutral venue i.e. In New Zealand. The Indonesians refused and the IBF then went on the award the award the remaining two ties to Malaysia.
The Indonesians stormed back to win the next championship with an easy 7-2 win over Malaysia and hung on to the Cup for the subsequent three tournaments and their domination was only checked after the arrival of China in 1982.
In their first appearance the Chinese took on the Indonesians in the final in London and edged to a 5-4 win. The year 1984 saw some significant changes taking place as it was decided to reduce the number of matches to five - three singles and two doubles - and also to have the championship played once in every two instead of every three years.
Indonesia got their revenge over China in 1984 when they won by a similar scoreline. Then in 1986 China got the better measure of Indonesia to regain the Cup and have retained it mainly due to their powerful domination in the singles. To add variety and provide keener competition, the order of play for the Finals is as follows: 1st Singles, 1st Doubles, 2nd Singles, 2nd Doubles and 3rd Singles.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - History of Uber Cup - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Uber Cup has always had to play the role of bridesmaid, in every sense of the word, to the Thomas Cup, but this has in no way dimished its importance. The institution of an international team competition for ladies along the lines of the highly successful Thomas Cup for the men was first mooted as early as 1950 when the International Badminton Federation (IBF) received such a suggestion, together with the offer of a trophy, from Mrs H S Uber - herself one of the game's greats. However, at that time the Federation did not feel it was the right time to organise such a competition mainly due to financial constraints.
This move by Mrs Uber kindled growing interest and with constant pressure this became a matter for discussion every year by the IBF. In 1953 it became a reality when it was accepted in principle to take up Mrs Uber's offer. The rules and regulations for the championship were drawn up in double quick time and it was then decided that the championship would get under way in 1956-57 and would be held once every three years. Mrs Uber officially presented her trophy to the IBF at the Annual General Meeting in 1956 and made the draw for the inaugural championship.

The Uber Cup is a superb piece of silver of unusual design and surmounted over a swivelling globe stands a lady player on a shuttle. The trophy is 18 inches in height and was manufactured to Mrs Uber's own design by Messrs. Mappin and Webb, of London. Engraved around the base of the trophy are the worlds "The Ladies' International Badminton Championships Challenge Trophy presented to the International Badminton Federation by Mrs H S Uber, 1956."
In 1956 the first inter-zone ties were held and India became the first winners of the Asian zone, but crashed 7-0 to the powerful United States team at the next stage. The US team then went on to overwhelm the top team from Europe, Denmark, to the tune of 6-1 in the final, which was held in Lytham St. Annes. The US continued their domination at the next two championships as they defeated Denmark again in 1960 and then England in 1963.
The Asian teams who had not been making their mark until now, made their presence felt in 1966 when the Japanese, like Malaysia and Indonesia in the Thomas Cup, won the coveted trophy at their first attempt and since then the Cup has never left Asian shores.
The Japanese sent the US tumbling 5-2 in Wellington in the 1966 final and successfully retained the Cup when they thrashed Indonesia 6-1 in the 1969 final. The Japanese repeated their win over the Indonesians in the next final by a similar scoreline. But the Indonesians turned the tables on the Japanese in 1975 when the championship was held in Indonesia for the first time, with a convincing 5-2 win.
Japan, however, got the better of the Indonesians in the subsequent two finals played in Auckland in 1978 and Tokyo in 1981. The championships took on significant changes for the 1984 edition, when the number of matches to be played were reduced to the best of five - three singles and two doubles. The finals were held simultaneously with the Thomas Cup and it was henceforth to be played once every two years.