A Brief History Behind Pickleball

1. In 1965, pickleball was invented by three fathers in Washington to entertain their children. 
2. Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum invented the sport because they couldn't find any shuttlecocks to play badminton
3. The equipment used to play pickleball comes from different items that were lying around the homes of the creators. The equipment evolves year after year. 
4. The rules of tennis, ping pong, and badminton were used and adapted to define pickleball's rules. 
5. In 1967, the first official pickleball court was built in the USA and inspired the construction of other pickleball courts worldwide. 
6. In 1976, the first pickleball competition took place in South Center Athletic Club in Washington. 
7. Some say that the term "pickle boat" served as inspiration for the game's name. 
8. Others say that Pickles, Joel Pritchard's cocker spaniel, was the one who inspired the game's name. But the dog appeared in the family picture two years after pickleball was invented. 
9. It was the wife of Joel Pritchard who suggested the name after she was reminded of the Pickle Boat.
10. The first game was played with a whiffle ball.
11. To play, the fathers designed some sort of oversized tennis paddles. 
12. In 2005, the USAPA (USA Pickleball Association) was established to promote the sport. 
13. The Sport was born and is now played worldwide