Watching from the sidelines is Jonathan Lamb, the No. 1 seed in Belgium, whose day job involves personnel and security at the European Commission. Next to Mr. Lamb is Peter Payne, a player from Geneva who works for a bank. These aren't people with coats of arms above the fireplace or signet rings in their safety-deposit boxes. They're commoners, mostly middle class, and they're fueling a croquet revival. Now the finer points of croquet are coming out.
People realize it's a mental game, like a cross between chess and snooker.
The World Wide Web has offered a free outlet for publicizing the game and demystifying its rules. Cyberminded baby boomers, on the lookout for a sport that's easy on the musculature but challenging for the mind, are flocking to the sport. In Britain, spiritual home to modern croquet, the venerable Croquet Association at the Hurlingham Club in southwestern London is enjoying the greatest membership run of its 101-year history. Mr. Campion contends effective publicity has made all the difference. The business world, meanwhile, has latched on to croquet as a democratic way to blow off steam at company picnics and retreats.