Because if you’ve ever wondered “when was pickleball invented?”—you’re not alone and you’re officially one of us now.
TL;DR: When Was Pickleball Invented?
Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by three dads—Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum—who were trying to stop their kids from turning into feral iPadless gremlins.
👉 Pickleball was born out of boredom, a badminton court and one very creative family BBQ. That’s right: America’s fastest-growing sport started with backyard vibes and chaotic genius energy.
Who Invented Pickleball?
Let’s set the scene:
🗓️ Year: 1965
📍 Location: Bainbridge Island, WA
🍔 Mood: “We need to entertain these kids before they riot.”
The founding fathers of pickleball:
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Joel Pritchard – a congressman with a paddle and a dream
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Bill Bell – a businessman and unofficial “cool dad”
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Barney McCallum – the guy who probably said, “Let’s make this a real thing.”
Together, they Frankensteined bits of tennis, badminton and ping pong into a hybrid game using paddles made from plywood and a plastic ball. Spoiler alert: it slapped.
Why Is It Called Pickleball? 🥒
Despite what your brain wants to believe, no actual pickles were involved.
Here are the two competing origin stories (and yes, it's controversial):
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Joan Pritchard, Joel’s wife, said it reminded her of a “pickle boat”—a crew term for a team made up of leftover rowers from other boats.
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The family also had a dog named Pickles and rumour has it the game was named after him.
🥇 Winner? The “pickle boat” story is more legit. Sorry, Pickles.
How Did Pickleball Become So Popular?
Fast-forward from 1965 to now, and you’ve got:
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🌍 Millions of players worldwide
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🏆 Professional leagues (Hi, Major League Pickleball)
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🏫 School curriculums (yep, Gen Alpha is already dinking)
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🛍️ Designer gear and elite paddles (looking at you, NILK)
Pickleball isn’t just a trend—it’s a lifestyle. Just ask any country club member who replaced their tennis racket with a carbon fiber paddle and never looked back.
Timeline of Pickleball’s Glow-Up
| Year | What Happened | Why It Mattered |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Game invented | Backyard legend born |
| 1972 | First official paddle | Plywood gets an upgrade |
| 1984 | USA Pickleball formed | It’s getting serious now |
| 2005 | Major tournaments begin | $$$ enters the chat |
| 2023+ | Celebs + pro athletes join | Hello, mainstream fame |
👉 Want to know why athletes are switching from tennis to pickleball? You’ll get it.
So, Why Should You Care?
Because pickleball is the only sport where:
✔ You can go from newbie to court legend in one summer
✔ You’ll burn calories and make friends with a retired orthopedic surgeon
✔ You’ll need gear that makes you look and feel like a sponsored pro
Speaking of which…
🔗 Shop the best pickleball paddles for 2025
Links You’ll Want to Click (Because You’re One of Us Now)
Final Serve: From Backyard BBQ to Olympic Buzz
Pickleball has gone from a summer boredom fix to a full-on global obsession. It's fun. It's fast. And it’s full of people who swear they don’t take it seriously (until match point).
🎾 Want to play like a legend? Start by swinging the right paddle, hitting the right pickleball balls and rocking the right tote bag.