Pickleball History

Have you heard about the sport everyone is talking about? Whether the sport was brought to your attention via a physical education class or a competitive tournament or at a senior center this sport is spreading like wild fire.

Pickleball is an enjoyable sport that all ages can enjoy and that is exactly why the sport was created almost 50 years ago.

Three men looking for a sport the entire family could enjoy created this family sport the summer of 1965 near Seat. Even with the help of the family dog, named you guessed – Pickles. Thus, the name of the game was created. The story is told that Pickles would go hide the balls during the game.

The original design of the game was derived from the game of badminton. Over the course of a few weeks, the guys changed the paddles and surface to best fit the needs of the family. It was necessary to lower the net so everyone could play. The guys moved the game to the blacktop once they discovered the ball bounced better on that surface. Hard surfaces that were convenient to play on included family patios and the neighborhood streets.

In the 1970s the sport developed into one with regulated rules.

Pickleball is now a sport played throughout the United States by people of all ages.