Mumbai's oldest sports store completes 150 years

Hundred and fifty years is no mean feat, but the folks at Wagle Sports have managed to achieve that.

Manohar Wagle, fourth-generation owner of Wagle Sports, at his shop. Pic/Shadab Khan

A favourite of tennis champ Vijay Amritraj and Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Sunny Deol, Wagle Sports, located on Princess Street, celebrated its 150th anniversary yesterday.

Opened in 1865 (on the advice of a friendly British Officer), the sports store is home to both modern sports equipment as well as antique sports memorabilia including centuries-old badminton and tennis racquets, boomerangs and even leather footballs.

Special mention must be made of a pair of Jesse Owens-autographed spikes. Whether or not you are a sports fan, a visit to Wagle Sports is well worth the time, to get a sense of 150 years of sports heritage in the city.