Pickleball History: Where Did This Strange Sport Come From

Pickleball has been all the rage in recent years. And if it’s caught you by surprise, you may think that it’s just a recent phenomenon (like Tik-Tok or parting your hair down the middle). But how long has pickleball been around?

As the sport has picked up pop culture steam, with celebrities like LeBron James and Kevin Durant even jumping on the bandwagon, courts have popped up in local parks and everybody seems to have a paddle now. 

Do you feel the peer pressure? Come on! Everybody’s doing it.

And while it seems like a fad, pickleball actually has a rich history that spans nearly 60 years.

So pull up your girdle, Myrtle. We’re taking a walk down memory lane.

How Long Has Pickleball Been Around? A Brief History of the Sport

First, if you’re completely new to the game, pickleball is a paddle sport that looks like the love-child of other paddle and racquet sports. 

The game is played on a smaller court than tennis and uses a special kind of ball that is similar to a wiffle ball. 

It’s a combination of different sports–tennis, badminton, and ping-pong–making it a unique and exciting sport to watch and play. 

Whether you are a seasoned athlete or just looking for a fun way to stay active, pickleball is definitely worth checking out.

But how long has pickleball been around? The answer may surprise you.

Who invented pickleball? The Beginnings of the Game

Like many good games, pickleball was created by dads trying to entertain bored kids.

In the summer of 1965, three friends–congressman Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum–were vacationing on Bainbridge Island, Washington, with their families.

Upon returning home from a round of golf, the three dads found their kids sitting around with nothing to do.

So they did what any dad would: they created a game.

The house had an old badminton court, and the men searched for badminton equipment at the Pritchard’s home, but there was none to be found.

So they improvised.

They found a perforated plastic ball and table tennis paddles in the garage and began to hit the ball back and forth over the badminton net with the ping-pong paddles for the first time.

Nobody knows who won that first game, but the kids fell in love with the game, and so did the dads, and the game of pickleball was born.

What year did pickleball become a sport?

Pickleball officially became a sport in 1965 on Bainbridge Island in Washington state when that first game was played.

But from its humble beginnings, the game continued to spread as the men invited neighbors and friends to become pickleball players.

The following weekend, the men invited some neighbors to play.

By 1967, Bob O’Brian installed the first permanent pickleball court in his backyard.

And in 1972, the men formed a corporation called Pickle-ball Inc. to make the creation of the sport official.

By 1984, the USA Pickleball Association was formed.

Why was it called pickleball?

If you were looking for the drama in the history of pickleball, this is where you will find it.

In the early days, pickleball didn’t have a name (that we know of). 

And there are two different stories of where the game got its name. 

Some say that Joel Pritchard’s wife, Joan Pritchard, looked at the game–which was an amalgam of gear from various sports–and she thought it seemed randomly thrown together.

The game reminded her of a pickle boat, which carried leftover rowers that were leftovers of other boats.

She named the game “pickleball,” and the rest is history–at least some would say.

But others claim that the game was named after the Pritchards’ family dog, whose name was (drum roll, please): Pickles.

The Pritchard family is adamant that the dog Pickles came after the game was named.

But despite their insistence, the mystery and controversy has remained.

The Evolution of The Game

Pickleball quickly gained popularity in the Pacific Northwest and spread to other parts of the country. 

And the game evolved as it spread.

Leagues and tournaments started popping up. ​

During the spring of 1976, the first known pickleball tournament in the world was held at South Center Athletic Club in Tukwila, Washington.

In 1984, the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (USAPA) was formed.

The USAPA put out the first rulebook and worked to spread the game on a national level.

The new game began popping up in community centers around North America. 

And new players continue to jump into America’s newest racquet sport.

How has the pickleball paddle evolved over time?

As the game grew, the wooden paddles quickly became a problem.

Even though the whiffle ball was light, the wood was too easily broken during gameplay so the men began to search for better options. 

