United States Croquet Association of croquet, including information on starting a club and on local contacts to instruct and advise you. They will also gladly offer advice, print resources, and consulting on lawn construction and maintenance. In 1977, Jack Osborn organized five Eastern clubs (including the Westhampton Mallet Club, Croquet Club of Bermuda, Green Gables Croquet Club, New York Croquet Club, and Palm Beach Croquet Club) into the United States Croquet Association (USCA), and wrote a new rule book for an American version of the six-wicket sport called American Rules croquet. It was Jack Osborn's vision, marketing savvy, energy, and sheer dogged determination that
Croquet before Mr. Spratt [mentioned above] introduced the subject to me." Whatever the truth of the matter, Jaques certainly played an important role in popularising the game, producing editions of the rules in 1857, 1860, and 1864. Croquet became highly popular as a social pastime in England during the 1860s. It was enthusiastically adopted and promoted by the Earl of Essex who held lavish croquet parties at Cassiobury House, his stately home in Watford, Hertfordshire, and the Earl even launched his own "Cassiobury" brand croquet set. By 1867, Jaques had printed 65,000 copies of his "Laws and Regulations" of the game.