Hardball squash is a format of the indoor racquet sport squash which was first developed in the North America in the late-nineteenth century and early-twentieth century. It is sometimes referred to as being the "American version" of the sport. Compared to the "British version" of the game – which today is usually referred to as being the "international" version, or "softball" squash) – the hardball game is played using a harder rubber ball which plays faster, and usually on a smaller court for singles play, or a much larger court for the doubles game. Racquet Sports are sports where players use racquets to hit a ball or other object. ... Squash racquet and ball Squash is an indoor racquet sport which was, until recently, called Squash Rackets, a reference to the squashable soft ball used in the game (compared with the harder ball used in its parent game Racquets or Rackets--see below). ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s The 20th century lasted from 1901 to 2000 in the Gregorian calendar (often from (1900 to 1999 in common usage). ...

Records of squash being played in Canada go back to the early-1880s. There it was found that the softer squash balls being used in Britain were not ideally suited to playing in the extremely cold conditions of the Canadian winter, and so a harder rubber ball was developed. It was quickly found that this ball was better suited to playing on slightly narrower courts than were used in the British verision of the game. As the popularity of the game spread around Canada, the United States and Mexico, court specifications were codified. In 1924, it was decided to standardize the court width for the hardball games at 18½ feet, with a 'tin' at the bottom of the front wall which was 17 inches high – whereas the British version of the game was played on a 21 foot wide court, with a 19 inch 'tin'. By 1929, official court plans were being sold by the United States Squash Racquets Association (USSRA), and the hardball game was brought into controlled growth. // Events and Trends Technology Development and commercial production of electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Maybach First commercial production and sales of phonographs and phonograph recordings. ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Harball squash was largely the only form of the game played in North America until the 1980s. Growing exposure to the international version of the game then led to many clubs in North America building 21 foot wide courts, and the "soft" ball being used on wide and narrow courts. Additionally, the USSRA recognised a 20 foot width as being acceptable for playing the international version (this width being derived from an increasing trend of converting racquetball courts for squash play). By the mid-1990s, the vast majority of squash players in North America had switched to playing the international version of the game. In 1996, 80% of squash ball sales in the United States were of the international-format balls. The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... Racquetball racquet and ball Racquetball is a sport played with racquets and a hollow rubber ball on an indoor or outdoor court. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

Though hardball squash is no longer a very popular game for singles play, the hardball doubles game continues to thrive. Hardball doubles is played on a court measuring 45 feet long and 25 feet wide.

External links

• Article on hardball squash at squashmagazine.com
• Article of the history of squash at worldsquash.org
• Article of the history of squash at hickoksports.com