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St. Paul's High School Archives: An Origin Story: From Mintonette to Volleyball

Information about St. Paul's Archives and virtual displays created to support physical displays

An Origin Story: From Mintonette to Volleyball

The early game of volleyball, originally known as Mintonette, was drastically different from the highly structured and fast-paced game of today.  Created by YMCA physical director William G. Morgan in 1895, the sport of volleyball was developed to entertain, relax and engage the older demographic at the Holyoke YMCA as basketball, created in 1891, was considered to be too physical for the older members. Inspired by other popular sports of the day, including basketball (the ball), tennis (the net), handball (tactics of play), and baseball (structure of the game), the game was loosely structured to involve many players and to promote movement and team play.

Aspects of the early game continue to influence the fundamentals of current play. Though the net has been tailored to the needs of modern volleyball, the influence of the tennis net remains in the construction. The volleyball, which was created by A. G. Spalding & Bros, shares characteristics with the basketball, which was used as the game ball prior to 1900. These similarities include the interior rubber bladder and the leather exterior. The early structure of innings remains as what are now known as “sets”. And, although the ball can no longer be played off of the walls or floor, the tactics of play taken from handball remain as the early practice of volleying the ball through the air continues to define play. 

With increasing popularity, volleyball spread from the Northeast throughout the United States and northwards into Canada where it was first played in 1900. By 1920, it had been introduced internationally by missionaries and soldiers. It was during this period that many of the first competitions took place in Europe, while tactical plays, including the “attack”, were developed in Asia. These adaptations reflected a growing interest in the sport and the strategies of play.

Since its introduction in 1895, volleyball has become one of the most popular team sports with millions of players worldwide.

Borders play volleyball at St. Paul's College, Ellice Avenue.

c. 1958

St. Paul's College Yearbook

Original Rules of Volleyball

Since the founding of the FIVB and other regulatory organizations, the sport of volleyball has undergone a standardization of rules and equipment. In the early years of the sport, athletes were governed by only ten rules as outlined by the Young Men’s Christian Associations of North America. These early rules were as follows:

  1. “Game - The game consists of nine innings.
  2. Inning - An inning consists of: when one person is playing on each side, one service each side; when two are playing on each side, two services each side; when three or more are playing on a side, three services each side. The man serving continues to do so until out by failure of his side to return the ball. Each man shall serve in turn.
  3. Court - The court or floor space shall be twenty-five feet wide and fifty feet long, to be divided into two square courts, twenty-five by twenty-five feet, by the net. Four feet from the net on either side and parallel with it shall be a line across the court, the Dribbling line. The boundary lines must be plainly marked so as to be visible from all part of the court. Note – The exact size of the court may be changed to suit the convenience of the place.
  4. Net - The net shall be at least two feet wide and twenty-seven feet long, and shall be suspended from uprights placed at least one foot outside the side lines. The top line of the next must be six feet six inches from the floor.
  5. Ball - The ball shall be a rubber bladder covered with leather or canvas. It shall measure not less than twenty-five inches, nor more than twenty-seven inches in circumference, and shall weigh not less than nine ounces nor more than twelve ounces.
  6. Server and Service - The server shall stand with one foot on the back line. The ball must be batted with the hand. Two services or trials are allowed him to place the ball in the opponent’s court (as in tennis). The server may serve into the opponent’s court at any place. In a service, the ball must be batted at least ten feet, no dribbling allowed. A service which would strike the net, but which is struck by another of the same side before striking the net, if it goes over into the opponent’s court, is good, but if it should go outside, the server has no second trial.
  7. Scoring - Each good service unreturned or ball in play unreturned by the side receiving counts one score for the side serving. A side only scores when serving, as a failure to return the ball in their part results in the server being put out.
  8. Net Ball - A play which hits the net, aside from first service, is called a net ball, and is equivalent to a failure to return, counting for the opposite side.
  9. Line Ball - It is a ball striking the boundary line. It is equivalent to one out of court, and counts as such.
  10. Play and Players - Any number may play that is convenient to the place. A player should be able to cover about ten by ten feet. Should any player during play touch the net it puts the ball out of play and counts against his side. Should any player catch or hold for an instant the ball, it is out of play and counts for the opposite side. Should the ball strike any object other than the floor and bound back into play, it is still in play. To dribble the ball is to carry it all the time, keeping it bouncing. When dribbling the ball no player shall cross the dribbling line, the putting the ball out of play and counting against him. Any player except the captain, addressing the umpire or casting any slurring remarks at him or any of the players on the opposite side, may be disqualified, and his side be compelled to play the game without him or a substitute, or forfeit the same.”

The rules and regulations that govern play today has expanded, with handbooks measuring approximately one hundred pages. For reference to contemporary rules, please explore the FIVB handbook and the Volleyball Canada official rules using the links below: http://www.fivb.org/EN/Refereeing-Rules/documents/FIVB-Volleyball_Rules_2017-2020-EN-v06.pdf / http://www.fivb.org/EN/Refereeing-Rules/documents/FIVB-Volleyball_Rules_2017-2020-EN-v06.pdf