Barney McCallum, who lived a few doors down from the Pritchards, had begun joining the games of pickleball.

McCallum went to work in his shop and created a more durable paddle.

Then, in 1984, Arlen Paranto invented the first composite paddle.

Paranto, an engineer at Boeing, developed a lightweight paddle that could be swung easier than the heavy wooden paddles. 

Pickleball Paddle

How has the pickleball court evolved over time?

The court has evolved from a simple backyard badminton court to a standardized court with specific measurements and regulations.

In the past, pickleball courts were often set up in backyards or on any flat surface that was available. 

Players would often play on any surface that was nearby, including concrete, grass, or even sand.

The court size and dimensions were not standardized, and players would often have to adjust their game based on the size of the court they were playing on. 

As the game grew, players began to set up to play on driveways or tennis courts.

Today, the International Federation of Pickleball has established specific court dimensions and regulations to ensure that all players are playing on a level playing field.

These courts are specifically designed for pickleball, with dimensions of 20 feet by 44 feet and a net height of 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center.

With the growth of the sport, dedicated pickleball courts have become more prevalent. 

These courts are often made of materials such as asphalt or acrylic and are specifically designed for the game. 

Originally, many pickleball courts were painted green, similar to tennis courts. 

But many new courts are being built with bright colors, such as blue or orange–creating a contrast to help players see the ball more easily.

In recent years, there has also been an increase in the number of indoor pickleball courts in gyms and other indoor facilities. 

This has allowed players to enjoy the sport year-round, regardless of the weather outside.

How have the rules changed over time?

Pickleball rules have changed significantly over the years.

While we can’t cover all of the changes here, a few significant ones were:

  1. Non-Volley Zone: Early in the game’s creation, Pritchard and his friends realized that a tall person could stand at the net and smash the ball directly into the ground. It was a major advantage for certain players. So they created the NVZ or Kitchen, which is a 7-foot area around the net. A player cannot hit the ball out of the air while standing in the no-volley zone. (link to NVZ article)
  2. Serve: The serve has undergone several changes over the years. Initially, the server had to keep one foot behind the baseline while serving, but now, the server must keep both feet behind the line while serving.
  3. Ball: The size and weight of the pickleball have also changed over the years. When the sport was first invented, the ball was made of a hard plastic material, but today, most pickleballs are made of a softer plastic material that reduces the risk of injury. The size of the ball has also changed slightly, with modern pickleballs being slightly larger than the original ball.

With each year, the rules committee continues to adapt the official rules to keep it a game that the entire family can play.

If you want read more on the Pickleball Rules, we have a guide with Printable Pickleball Rules to take with you to the court.

When did the sport become popular?

By 1990, pickleball was being played in all 50 states.

Over the past few decades, the sport has gained immense popularity in the United States.

In the United States alone, pickleball grew by 40 percent between 2019 and 2021, according to the New York Times.

But the growth is not just happening in the America.

The game is seeing amazing international expansion, gaining popularity in other countries such as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

It is now played in more than 5,000 locations nationwide. 

Why is pickleball so popular?

Pickleball is popular because of the game’s simplicity, accessibility, and social nature.

It’s easy to learn.

It can be played indoors or outdoors.

It doesn’t cost much to get started (just a few bucks for a paddle and balls).

And it’s good for all ages and skill levels.

Pickleball Today

Today, pickleball has become one of the fastest-growing sport in the United States.

It is estimated that over 3 million people in the United States alone play regularly.

And pickleball’s popularity shows no signs of slowing down. 

Who would have thought that an afternoon game that started in the backyard of Joel Pritchard would spread across the world?

You may be wondering: how can I get started playing pickleball?

It’s easy. 

You just need a paddle, a ball, and a court.

We also have a step-by-step guide on how to get started playing pickleball.

Our Ultimate Guide to Pickleball for Beginners will get you on the court quickly.

You’ll be adding to pickleball’s long storied history.

And who knows: maybe you’ll be making some pickleball history, yourself.