For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for July 12, 2014

How is badminton aptly named according to John Patterson, DDS?

Well, I get the “Bad,” but what does the “minton” refer to?! ;)

Michael puts the “bad” in badminton.

Just how bad was this Minton they named the game after?

???? 8^(

I remember when I was very, very young (5 or 6) and thinking it was “Batmitten”. I wondered why they were called “birdies”, and called them “bats” instead. It just made more sense to me.

I thought Minton used to pitch for the Giants.

And he wasn’t that bad.

Red Skelton, the comedian, refused to have a “badminton” court on his property, so he built a “goodminton” one.

Truth!

I’ve lived in the U.S.A. my entire life, and I’ve always seen it spelled racquet. Wikipedia also accepts racket; but, if that’s the American spelling, why isn’t it racketball (Spell Check gives me an error) instead of racquetball?