Pickleball is a unique sport invented in 1965 by three men from Washington state: Joe Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum. What began as a way to relieve boredom in their children's lives evolved into a sport that is a hybrid of table tennis, badminton and tennis. Pickleball has gained popularity over the years through some notable events.
- In 1975 and 1976, the National Observer and Tennis magazines each published an article about the sport.
- In 1984, the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (USAPA) was formed to promote pickleball, and the first rulebook was published.
- By 1990, people were playing pickleball in all 50 states.
- In 2010, the USAPA formed the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP).
- By 2022, over 4.8 million people play pickleball in the United States.
