On Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, Barney McCaDum was known as a handyman. So two of his neighbors, Joel Pritchard and Williarn Bell, asked him to help refine a game they invented in 1965 as a diversion for bored children.
The game was akin to tennis,but with a smaller courtThe area inside the outer dimensions of the baselines and sidelines. More,
wooden paddles and a plastic ball. Mr. McCallum used bandsaw to make better paddles for what came to be known as
pickleball. He later headed a company that made pickleball
equipment.
Mr. McCallum, an envelope printer by trade and the last survivor
among the three friends,died Nov 18th, 2019 at his home in Seattle. He was 93.
To his surprise, pickleball became a fast-growing sport worldwide. The underhand serveThe initial strike of the ball to start the rally. More is easy to learn Little arm strength is required. Finesse in aiming the ball can make up for a lack of speed.
LongA loud word(s) spoken by a player or line judge(s) to indicate to the referee and/or players that a live ball has not touched in the required court space. The preferred word to indicate a line call is “OUT”. Distinctive hand signals can be used in conjunction with a line call. Words such as “wide”, “long”, “no”, “deep” are also... More popular with people over 60, pickleball now attracts younger players as well.
Its name remains a source of confusion. Many articles say it was named after Pickles, a dog owned by the Pritchards. But Frank Pritchard, a son of Joel Pritchard, said the dog was named after the game. He said his mother, Joan Pritchard, derived the name from “pickle boat,” a term that can refer to the slowest boat in a race.