Manda Beck / Michael Jucker

Manda Beck and Michael Jucker work at Swiss Sports History, the platform for sports history in Switzerland, at the University of Lucerne.

Sport and colonialism

Manda Beck / Michael Jucker 20.12.2023 What do pineapples have to do with the sport of tennis? Enough for one to sit atop the world-famous Wimbledon gentlemen’s singles trophy. The cup, which has been presented to each successive winner of the Championships since 1887, is adorned with a small pineapple at its peak. This is connected with the colonial history of sport.

The Wimbledon trophy following Novak Djokovic’s victory over Roger Federer, London, 2014.