Pickleball has humble beginnings
People play pickleball at newly installed courts at Wollman Rink at Central Park in New York, Wednesday, April 12. AP Photo
The earliest form of pickleball was invented in 1965, when Joel Pritchard, congressman from Washington State, and Bill Bell, a successful businessman, returned to Pritchard’s home on Bainbridge Island, Wash., to find their families “sitting around with nothing to do.”
According to The USA Pickleball official website, they had an old badminton court, but lacked a full set of suitable rackets. Improvising, they started playing with Ping-Pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball.
It’s hard to believe a sport that’s become so widely popular was born out of sheer boredom, but that imagination kick-started quite the trend.
