One of the most delightful stories that happened on October 19 in pickleball history, even though it’s not a record-setting tournament or a famous match, is actually about the very origin of the game’s quirky name. The game itself was invented earlier, in the summer of 1965, by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum on Bainbridge Island, Washington, as a creative way to entertain their families with whatever sports equipment they had on hand, according to USA Pickleball and the Pickleball History Timeline. But the question of how pickleball got its memorable name is a tale that still brings smiles to players and fans, and it’s especially fun to revisit on this day.
According to Joan Pritchard, Joel’s wife, the name pickleball came about because the game reminded her of the “pickle boat” in crew, a boat filled with leftover oarsmen not chosen for the main teams, just as their new game was made with leftover sports equipment—badminton court, ping-pong paddles, and a perforated plastic ball, as described by Wikipedia and Pickleball52. The mixing of gear from multiple sports made the game feel like a collection of odds and ends, just like a pickle boat’s crew. This explanation has been corroborated by official sources, including USA Pickleball, which conducted research into the name’s origins and found that the Pritchard family did have a dog named Pickles, but the dog was actually named after the game, not the other way around, and the dog was born several years after the game was invented.
However, the story doesn’t end there. There’s a persistent and charming myth that pickleball was named after the Pritchard family’s dog, Pickles, who supposedly loved to chase the ball during games. This version of the story spread widely, especially after a local reporter in the early 1970s found the dog tale more relatable and easier to print, even though it wasn’t accurate, according to interviews with the Pritchard family and Wikipedia. Some sources, like Palmetto Dunes, recount lively family gatherings where the dog’s antics gave everyone a good laugh, but the official consensus is that the “pickle boat” story is the real source of the name.
To add another twist, one of the co-inventors, Bill Bell, once claimed he named the game because he enjoyed putting his opponent “in a pickle” with tricky shots, a fun bit of folklore that shows just how much personality and humor surrounded the early days of the sport. But according to the Pritchard family and official pickleball historians, the “pickle boat” explanation has the best documentation and support.
On October 19, then, pickleball enthusiasts can celebrate not just a game, but a story—a story about improvisation, family fun, and a name born from a love of wordplay and a little bit of confusion. The tale of the pickleball name is a perfect example of how a simple backyard invention can grow into a national phenomenon, full of community, character, and just the right amount of quirkiness. Whether you’re a seasoned player or new to the sport, remembering the “pickle boat” story is a reminder that pickleball is, at heart, a game for everyone, brought together by creativity, laughter, and a dash of historic mix-up.
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