What the top sports looked like 100 years ago – in pictures

Sports has come a long way in a century and these images show just how far

The Tour de France is one of the most iconic events in sports. The race was first organised in 1903 to increase sales for the newspaper L'Auto. It was held annually since its first edition in 1903 except when it was stopped for the two World Wars. Here, Ottavio Bottecchia of Italy chases Lucien Buysse of Belgium through St Cloud during the final stage of the 1925 Tour de France. Bottecchia went on to win and Buysse came second. Getty

Women's tennis is almost unrecognisable now, compared to what it was a century ago. The attire female tennis players had to wear at Wimbledon was elaborate, to say the least. Here we see American-born tennis player Bunny Ryan in action against Suzanne Lenglen of France during a women's singles match at 1924 Wimbledon. Getty

The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest active sports car contest in endurance racing, held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, France. Here we see a supercharged Bentley motor car at the first Le Mans 24-Hour Race. Getty

American boxer Jack Dempsey was the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's fights set many financial and attendance records, including the first million-dollar gate. Here we see Dempsey in action against Tom Gibbons at Shelby, Montana, in 1923. Getty

Contemporary football can be traced back to codification of the rules at English public schools during the 19th century. In 1888, the Football League was founded in England, marking the beginning the biggest sport in the world. Here we see a 1922 game between Preston North End and Tottenham Hotspur. Getty

Preliminary rounds in the water polo competition during the 1924 Paris Olympics. Getty

Cricket, the gentleman's game, has been around since the 18th century. The first recorded international match took place in 1844 between (surprisingly) USA and Canada. The game's most cherished competition is the Ashes series between Australian and England. Here we see the Australian team take the field during the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, in 1921. Australia won the match by 10 wickets. Getty

The British Open is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious which was founded in 1860. Pictured here is golfer Harry Vardon at the 1920 Open in Deal, Kent. Getty

The Calcutta Cup, first competed for in 1879, is the trophy awarded to the winner of the rugby match between England and Scotland. It is the oldest of several trophies awarded under the umbrella of the Six Nations Championship. Here we see an image from the 1924 Calcutta Cup in Edinburgh. Getty

British sprinter Harold Abrahams crosses the finish line to win the 100 yards race at the AAA Championships in 1924. Abrahams was the the 1924 Paris Olympics 100m champion whose feat was later immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire. Getty

For the best part of three months, there was no sport at all, and the world realised just how important it is to daily lives.

But how did sports reach this level?  Everything starts at some point and it is amazing to see how far various disciplines have come since their humble beginnings in the 18th or 19th century.

Here we have put together images of major sports and events from 100 years ago – in the 1920s – to show how far they have come.

To view the next image in the gallery, click on the arrows or simply swipe.