How Pickleball Got Its Name
In the summer of 1965, pickleball was invented by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Just days after its creation, Joan Pritchard coined the name “pickle ball,” inspired by the term “pickle boat” used in crew races to describe boats made up of leftover rowers from other teams. This story became a part of pickleball lore, but a controversy emerged when neighbors claimed that the game was named after the Pritchard family dog, Pickles. Joan and her family maintained that the dog was named after the game, not the other way around.
Evidence supports Joan’s story. The official birth records and testimonies confirm that Pickles the dog was born in 1968, three years after the game was invented and named. This aligns with Joan’s account that pickleball was named after the pickle boat races she fondly remembered from her time at Marietta College.
The Summer of 1965
Joel and Joan Pritchard lived in Seattle but spent their summers on Bainbridge Island. In the summer of 1965, they invited friends Bill and Tina Bell to join them. One day, after a round of golf, Joel and Bill came home to find Joel’s son, Frank, complaining of boredom. Joel and Bill decided to create a new game on their backyard badminton court. They grabbed a plastic ball from a toy set and some table tennis paddles, and thus the first game of pickleball was played.
As the game evolved, broken paddles became an issue. Joel and Bill enlisted the help of their neighbor, Barney McCallum, who crafted more durable paddles. Barney became instrumental in refining the game’s equipment and rules.
One day, the group decided the game needed a name. Joan suggested “Pickle Ball,” drawing from the “pickle boat” races where leftover rowers competed. The Pritchards have always stated that only their houseguests, the Bells, were present when the name was chosen.
College Crew “Pickle Boats” Inspired the Game’s Name
Joan grew up in Marietta, Ohio, and attended Marietta College, which had a strong crew program. She was an avid fan of the races, even after moving to Seattle. The University of Washington, where Joan often cheered on her alma mater, also hosted crew regattas, including fun races for leftover rowers known as “pickle boats.” Joan saw a parallel between these mixed crews and the eclectic nature of the new game, leading her to suggest the name “Pickle Ball.”
Frank Pritchard recalls, “My mother first mentioned ‘pickle ball’ on the court in the summer of 1965, and the name stuck.”
Pickles and the Summer of 1968
In 1968, the Pritchards invited the Browns to stay at their guest house. Paul Brown, then 10 years old, remembers that summer vividly. He and Jeannie Pritchard found a litter of puppies, bringing two home. They named their dog Lulu, and the Pritchards named theirs Pickles. The timing confirms that the game was named first, and the dog came later.
The Dog Rumor
Between 1969 and the early 1970s, Joel Pritchard suggested to a reporter that the game was named after their dog, Pickles, as a joke. The story was deemed more charming and stuck in the public imagination. Despite the ongoing popularity of this tale, the Pritchard family always corrected it, insisting the name came from the pickle boat races.
Frank Pritchard emphasizes, “It’s important to give my mom credit for naming the game. It’s her piece of pickleball history.”
Conclusion
Through detailed investigation, including interviews and historical records, it is clear that pickleball was named by Joan Pritchard in 1965, inspired by pickle boat races. The dog, Pickles, came later and was named after the game, solidifying the Pritchard family’s version of events. Enjoy playing pickleball, a game with a rich history and a name that reflects its playful and eclectic origins.
