According to The Morning Sentinel, it’s easy to learn, fun, and extremely popular, say those who play pickleball.
Say what?
Yes, pickleball. You might call it a cross between badminton, pingpong and tennis.
It’s played with a net, paddles and a ball with holes in it, similar to a Wiffle ball.
The game, while developed more than 50 years ago, is wildly popular in places like Florida, Arizona and California — and played by people of all ages, according to Mike Gallagher, an Oakland resident who spends winters in Florida and South Carolina.
People may just show up to play or come and watch, according to Gallagher. He said the game is a good social activity and when played by people of all ages, encourages intergenerational fun.
“We want to encourage people to stop in,” he said. “You don’t have to be a great athlete. You can learn to play in five or 10 minutes.”
“This goes hand-in-hand with what we’re trying to provide for active, older adults,” Ken Walsh said. “All ages can play pickleball. It’s a great, great game.”
Pickleball was invented in 1965 by Bill Bell and Joel Pritchard, two fathers in Washington state whose children kept saying they were bored and wanted something to do. Pritchard, a U.S. congressman, and Bell made wooden paddles and, using a Wiffle ball on a badminton court, improvised the game.
The Pritchards’ dog, Pickles, a cocker spaniel, kept grabbing the ball; the children were constantly yelling for the dog to bring the ball back. Thus, the game was named “pickleball.”
Photo by democratandchronicle.com.