When Was Pickleball Invented? History, Origins & Who Started It
Pickleball was invented in 1965 — making it over 60 years old as of 2026.
The history of pickleball is one of the most inspiring sports origin stories of the modern era. Born out of creativity on a quiet island in Washington state, it has grown from a backyard family game into a global sport played by millions of pickleball players in over 60 countries.
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Where Was Pickleball Invented?
Pickleball was invented on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in the United States. It was created in the backyard of Joel Pritchard, a U.S. Congressman, during a summer afternoon in 1965.
The original court was an old badminton court on his property. The game used ping-pong paddles — similar to table tennis paddles — and a perforated plastic ball over a lowered net. Pickleball players would volley the ball back and forth, keeping rallies alive across the net.
Who Started Pickleball?
Pickleball was started by three men:
- Joel Pritchard — U.S. Congressman from Washington state, who first improvised the game
- Bill Bell — Pritchard's friend and golf partner who was there that first afternoon
- Barney McCallum — who joined a few days later and helped formalise the rules and equipment
Together, these three men are credited as the founders of pickleball. They created the game to entertain their bored families, using ping-pong paddles and a perforated pickle ball on a lowered badminton net. All three are honoured in the Pickleball Hall of Fame for their role in creating the sport.
They refined the rules — including the underhand serve and the non-volley zone (kitchen) — to make the game fair and accessible for all ages.
Why Is It Called Pickleball? The Pickle Boat Connection
The name "pickleball" has two popular origin stories. The most widely cited is that Joan Pritchard — Joel's wife — named it after the pickle boat in crew rowing, where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats. The mismatched equipment reminded her of this.
The second theory is that the Pritchards' dog, Pickles, would chase the ball during games. Most historians favour the pickle boat theory, but both stories are part of pickleball lore.
The name was also referenced in a tennis magazine article in the early 1970s — one of the first times the sport received mainstream media coverage.
How Long Has Pickleball Been Around?
So how long has pickleball been around? As of 2026, pickleball has been around for 61 years, having been invented in 1965. That makes it older than many people assume — it predates the internet, mobile phones, and even the modern tennis open era.
Despite being around for over six decades, pickleball remained largely regional for its first 40+ years. The sport only truly exploded in popularity from around 2018 onwards, which is why many pickleball players today assume it's a much newer sport than it actually is.
The question of how long has pickleball been around often surprises new players — the answer is longer than most racket sports that feel equally modern, including padel (invented 1969) and beach tennis (1970s).
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When Did Pickleball Start Spreading?
The sport began spreading through the Pacific Northwest in the late 1960s and 1970s. One of the earliest organised venues was the South Center Athletic Club — an athletic club in Tukwila, Washington — where pickleball courts were established in the early years of the sport's growth.
The United States Amateur Pickleball community grew steadily through the 1970s and 1980s, driven by community clubs and recreational centres.
Key milestones in pickleball history:
- 1965: Pickleball invented on Bainbridge Island, Washington
- 1967: First permanent pickleball court built
- 1972: First corporation formed to protect and promote the sport
- 1984: USA Pickleball Association founded; first official rulebook published
- 1990: Pickleball being played in all 50 US states
- 2010s: Rapid growth in recreational and competitive play nationwide
- 2020–2021: Pandemic boom — pickleball becomes the fastest-growing sport in America
- 2022+: Major League Pickleball launches; global expansion accelerates
The Pickleball Hall of Fame
The Pickleball Hall of Fame was established to honour the individuals who have made the greatest contributions to the sport. Inductees include the founding trio — Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — as well as pioneering pickleball players, coaches, and administrators who helped grow the game from a backyard pastime into a global phenomenon.
How Is Pickleball Different from Paddle Tennis?
A common question among new pickleball players is the difference between pickleball and paddle tennis. While both use solid paddles, they are distinct sports:
| Feature | Pickleball | Paddle Tennis |
|---|---|---|
| Court size | 13.41 m x 6.1 m | Smaller than tennis, larger than pickleball |
| Ball | Plastic, perforated (pickle ball) | Depressurised tennis ball |
| Net height | 34 in at centre | 31 in at centre |
| Kitchen/NVZ | Yes — 7 ft no-volley zone | No |
| Serve | Underhand only | Underhand only |
| Scoring | First to 11, win by 2 | Similar to tennis |
| Invented | 1965, USA | 1915, USA |
Pickleball is generally considered more beginner-friendly and social. Paddle tennis is closer to tennis in feel and scoring.
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Shop Pickleball Guides →The Modern Explosion: 2000s to Today
The real boom in pickleball history began in the early 2000s. It accelerated dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic.
People looking for safe, outdoor, socially distanced activities discovered pickleball in droves. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States, and that momentum has now gone global. Today there are estimated to be over 36 million pickleball players in the US alone, with millions more worldwide.
The United States Amateur Pickleball community grew into a professional sport. Today, the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball have turned top pickleball players into household names. The sport is now played in over 60 countries worldwide.
Why Pickleball's History Matters Today
The pickleball invention explains why the sport continues to thrive. It was created for fun, accessibility, and inclusivity.
From its humble beginnings in 1965 with three dads looking to entertain their kids — and the question of how long has pickleball been around now answered at over 60 years — to the Pickleball Hall of Fame honouring its greatest contributors, to packed professional arenas worldwide: the history of pickleball shows what happens when a simple, joyful idea catches fire.
Top Pickleball Associations
- USA Pickleball — the national governing body in the United States
- International Pickleball Federation (IPF) — governing body for international play
- PPA Tour — the premier professional pickleball tour
