of cane fighting. Singlestick was very seldom taught in late 19th century United States until it was introduced for a short while in Annapolis, and most of the competitors came from academies where singlestick was unknown but French cane was taught. The use of the term "singlestick" in contemporary newspapers explains the confusion as it was an umbrella term at the time to refer to combat sports and games using a stick such as singlestick, cane, quarterstaff or even kendo. With the introduction of the light Italian fencing sabre in the early 20th century, singlestick play became unnecessary and was subsequently neglected. In the UK, Singlestick competition ceased in the Services in the 1950s, although the skills continue to be passed down from one generation of fencing Professor to the next. The singlestick of the British Armed Services of the Great War period was passed to Scotland's National Fencing Coach in the mid-1960s, and thence passed on to the founders of many HEMA groups in the UK. Stickplay with wooden swords as a school for the cutlass remained common in some navies. The art, occasionally practised by a few fencing veterans in the United Kingdom, was revived by the Royal Navy in the 1980s. Within today's martial arts community, a growing interest in traditional Western martial arts has revived interest in this particular form of weapon training. Media In the television show Elementary, based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories, but updated to the 21st Century and relocated mostly to New York, Sherlock (played by Johnny Lee Miller) frequently practices singlestick. See also Arnis Bataireacht Bâton français Bokken Egyptian stick fencing Federschwert Fencing Kendo Shinai Stick fighting Jogo do pau Quarterstaff Club Baton Bartitsu Waster References Further reading External links Stick-fighting Stick and staff weapons European martial arts Former Summer Olympic sports