The Truth About Pickleball’s Name—And No, It’s Not the Dog
For years, pickleball’s name has been mistakenly linked to an enthusiastic family dog named Pickles, allegedly notorious for stealing balls. But as it turns out, that story is as much of a misdirection as a well-placed dink shot. The sport, born in the 1960s on Bainbridge Island, Washington, was actually named after a term used in rowing: a “pickle boat,” which describes a crew made up of leftover rowers from other teams. The name was coined by Joan Pritchard, wife of one of the game’s inventors, who saw a resemblance between her husband’s improvised backyard game and the hodgepodge nature of a pickle boat. Ironically, the Pritchards did later have a dog named Pickles—but he was named after the sport, not the other way around.
Pickleball was created out of necessity when Joel Pritchard and his friend Bill Bell returned from a long day on the golf course to find their kids restless and in need of entertainment. With a badminton net already in place, plywood paddles quickly fashioned, and a borrowed Wiffle ball, a new game was born. The adults soon found themselves more engrossed in the game than the kids, and before long, it took on a life of its own. While the exact year of its invention is disputed—some say 1963, others argue for 1965 or even 1966—the legacy it has left is undeniable. The sport exploded from a backyard pastime to an international phenomenon, even making its way onto Hollywood movie sets and major sporting events.
Despite his impressive political career, including terms as a U.S. congressman and Washington state’s lieutenant governor, Joel Pritchard’s proudest achievement wasn’t his legislative work—it was pickleball. His daughter, Peggy Pritchard-Olson, recalled that he valued the game’s impact on people’s health and happiness above all else. From its humble origins to its current status as a global obsession, pickleball’s story is one of creativity, community, and a name that has sparked more debates than any unforced error on the court.
