History of Pickleball

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States and one of the fastest growing in the world. Along with the United States, pickleball is becoming popular in Australia, Canada, Mexico, India and China. With a unique blend of tennis, badminton, and ping pong elements, the game of pickleball is attracting players of all ages and backgrounds. Pickleball was originally created as a fun backyard activity, but as the game has grown in popularity, it is now a competitive sport with professional leagues and tournaments.

When Was Pickleball Invented & Who Invented It

In the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, pickleball was invented by Washington congressman Joel Pritchard, businessman Bill Bell, and their friend Barney McCallum. Because Pritchard’s house had a badminton court and they were hoping to stave off summer boredom, Pritchard and Bell began looking for badminton equipment, but were not able to find enough racquets. Luckily, they found two ping pong paddles and a whiffle ball, which they used to volley over the 60 inch high badminton net. As they kept playing, they found the whiffle ball bounced well on the asphalt surface. So they made the decision to lower the net all the way to the ground (36 inches at the ends and 34 inches at the center) and allow the ball to be played off the bounce. 

The next week, Prichard and Bell invited Barney McCallum over to try out the new game and the three began developing some rules. Known for being “handy,” McCallum constructed better-looking paddles and found himself a vital member of forming the game. Within two years, Pritchard built a permanent backyard court, and within 7 years of developing the game, a corporation was officially formed to protect the new sport they had created. The game quickly garnered appeal from friends and neighbors, leading to its growth beyond Bainbridge Island.

Why is it Called Pickleball?

Now that this new game had been established, Prichard’s wife Joan, called it pickleball because “the combination of different sports reminded me of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of the other boats.” In crew, oftentimes after the main race, non-starters would participate in their own race. The leftover rowers competed just for fun in a “pickle boat” race. This new game, which was like a leftover from other sports, made for the perfect analogy.

You may have heard the story about a dog named Pickles. Well, the dog and the name existed, but that’s not how the game came to be. Pickles, the dog, was brought home in 1968, three years after the game was invented and a year after the court was established. The name Pickles came to be after the family began playing with him on the pickleball court, and Pickles kept chasing the pickleballs  

The Evolution and Growth of Pickleball

Since its simple beginnings in the 1960s, pickleball has grown into one of the most popular sports in the world and is played at the recreational, amateur, and professional levels. By the 1970s, the first permanent pickleball court was built in Washington and the game progressively kept spreading around the United States. In 1984, USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) was founded in order to standardize the rules of the sport. Through the 1990s and early 2000s as pickleball continued to grow, it was played in some schools, recreation centers, and retirement communities. Though originally pickleball was more popular among older adults, younger generations have begun to play pickleball at a rapid rate in the 21st century. This growth found extra fuel in 2019 and 2021 when professional pickleball organizations such as the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP) were established, offering pros a real stage on which to showcase their talents.

The Rise of Professional Pickleball

Thanks to the increasing numbers of people playing pickleball in the United States and worldwide, professional pickleball has found considerable traction. With the PPA Tour and MLP providing large cash winnings, professional players have emerged all over the country to participate in tournaments and events, thus providing spectators with elite pickleball play. Subsequently, this high-level of play has brought increased viewership and broadcast contracts with major sports networks, including the Big Five: ABC, NBC, FOX, PBS, and CBS. The PPA Tour has led the industry with high-profile tournaments, drawing thousands of spectators. As a major contributor to the growth of pickleball, MLP introduced a team-based format that adds a different dynamic of strategy and competitive play. MLP has professional teams throughout the United States, with many known athletes and celebrities investing into the different professional franchises, including Patrick Mahomes, Nick Kyrios, Lebron James, Tom Brady, Gary Vaynerchuk, and others.

Pickleball’s Future

With more pickleball courts and local clubs being constructed throughout the United States and the increased popularity of professional pickleball, the anticipation is that pickleball is going to continue to grow rapidly. Multiple countries worldwide have established pickleball federations, and global tournaments are drawing players from across the world. The continued evolution of pickleball will likely include more investment into infrastructure, larger sports broadcasting contracts with TV networks, and broader integration into collegiate and high school athletic programs.