How Long Has Pickleball Been Around?
Since its inception in 1965, pickleball has become a popular sport around the world. It is considered to be one of the fastest-growing sports and is played by people of all ages. But how long has this beloved game been around?
Origins of Pickleball
Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Washington by three dads—Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum. The story goes that they were looking for something fun and competitive to do with their families during summer holidays. They ended up creating a combination of three existing games – badminton, table tennis and tennis – which combined created pickleball.
Popularity Grows
What started as an afternoon pastime quickly grew into a full-fledged sport with clubs opening all over the United States in the following years. In 1984, the USAPA (United States Amateur PickleBall Association) was founded to promote and develop the sport throughout America. This lead to even more popularity for pickles ball worldwide as it began to spread beyond North America’s borders into Europe and Asia too!
Modern Day Popularity
Today there are countless tournaments held each year across multiple countries featuring both professional players as well as amateurs alike – testament to just how far this simple backyard game has come since those first days back on Bainbridge Island almost 60 years ago! With recreational courts popping up everywhere from parks to cruise ships – it’s safe to say that pickles ball is here stay!