Major Walter Wingfield MVO - the Inventor of Sphairistike Major Walter Clapton Wingfield (October 1833 - April 18, 1912) was a Welsh inventor of lawn tennis (1874), which he called Sphairistik?(Greek for "ball games"). Wingfield was educated at Rossall School, and was living at Nantclwyd Hall, Llanelidan, in north Wales, when he patented nets for the new sport in 1873. He also authored two tennis works: The Book of the Game and The Major's Game of Lawn Tennis. He also invented the butterfly bicycle. His honours include the Royal Body Guard and Captain, First Dragoon Guards. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1997. 固opFoto