The Story of Pickleball

Pickleball is a relatively new sport that was invented in the United States in 1965. The sport was created by a man named Joel Pritchard, who was a congressman from Washington State, and his friend Bill Bell, who was a businessman.

One day, while at Pritchard's house, the two men were looking for a game to play with their families. They didn't have the equipment for badminton or tennis, so they decided to make up a game using some items they found around the house.

They used a perforated plastic ball, similar to a wiffle ball, and improvised paddles made from plywood. They set up a net on the badminton court in Pritchard's backyard and began to play.

The game was an instant hit with the families, and soon they were all competing against each other. They named the game "Pickleball" after Pritchard's dog, Pickles, who would often chase after the ball and run off with it.

Pickleball quickly gained popularity in the Pacific Northwest, and by the 1970s, it had spread throughout the United States. In 1972, the first official pickleball tournament was held in Washington State.

Today, pickleball is played by millions of people around the world. The game is played on a court that is similar in size to a badminton court, with a net that is slightly lower than a tennis net. Players use paddles to hit a plastic ball back and forth over the net, and the game can be played in singles or doubles.

Pickleball is known for being a fun, social game that is easy to learn and suitable for people of all ages and skill levels. It's a great way to stay active and make new friends, and it continues to grow in popularity as more people discover the joys of playing pickleball.