On September 17 in pickleball history, one interesting aspect to reflect on is the pivotal moment in the sport’s early growth connected to media exposure in 1975. This year marked a significant jump in pickleball’s spread across the United States due to a notable newspaper article that introduced the game far beyond its origins.
The story began when a journalist from New York City visited Barney McCallum on Bainbridge Island, Washington, to learn about this newly invented sport. The journalist took a ferry ride with Barney and shortly after their visit, he published a detailed newspaper article about pickleball. This article proved to be a game-changer. After the article ran, Barney started receiving a flood of mail orders for pickleball starter kits — paddles, balls, and nets — from people all over the country. The response was so enthusiastic that a teenager spent the entire summer making paddles from plywood in his backyard to meet the demand.
This moment in 1975 ignited national awareness and interest that helped pickleball flourish beyond its local roots. Prior to this, the sport was largely a backyard pastime invented in 1965 by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum as a fun family activity on Bainbridge Island. The early invention combined elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis, with the use of a wiffle ball and lowered badminton nets creating a fresh, accessible sport for all ages.
The 1975 newspaper article was crucial in changing pickleball from a small recreational game into a sport with widespread appeal. This surge in interest also coincided with larger movements such as the passage of Title IX in 1972, which led to increased funding and opportunities for women’s sports. Trade shows and school sports programs began including pickleball equipment in the late 1970s, helping to further cement its place in American recreational and competitive sports.
Today, pickleball is recognized as one of the fastest growing sports in the United States and internationally, with millions of players and thousands of venues. The humble beginnings on a summer day in 1965 and the media boost in 1975 set the stage for the vibrant, rapidly expanding global sport we know now.
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