History of Pickleball

Pickleball is a relatively new sport, so you might not know much about it. You may think its roots stem from tennis, but that's not really the case.

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Let's talk pickleball history.

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When was pickleball invented?

Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum.

Joel, a congressman from Washington State, and Bill, a successful businessman, discovered the lack of activity among their families after playing golf one summer Saturday.

They went back to Pritchard's home on Bainbridge Island, WA, where they found an old badminton court, but could not find a complete set of badminton rackets. They improvised and started playing with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball, initially setting the net at a badminton height of 60 inches and volleying the ball over the net.

The players soon realized that the ball bounced well on the asphalt surface, prompting them to lower the net to 36 inches. The following weekend, they introduced Barney to the game, and the three men developed rules based on badminton while keeping in mind the game's original purpose of providing a family-friendly activity.

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Who invented pickleball?

Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum.

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If you have 14 minutes, we recommend this interview of Barney McCallum, who at the time was the only remaining co-founder of the sport still alive.

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How did pickleball get its name?

The game's name was coined by Joan Pritchard, who referenced the thrown-together leftover non-starters in the "pickle boat" of crew races. A controversy later arose when some neighbors claimed that the game was named after the Pritchard family dog, Pickles, but the family denied it.

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Pickleball magazine posted an article by Wayne Dillard diving into the details of the controversy.

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Where was pickleball invented?

Pickleball was invented in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

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Pickleball History Timeline

1965

Pickleball was invented in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

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1967

The first permanent pickleball court was constructed at Joel and Joan Pritchard's home in Magnolia Bluff, Seattle.

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1972

The first ever corporation was founded to protect the sport - Pickle-BIll Inc.

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1975

The National Observer published an article about pickleball, help spreading awareness.

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1976

The first known pickleball tournament was held in Tukwila, Washington at the South Center Athletic Club

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1984

The USAPA (United States Amateur Pickleball Association) was founded.

Along with it came the first rulebook and the first composite paddle

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1997

Joel Pritchard, one of the co-founders of the sport, passed away at 72.

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2002

The first ever National Championship Tournament was hosted by The Villages, Florida.

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2005

The USAPA (USA Pickleball Association) becomes a nonprofit corporation.

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2006

Bill bell, one of the co-founders of the sport, passed away at 83.

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2008

The USA Pickleball Association Official Tournament Rulebook was published.

ABC's "Good Morning America" aired a segment about pickleball.

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2009

Buckeye, Arizona hosts the first ever USAPA National Tournament, drawing 400 players from 26 states.

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2010

The International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) was founded.

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2013

The first Tournament of Champions was held in Utah.

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2014

Pickleball Channel was launched, the first global media channel.

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2015

The first ever USAPA Ambassador Retreat was held.

During this event it was noted that over 2 million people play worldwide.

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2016

Pickelball Magazine was launched
The first US Open Pickleball Championships were held in Naples, Florida.
USAPA announces they have over 17k members
SSIPA (Super Senior International Picleball Association) was created for ages 60 and older.

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2017

The Pickleball Hall of Fame was created
CBS Sports Network hosted a two-hour, nationally televised broadcast of the USAPA National Championships.

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Initial inductees included Joel Pritchard (co-founder), Barney McCallum (co-founder), Sid Williams, Arlen Paranto, Mark Friedenberg, and Billy Jacobsen

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2018

The USAPA National Championship, hosted at Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California, drew over 2,000 players who competed for $80,000 in prize money (the largest ever in the history of the sport).
2018 Hall of Fame Inductees - Earl Hill, Robert Lanius, & Fran Myer

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2019

Barney McCallum (co-founder of the sport) passes away at age 93
The Association of Pickleball Professionals (AFP) launches in June
2019 Hall of Fame Inductees - Jennifer Lucre, Dan Gabanek, Steve Parent, & Enrique Ruiz

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2020

USAPA Rebrands to USA Pickleball

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2023

SFIA (Sports & Fitness Industry Association) name pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America for the third year in a row.

According to the report, pickleball now has up to 8.9 million players in the US, an increase from 4.8 million in 2022.

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That's crazy.... 4.8 -> 8.9 million players in just 1 year..... Read about some more absolutely mind-boggling statistics - Pickleball Statistics: America’s Fastest Growing Sport in 2023.

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