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The "Wooden Spoon"

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

Cambridge University (light blue) - where the Wooden Spoon award originatedThe 'awarding' of the 'wooden spoon' to the last place team in football competitions originated back in the 19th century.

First place winners were given a gold/silver cup/trophy - the last placed team 'received' the opposite, which was nothing more in value than a wooden spoon.

The first known use of 'wooden spoon' in competitions of any sort - not just sport - seems to have been at Cambridge University in the mid-1800s.

In maths competitions, the winners were awarded cups or trophies. It became a custom to hand the last-placed competitor a wooden spoon. Over the years, the spoon became larger and larger, instilling itself as a tradition.

Cambridge was one of the major institutions playing rugby in 1800s, and it was no surprise that it transferred to rugby union and rugby league.

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