HOW PICKLEBALL
GOT ITS NAME?
Some sources claim that the name
“Pickleball” was derived from the Pritchards’
family dog, Pickles, while others claim that
the name came from the term “pickle boat,”
referring to the last boat to return with
its catch – or a mixed group of rowers put
together and finishing last in a rowing race.
Interviews with founders Joel Pritchard (and
his wife, Joan), Dick Brown (and his son, Jim)
and Barney McCallum are very adamant about
the name creation. Below are summaries of
interviews taken from all five.
Dick Brown (Founder)
We were sitting at Joel’s old cabin front
room and we were throwing around trying to
get a name for it. Because the dog was always
around there grabbing the ball and so Joanne
said, “Why don’t you call it pickle-ball and it
just hit us. Just like that. Thinking of Pickles,
we said, “That’s a great name.” My wife and
I both will swear that there was called that
night (pickleball) and that name stuck.
Pritchard family together and we were trying
to think out names of what we could call this
paddle game and Joanne Pritchard, at the
end of a lengthy conversation, said, “Hey, why
don’t you name it Pickleball after Pickles.” For
whatever reason, it caught. Everybody went
crazy and said, “That’s it, Pickleball. Let’s do
it.” Then everybody cheered.
Joel Pritchard (Founder)
In an oral history published by the state of
Washington in 2000, Joel Pritchard said the
tall tales about the sport’s name originated
with an out-of-town reporter…and a few
imaginative locals…and his own willingness to
hush-up when a good story takes hold.
Interviewer: There are several accounts
about how you named the game. Is it true you
named it for your dog?
Joel Pritchard: We needed a nutty name
like Pickle-Ball, but, no, the dog was named
after the game. A reporter came through and
was doing a national story on the game, and
somebody told him that story. Everybody said,
“Shut your mouth. It’s a good story. It works
better, leave it alone.” It’s like a lot of stories.
Joan Pritchard (wife of Joel Pritchard)
Mrs. Pritchard was an accomplished rower.
She was interviewed by the West Virginia
News and Sentinel in 2008. Here are portions
of that interview.
Joan Pritchard: The name came after
I said it reminded me of the Pickle Boat in
crew where oarsmen were chosen from the
leftovers of other boats. Somehow the idea the
name came from our dog Pickles was attached
to the naming of the game, but Pickles wasn’t
on the scene for two more years. The dog was
named for the game, but stories about the
name’s origin were funnier thinking the game
was named for the dog.”
Barney McCallum (Founder)
In a December, 2015, interview with
Pickleball Magazine, Barney McCallum said
that he wanted to put to rest the rumors of
the sport’s naming.
Barney McCallum: “I was in the room.
The Pritchards had two dogs, Lulu and Pickles.
It was then that we chose to name the game
after the dog.”