Plummer, Ian (1 January 2011). "Association vs US (6-wicket) Rules Croquet". With over 1800 participants, the 2011 Oxford University "Cuppers" (inter-college) tournament claimed to be not only the largest croquet tournament ever, but the largest sporting event in the university's history. Croquet was an event at the 1900 Summer Olympics. October, Hanan Rashad of Egypt beat Yasser Fathy (also from Egypt) to win the World over-50s Golf Croquet championship. In the Thursday Next series of novels, notably Something Rotten, Jasper Fforde depicts an alternative world in which croquet is a brutal mass spectator sport. The sport has particularly strong followings in the UK, US, New Zealand, Australia, and Egypt; many other countries also play. It quickly spread to other Anglophone countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. It is contested every three to four years between Australia, England (formerly Great Britain), the United States, and New Zealand. These are governed by Croquet New Zealand. In England and Wales, there are around 170 clubs affiliated with the Croquet Association. About 200 croquet clubs across the United States are members of the United States Croquet Association. There are also clubs in many universities and colleges, with an annual Varsity match being played between Oxford and Cambridge.

There are 112 clubs in New Zealand, affiliated with 19 associations. The second theory is that the rules of the modern game of croquet arrived in Ireland during the 1850s, perhaps after being brought there from Brittany, where a similar game was played on the beaches. The oldest document to bear the word croquet with a description of the modern game is the set of rules registered by Isaac Spratt in November 1856 with the Stationers' Company of London. In 1868, the first croquet all-comers meet was held at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, and in the same year, the All England Croquet Club was formed at Wimbledon, London. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon is famous for its lawn tennis tournament, but retains an active croquet section. Norman Rockwell often depicted the game, including in his painting Croquet. In the suburbs of Atlanta there is a place where you can purchase a Norman Rockwell painting, a barbeque sandwich, and a tour bus suitable for a rock star all under one roof. Slip a piece of candy or a small toy under one of three halved walnut shells.

The 13th Earl developed a variation on croquet named Captain Moreton's Eglinton Castle croquet, which had small bells on the eight hoops "to ring the changes", two pegs, a double hoop with a bell, and two tunnels for the ball to pass through. On the page facing the title page is a picture of Eglinton Castle with a game of "croquet" in full swing. The croquet lawn existed on the northern terrace, between Eglinton Castle and the Lugton Water. The sport had its beginnings way back in the 15th century in Northern Europe. Fast Eddie B, is described as a "world class croquet player", and two other gang members, Ihor Ihorovich and Scar Graynolt, also play the sport. Nicky Smith presents two theories of the origin of the modern game of croquet, which took England by storm in the 1860s and then spread overseas. Some other early modern sources refer to pall-mall being played over a large distance (as in golf); however, an image in Strutt's 1801 book shows a croquet-like ground billiards game (balls on the ground, hoop, bats, and peg) being played over a short, garden-sized distance. While the name pall-mall and various games bearing this name also appeared elsewhere (France and Italy), the description above suggests that the croquet-like games in particular were popular in England by the early 17th century.

In Samuel Johnson's 1755 dictionary, his definition of "pall-mall" clearly describes a game with similarities to modern croquet: "A play in which the ball is struck with a mallet through an iron ring". The way croquet is depicted in paintings and books says much about popular perceptions of the game, though little about the reality of modern play. Given royalty free quality samples it shouldn't be too much work. During all of this, many players take pride in the quality of their Viking trash talk, perhaps hoping to distract the other team (or maybe just to speak in a funny accent). If the players are less than seven years old, don't call anybody out; let them all stay in and focus on keeping the pattern going. Tuck the unknotted end in the same position, and this time when you say the magic work and snap your hand, release the knotted end while keeping the unknotted end secure between your fingers. While you turn, move your right index finger up to hold the wand. In the 1951 Woody Woodpecker animated short Wicket Wacky, Woody sneaks into a croquet field to play, while a gopher bothered by the noise tries to stop him.

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