History of Foosball
The 1890s were an interesting time for inventions. Ideas that were fresh and full of potential were conceptualized at the time. It was a time when the creation of things that did not exist before was given a lot of importance. From the jukebox to the radio and the escalator; the inventions that came out during the 1890s were honestly a little mad. So, the fact that the foosball table began to appear in parlours across Europe during this time is not much of a surprise. The game, in line with the ideas at the time, was a little mad.
Early History
The credit of inventing Foosball is attached to two men, namely Lucien Rosengart and Alexandre de Finesterre. It gets murky trying to understand who among the both of them actually invented it. Lucien Rosengart was a French engineer who used to make automobiles and bicycles. Alexandre de Finesterre was a Spanish telegraphist who had a few patented inventions in his name. Rosengart claimed that he invented Foosball to keep his grandchildren entertained during the winter time. Finesterre on the other hand asserted that the game was invented by him while he recovered from the injuries he sustained in the First World War. Rosengart’s claim only seems to have the strength of word of mouth. Stranger still, Finesterre had patented the game of Foosball in 1937 but subsequently ended up losing the paper work during the war.
First Patent
Harold Searles Thornton holds the first ever verifiable patent for Foosball. Thornton’s story was that the idea struck him as he saw matches lying parallel to each other on top of a matchbox. For Thornton, Foosball was a fun activity to indulge in while you were home. His uncle, Louis P. Thornton took the game to America intending to make it a mainstream success. He patented it there in the year 1927. However, Louis had little success with Foosball and the game died in obscurity during this time.
The Popular Years
The first foosball league was established by the Belgians in 1950. By then Foosball had gained a lot of popularity. The tables infiltrated into cafes, pool halls and pubs across Europe and America. The credit to growing Foosball’s popularity to dizzying heights in America is mostly granted to E. Lee Peppard. This Montana based bar owner set up high stakes Foosball tournaments that promised a lot of money to people. Called the Quarter Million Dollar Professional Foosball Tour, the prize money ranged between $1000 to $20,000. In 1976 The European Table Soccer Union was formed. The game however, still remained very divisive in the way it was played. This was because the game of Foosball had evolved in isolation in different parts of the world. The game was played differently across the different countries that managed to get addicted by it.
Different Strokes
American Foosball is all about power. The table surfaces are usually made of hard materials like mahogany and the ball is made of thick plastic. This calls for a style of game that is more about power and speed. French version of Foosball was more about control because the table surface was made of linoleum and a cork ball was used. This version gave importance to passing the ball and tried to ape the actual game of football in its style of play. The German version went a little further and set up table surfaces that were arguably the softest of the lot. Their game calls for strategy and guile in setting up the shots.
Conclusion
Foosball is a fun game that is enjoyed across the world today. It has a curious history where different people from different continents had parallel ideas of conceiving the game. What is indisputable, however, is the immense popularity Foosball enjoys today. PLaY knows how much fun it is to play Foosball with your friends and collect those bragging rights like they were candy. This is why a Foosball tables are a big part of our attraction.