History & origins
The story of Pickleball
Pickleball was improvised in 1965 by three fathers trying to entertain bored children on Bainbridge Island, Washington. It spread slowly through retirement communities for forty years, then grew faster than any sport in American history once younger players discovered how quickly it can be learned.
Milestones
10 moments that shaped the modern game.
- 1965
Invented on Bainbridge Island
Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum could not find a full set of badminton equipment, so they improvised with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball, lowering the net to the ground as they went.
- 1967
The first dedicated court
A purpose-built pickleball court was constructed in a neighbour's back garden on the island, and the rules began to be written down.
- 1972
A corporation is formed
The inventors incorporated to protect the game and produce equipment, giving the sport a formal structure long before it had a following.
- 1976
The first known tournament
A tournament at a college in Washington state drew players who had mostly learned the game from a magazine article, and several turned up with wooden paddles they had made themselves.
- 1984
A national association
The USA Pickleball Association was formed and published the first official rulebook, standardising the kitchen, the double bounce and the scoring.
- 2000s
Growth through retirement communities
The sport spread rapidly through Florida and Arizona, where the low-impact movement and small court suited older players, and courts were cheap to convert from disused tennis facilities.
- 2016
Professional play begins
The first professional tours launched with genuine prize money, and paddle technology shifted from plywood to carbon fibre composites.
- 2019
The name origin is settled
Long-standing accounts credited the Pritchards' dog Pickles, but the family clarified the name came from the pickle boat in rowing — crews thrown together from leftovers — and the dog was named after the sport.
- 2021
Fastest-growing sport in America
Participation roughly doubled in a single year during the pandemic, and pickleball has held the title of the fastest-growing US sport in every year since.
- 2023
Consolidation and big money
Competing professional tours merged, franchise leagues attracted investment from major athletes and team owners, and purpose-built venues began replacing converted tennis courts.