Badminton, that game played with small racquets and a funny looking thing called a shuttlecock (or bird), actually has a long and storied history. The sport first appeared in China around 500 BC. It was called Ti Jian Zi and was played with a shuttlecock and one’s feet.
The sport next surfaced in the 16th century where it was played by the European nobility (hence the sport of Counts) and was known as “jeu de Volant,” which was French for “wheel game.” It consisted of hitting a small ball with the palm of one’s hand.