The Past History of Trampolines

The Inuit people were probably the first ones toto propel people into the air. Christopher Freville
indulge in a sport activity that resembled thehowever suggests that it might probably be a myth
trampoline in many respects. They used walrus skinssince there is absolutely no documentary evidence to
to toss one another into the air. One person sat onsupport the idea.
the rug while three or four people held it and tossedIt was George Nissen and Larry Griswold who built
the seated person into the air. Christopher Frevillethe first trampoline in 1934 that resembled the
says that there is evidence that people in Europe toomodern day version of the device. While Griswold
played a similar game using blankets instead of rugs.happened to be a tumbler in his gymnastics team,
Today’s trampolines are mostly based on theNissen was a diving competitor who was also
same principle. The fabric that the bounce mats ofproficient in gymnastics. Both of them hailed from the
today’s trampolines are made of is non-elasticUniversity of Iowa, USA. Being inspired by trapeze
just like the rugs and blankets used in olden days.artistes entertaining audiences and adding value to
The actual elastic action comes from the springs thattheir performances by using these comedy routines,
hold the mat in place. This kind of activity wasthe duo started experimenting with their own
sometimes also administered as a punishment in oldenversions of the device. They cut holes in a piece of
days as portrayed in Don Quixote.canvas that were strengthened with grommets and
The early part of the 1900s saw a number ofused coiled springs to suspend the canvas within a
performers use a kind of bouncing bed to amusesurrounding iron frame.
audiences. Though these may not be the actualAccording to Nissen, ‘trampolín’ in Spanish
predecessors of the modern day trampoline, the ideameant diving board. In the late 1930s while
for today’s apparatus may have evolved fromdemonstrating his device during a tour in Mexico,
these early devices. These were mainly used byNissen came across the term and wanted to use it
professional clowns in circuses to enact their comedyas the trademark for their invention. Christopher
routines. An artiste named Du Trampolin may haveFreville says that the year 1942 saw the birth of the
been the first one to develop the device as impliedGriswold-Nissen Trampoline & Tumbling
by circus folklore. The safety nets used by trapezeCompany. The company started the commercial
artistes gave him the idea to use a similar mechanismproduction of trampolines in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.