First Permanent Court: Pickleball's Critical 1967 Milestone

On September 2, 1967, a major milestone in pickleball history took place with the construction of the very first permanent pickleball court. This court was built in the backyard of Bob O'Brian, a friend and neighbor of Joel Pritchard, one of the sport's founders. This event marked the transition of pickleball from a backyard improvised game into an organized sport with a dedicated playing area. Just two years earlier, in 1965, pickleball was invented on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum. The story began when these friends, seeking a fun activity to entertain their families, started playing with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball over a badminton net. They quickly realized the potential for a new game by lowering the net from badminton height to about 36 inches and adapting rules to make the game enjoyable for players of all ages.

The creation of the first permanent court in 1967 helped foster a community around pickleball. It enabled the sport to spread beyond Pritchard’s backyard to wider regions. This step allowed more formal play and tournaments to emerge, eventually leading to the formation of corporations to protect the sport’s rules and identity, and later to official organizations like the United States Pickleball Association and the Professional Pickleball Association.

The sport’s name itself is an interesting point of debate tied to this early period. According to USA Pickleball’s research, the game was named “pickleball” by Joan Pritchard, Joel Pritchard’s wife, during the summer of 1965. The name most likely refers to the “pickle boat” in crew races, which is a term for a leftover group of rowers combined from different teams. Some have believed the game was named after the family dog Pickles, but records show that the dog was born in 1968, three years after the game’s invention and naming.

Since that pivotal September day in 1967, pickleball has exploded in popularity. From its humble beginnings with improvised equipment, it has evolved into a fast-growing sport played internationally with millions of players. The construction of that first permanent court laid the foundation for organized play and helped pickleball become the beloved, dynamic sport it is today.

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