Birmingham

:This article is about the city in England. For other uses, please see Birmingham, Alabama or other places named Birmingham.

Sport

:Main article: Sport in Birmingham

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A cricket club was in existence in Birmingham as early as 1745, and today the city is home to Warwickshire County Cricket Club whose ground at Edgbaston is also a venue for international test matches. International athletics meetings take place at the open-air Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, the home of Birchfield Harriers athletic club, which numbers many Olympic medallists among its past and present members. The National Indoor Arena (NIA) meanwhile is a major indoor athletics stadium and in 2003 hosted the 9th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics. The NIA also hosts events in many other sports, such as the World Indoor Badminton Championships.

Related Topics:
Cricket - 1745 - Warwickshire County Cricket Club - Edgbaston - Test matches - Athletics - Alexander Stadium - Perry Barr - Birchfield Harriers - Olympic - National Indoor Arena - 2003 - IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics - Badminton

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The first ever game of lawn tennis was played in Edgbaston in 1859; international tennis is still played at Edgbaston's Priory Club.

Related Topics:
Lawn tennis - 1859

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The city is home to two of the UK's oldest professional football teams: Aston Villa (1874) and Birmingham City (1875), both of whom currently play in the Premier League. The world's first professional football league was founded at a meeting in Aston on March 22 1885 under the auspices of William McGregor, a director of Aston Villa.

Related Topics:
Football - Aston Villa - 1874 - Birmingham City - 1875 - Premier League - Football league - Aston - March 22 - 1885

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Birmingham also has a professional Rugby Union side, Moseley RFC, and there is professional basketball, boxing, hockey, and greyhound racing in the city.

Related Topics:
Rugby Union - Moseley RFC - Basketball - Boxing - Hockey - Greyhound racing

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Birmingham has been awarded the title National City of Sport by the Sports Council.

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