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Ruidoso is hosting their second annual Pickleball Tournament this month. If you've not heard of either Ruidoso or the latest sport craze, Pickleball, this video will introduce you to both:
I have heard several versions of how the name came about, but this may be the most accurate account:
Quote:
The game started during the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, at the home of then State Representative Joel Pritchard who, in 1970, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the State of Washington. He and two of his friends, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, returned from golf and found their families bored one Saturday afternoon. They attempted to set up badminton, but no one could find the shuttlecock. They improvised with a Wiffle ball, lowered the badminton net, and fabricated paddles of plywood from a nearby shed.[2][3][4]
Although some sources claim that the name "Pickleball" was derived from that of the Pritchard's family dog, Pickles, other sources state that the claim is false, and that the name came from the term "pickle boat", referring to the last boat to return with its catch.[2][4] According to Joan Pritchard, Joel Pritchard's wife, the name came "after I said it reminded me of the Pickle Boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats. Somehow the idea the name came from our dog Pickles was attached to the naming of the game, but Pickles wasn't on the scene for two more years. The dog was named for the game."[5]
Whatever the source, there are a number of similar "tennis-like" games generically known as paddle ball or paddle tennis, each with it's own court layout requirements and racquet/ball types.
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