The Dog Theory: It attributes the name to the Pritchards’ dog, Pickles, who reportedly retrieved stray balls during the early games. However, there is debate over whether Pickles was alive at the time the sport was named.
The Boat Theory: It suggests that Joan Pritchard, one of the game’s earliest players and the wife of a co-inventor, named the sport after ‘leftover’ rowers in crew boat competitions.
Pickleball, a beloved sport cherished by enthusiasts of all ages, has a curious name that begs explanation. Played on a court similar to badminton‘s dimensions with a modified tennis net, it contains both singles and doubles play. Its simplicity and enjoyment have fueled its rapid rise in popularity. But why pickleball? Two reasons state about how pickleball got its name.
The Dog Theory
In 1965, Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum made this game during a family vacation, inspired to create a pastime for everyone to participate in. Using Ping-Pong paddles and a Wiffle ball, they gave birth to what we now know as pickleball.
Legend has it that the game owes its name to Pritchard’s dog, Pickles, who would energetically chase after the ball during their matches. His wife, impressed by Pickles’ enthusiasm, humorously suggested naming the game after their beloved pet. Thus, “pickleball” was named, forever linking the sport to a playful canine companion.
Pickleball remains a delightful pursuit cherished for its accessibility and joyous spirit, ideal for anyone seeking fun and activity to pick up.
disproving a myth surrounding its name: Contrary to a popular misconception linking it to rowing’s last-place team “The Pickle,” pickleball’s moniker stems purely from a family dog’s playful antics, representing the sport’s relaxed and enjoyable nature.
Boat Theory or no theory?
Joel Pritchard, Joan’s husband, collaborated with his friends and neighbors Bill Bell and Barney McCallum to co-invent the game on Bainbridge Island, Washington. The threads supporting the Dog Theory persist mainly due to Barney McCallum’s unwavering adherence to the canine tale and the absence of concrete documentation pinpointing Pickles’ entry into the Pritchard household.
Even if we could definitively place Pickles in the Pritchard family home in 1965, one might expect Frank, then a 13-year-old witness, to recall if the family dog truly inspired the game’s moniker.
With a wealth of compelling evidence favoring the Boat Theory and Frank’s own account, it appears the enigma surrounding pickleball’s naming may be on the verge of resolution—or perhaps there was never a mystery at all.
News in Brief: Pickleball Name Mystery
Pickleball’s name origins are immersed in two main theories: the Dog Theory, attributing it to Joel Pritchard’s playful pet Pickles chasing balls, and the Boat Theory, linking it to crew rowers’ ‘pickle boats.’ Despite ongoing debate and lacking definitive proof of Pickles’ presence in 1965, the game’s creators named it in his honor.
With significant evidence supporting the Boat Theory and familial accounts, the puzzle of pickleball’s name may be nearing a conclusion, presenting a blend of family creativity and sporting creativity that continues to fascinate players worldwide.
Ours Readers Queries:
Ques. Where did the pickleball name come from?
Ans. In just a few days, Joan Pritchard christened the new game ‘pickleball,”\’ drawing inspiration from the ‘pickle boat’ of crew races, which cobbled together leftover rowers. As the sport gained popularity over the years, a debate emerged when some neighbors claimed they were present when Joan named it after the family dog, Pickles.
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