SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/pb-name-story

According to USA Pickleball, what inspired the name pickleball?

Pickle boat crew races, named by Joan Pritchard.

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  1. The family dog, Pickles
  2. Pickle boat crew races ✔
  3. A jar of pickles used as a net weight

Why: Joan Pritchard named the game in 1965 after "pickle boat" races, where leftover rowers were thrown together. The popular dog story is a myth: Pickles was born in 1968.

Huh, didn't know that: Joel Pritchard told a reporter the dog story as a joke, and it stuck for years.

The dad joke
Why did Pickles the dog love pickleball? Every point ended with a run to fetch.
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References

Answer: Pickle boat crew races. Joan Pritchard named the game in 1965 after "pickle boat" races, where leftover rowers were thrown together. The popular dog story is a myth: Pickles was born in 1968.

  1. USA Pickleball: How Pickleball Got Its Name usapickleball.org/pickleball-stories/how-pickleball-got-its-name
    the Pritchard family story stands true that pickleball was not named after the dog, but rather in reference to the local pickle boat races
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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Test yourself in the game

Sports & FitnessWhere and when did pickleball begin?Sports & FitnessDuring a rally, your shot touches the top of the net and goes over. What happens?Sports & FitnessThe ball hits your paddle hand, below the wrist, while you are holding the paddle. Is it a fault?

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