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"He was a great Beater... the Wimbourne Wasps won the league three times in a row while he was with them."
— Ron Weasley regarding Ludo Bagman's time as the Wasps' beater[src]

The Wimbourne Wasps were a Quidditch team in the British and Irish Quidditch League, based in the town of Wimbourne, West Country. Founded in 1312, their robes were horizontal yellow and black stripes with a wasp on the chest. The team had won the League Cup at least eighteen times, and had twice been semi-finalists in the European Cup.[1]

History[]

Wimbourne Wasps versus Appleby Arrows

The Wimbourne Wasps' Beater bats a wasps' nest towards the Appleby Arrows Seeker

The team was founded in 1312, and adopted the wasp as their emblem after a game against the Appleby Arrows in the mid-seventeenth century, in which one of their Beaters batted a wasps' nest towards the opposing Seeker, who was so badly stung he had to retire. Their fans were known as Stingers, and they made loud buzzing sounds to distract opposing Chasers taking penalties.[1]

Ludo Bagman was originally a member of this team, and was congratulated by a juror during his trial for his performance in one of his matches for England against Turkey, but eventually left and became the Head of Department of Magical Games and Sports. The Wasps won the League Cup three times in a row when Bagman played for them.[2]

During a Quidditch match with the Appleby Arrows, an accidental Snitchnip foul by one of the Appleby players caused the Wasps' fans to riot, causing a near-record breaking number of jinxed witches and wizards to turn up to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.[3]

Behind the scenes[]

  • There is a famous rugby team whose name is London Wasps. It may be a reference. Both teams are based in England and both teams wear yellow and black striped robes. The mascot and the logo of the teams are similar.
  • Also J. K. Rowling is from a village called Winterbourne near Bristol and could have gotten the name from this.
  • In the Ukrainian translation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, they are renamed to Osbourne Wasps (Оси з Озборна/Osy z Ozborna), a pun on "Ozzy Osbourne".

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Quidditch Through the Ages, Chapter 7 (Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland)
  2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 9 (The Dark Mark)
  3. Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 7, Chapter 28 (The Last Laugh) - Assignment "Rivalry and Revelry"
British and Irish Quidditch League
Times de Quadribol da Grã-Bretanha e Irlanda2
Quidditch teams
England Appleby Arrows · Chudley Cannons · Falmouth Falcons · Puddlemere United · Tutshill Tornados · Wimbourne Wasps
Ireland and Northern Ireland Kenmare Kestrels · Ballycastle Bats
Scotland Banchory Bangers · Montrose Magpies · Pride of Portree · Wigtown Wanderers
Wales Caerphilly Catapults · Holyhead Harpies
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