History of Computing Series: Tennis for Two and Early Computer Games

By Fay Capstick

This week we shall have another entry in our History of Computing Series looking at one of the first computer games. Did you think Pong was the first? I did too, but it turns out it is actually Tennis for Two, so let’s learn all about it and the early history of computer games.

When did Tennis for Two come out?

A lot earlier than you are probably guessing! Tennis for Two came out in October 1958, which was 14 years before Pong.

So what made early computer games possible?

Computer games became possible after the invention of the cathode-ray tube amusement device which was patented in 1947, which is kinda mindblowing. Who knew our great-grandparents could have been playing computer games?

The cathode-ray tube amusement device was the first interactive electronic game with the first electronic display incorporated. Knobs mean the player can control a CRT beam spot on the display, and therefore interact and play the game.

Sadly though it was never sold to the public. Also, some people claim it isn’t actually a computer game as it did not run on a computing device (but had an electronic display). However, I think it is a fascinating piece of history.

So when did proper computer games emerge?

That would be the early 1950s, so not too long after the cathode-ray tube amusement device, but they were mainly an academic activity.

Tell me more about Tennis for Two!

When Tennis for Two came along in 1958 it changed things, as it had been created to be entertaining.

It was created by William Higinbotham, a nuclear physicist (who was born in 1910 in Connecticut and died in 1994), working at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, in New York. Previously, from 1943-45 he had worked on the Manhatten Project at Los Alamos.

Tennis for Two was first shown at a public exhibition at the Brookhaven National Laboratory.

The Brookhaven National Laboratory was (and is) a government research facility, which held annual open days of tours and displays to educate the public. Thousands would come and visit the lab. Tennis for Two was displayed in 1958 to entertain visitors (most exhibits were rather dry apparently), including groups of high school students.

The game was designed quickly, and built in only three weeks. It was displayed on an oscilloscope (an electronic instrument with a graphical display). The circuitry itself was about the side of a large air-fryer. It is played using two controllers. It is really basic, as you would expect.

You are viewing a tennis court from the side. A green line represents the ground, and another green line is the net. The ‘ball’ is a green streak. A knob on your controller lets you control the angle of the ‘ball’ and you hit the ball by pressing a button on the controller. You had to keep score yourself. Super simple, but super amazing for the time.

Did people like it?

Absolutely, yes. It was on display for the three days of the exhibition, and proved most popular, as you would expect, with school kids. Hundreds queued to try it. In fact, it was so popular that an improved version was even shown the next year. However, it was then apparently largely forgotten for 20 years.

Fun fact!

The inventor of Tennis for Two, Higinbotham, already had 20 patented inventions to his name, however, he never did patent Tennis for Two. He thought that the long lines of people better reflected how “dull” the other exhibits were, rather than how groundbreaking his was!

Does it still exist?

Sadly not, the original was dismantled after the 1959 exhibition so that its parts could be reused. This is such a loss to history as it would be fascinating to see it still working and entertaining people in a museum.

But, there is some good news! In 1997 a team recreated it for the 50th anniversary of Brookhaven National Laboratory. It was also displayed during the 50th anniversary of the game in 2008.

Still want to try it?

Then even more good news! There is a Tennis for Two simulator available here:

https://www.retrogamedeconstructionzone.com/2021/08/the-tennis-for-two-simulator-tets.html

It is quite fun and you can see why it captured the imagination of those lucky enough to see it in the late 1950s.

Want to learn more?

The Brookhaven National Laboratory is still going, and their site has more info, including the original schematics!

Visit: https://www.bnl.gov/about/history/firstvideo.php#:~:text=Tennis

What do we think?

We think that Tennis for Two plays an important part in the history of early computer games and it deserves a bit more attention. We can only imagine how novel and exciting it must have seemed to those lucky enough to play it at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Those people are now our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, and it is hard to fathom the advances in computer games that have happened in their lifetimes (in fact, one of those who tried it in 1958, David H. Ahl, went on to become the editor of Creative Computing in the 1980s).

Final thoughts

At Parker Shaw we have been at the forefront of the sector we serve, IT & Digital Recruitment and Consulting, for over 30 years. We can advise you on all your hiring needs. If you are looking for your next job in the IT sector please check our Jobs Board for our current live vacancies at https://parkershaw.co.uk/jobs-board.