EPISODE · Aug 19, 2026 · 10 MIN
How did pickleball start?
from History for Kids / History's Not Boring: The Kids History Podcast · host SCL
Did you know that one of the most popular sports in the entire world was invented just because a teenager was complaining about being bored? It’s true! Get your paddles ready and travel back to the summer of 1965 with Mira and Finn to uncover the wild true story behind pickleball! When Joel Pritchard’s son whined that there was nothing to do, Joel and his friends grabbed some leftover sports gear to invent a brand-new game. They used tiny wooden ping-pong paddles, a plastic wiffle ball, and an old asphalt badminton court to create a worldwide sensation! You'll find out why they lowered the net to tennis height and why there’s a special non-volley spot on the court called "The Kitchen" where you have to be super careful. Plus, we solve the biggest mystery of all: where did the funny name "pickleball" actually come from? Was it really named after an adorable dog named Pickles who kept stealing the ball, or is there a shocking twist? Tune in to discover how a simple cure for summer boredom turned into a massive sport played by twenty million people today!
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Did you know that one of the most popular sports in the entire world was invented just because a teenager was complaining about being bored? It’s true! Get your paddles ready and travel back to the summer of 1965 with Mira and Finn to uncover the wild true story behind pickleball! When Joel Pritchard’s son whined that there was nothing to do, Joel and his friends grabbed some leftover sports gear to invent a brand-new game. They used tiny wooden ping-pong paddles, a plastic wiffle ball, and...
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How did pickleball start?
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