The Accidental Birth of Pickleball: An Interview with Barney McCallum
Pickleball, one of the fasting growing sports in America, has an origin story filled with chance, ingenuity and friendship. For this in-depth interview, pickleball legend Norm Davis spoke with Barney McCallum, one of the creators of pickleball, in 2010 to document the early days of the sport.
1. How exactly did pickleball first come about? What inspired that initial game? (00:11)
It was "strictly an accident," according to McCallum. On a rainy day in July or August 1965, the families of Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum were together for a picnic at Pritchard's cabin on Bainbridge Island, Washington. The kids were getting restless being cooped up inside, when Pritchard grabbed a ping pong paddle and whiffle ball and told the kids to go hit it around on the badminton court to give the adults some peace. The kids became engrossed in batting the ball back and forth over the badminton net. Pritchard and Dick Brown went up to check on them and became intrigued by this new game using paddles, a whiffle ball and a high badminton net.
2. So it was more of an impromptu activity to occupy restless kids than something planned out in advance? (00:58)
"Absolutely nothing formal about it," confirmed McCallum. The kids were just amusing themselves by hitting the ball over the net. There were no set rules or plans to create a structured game like tennis.
3. With the high badminton net, small ping pong paddles and large whiffle ball, how did the kids manage to rally and keep the ball in play? (01:30)
McCallum acknowledged it was "too small and we...broke some up with that ball." But with the badminton net up high, the small ping pong paddles worked well enough for casual rallies by the kids.
4. How did the decision come about to lower the net height more toward what is used in pickleball today? (02:12)
The creators started experimenting to improve the game, trying adjustments like lowering the net since tennis nets are lower. McCallum emphasized it was all about having fun and trying tweaks to see if it improved the experience. There was no formal planning involved.
5. What was the reason behind the original serving rule that allowed one foot inside the baseline? (04:15)
That adjustment was necessary because a large madrone tree was very close to the baseline. With both feet behind the end line, players would hit the tree on their backswing when serving. Allowing one foot inside gave players room for a full backswing.
6. When did the innovation of the non-volley zone line come about? How did its dimensions evolve over time? (04:58)
After that first summer, as people returned to school and jobs, McCallum remained focused on the possibilities of this new game. He emphasized that the group continued tweaking the sport during the rainy off-season, gradually expanding the non-volley zone from 3 feet up to 7 feet as it became clear that it added greater variety in shots and strategies.
7. Can you walk through some of those key innovations like lowering the net height, using pickleballs, introducing the non-volley zone and allowing the double bounce rule? How quickly did that all take shape? (07:14)
McCallum stressed that all those essential elements fell into place during that first year after the game's accidental birth. As they continued playing that fall and winter, the rules evolved through trial and error. By the second summer, McCallum said, "we're 99% sure now with the double bounce rule and the extended volley zone...here to stay." He noted that the non-volley zone in particular helped give the game balance right from the start. (7:59)
8. When did dedicated pickleball courts start being constructed? (08:25)
While the Pritchards' cabin court remained a popular pickleball venue, neighbor Bob O'Brien built the first dedicated pickleball court on Bainbridge Island the summer after the game's invention. McCallum then constructed a pickleball court at his home nearby the following year. For years, it remained a local Seattle-area game before spreading.
9. For how long did pickleball exist just as a social activity among friends before any notion of formal competitive tournaments? (09:47)
McCallum emphasized that for many years pickleball was purely a social activity. Nobody involved had any concept initially about pickleball as a commercial venture. The founders were busy with jobs and families. Pickleball was just a fun diversion that happened to bring people together. The competitive side developed gradually later.
10. Who was responsible for formally writing down the pickleball rules in the early days? Were rules debates frequent or infrequent in the beginning? (10:43)
According to McCallum, the founders made quick decisions about the rules and equipment as modifications were needed. They aimed to keep arguments to a minimum and maintain the fun, social nature. He acknowledged there were some lively debates, often based around individuals lobbying for rules favoring their physical strengths. But overall, decisions came easily and organically.
11. Looking back decades later, what has allowed pickleball’s original rules and scoring system to remain so intact over time? (11:24)
McCallum believes a major factor was the spirit and motivations behind the founders’ early decisions. Above all, they strove to create balance (11:29) among players of different abilities, discouraging any one strength from dominating games. He is proud that this core vision has been preserved over time and sees it as a testament to the thoughtfulness embedded in the sport from day one.
12. You successfully avoided common rule disputes like whether the ball contacted the hand or other grey areas. Was that a conscious priority? (10:57)
Absolutely, confirmed McCallum. The founders deliberately designed the rules to eliminate potential arguments and keep the fun, friendly atmosphere. By declaring the hand legally part of the paddle, they headed off any debate about hand contact with the ball. This typified their overall philosophy.
13. What was the initial reaction to underhand tennis-style serves? How quickly did that get dismissed? (12:48)
McCallum remembers the underhand serve being experimented with briefly on Bainbridge Island that first summer but abandoned very quickly. The tennis serve simply didn't align with the founders' vision of pickleball as a more casual social game.
14. You've emphasized balance and inclusion over rewarding strength and power. How has that shaped pickleball culture today? (12:18)
McCallum believes pickleball has maintained a culture of fun and friendliness directly stemming from those early priorities. He expressed pride at seeing pickleball provide enjoyment across age groups while minimizing friction between players. For McCallum, seeing players come off the court "smiling" remains the true measure of success.
In conclusion, the story of pickleball's origins is one of improvisation, experimentation and friendship. While many Hall of Fame athletes now play the game competitively, at its core pickleball remains true to the inclusive, Argentinian principles of its founders over 50 years ago. Through rare foresight, McCallum and his friends embedded timeless wisdom into the DNA of pickleball from day one.
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The Asterisk* Era of Pickleball | This Pickleball Life (Ep. 41) Podcast Comment
@timm4629 May 21, 2024 (edited) While PB is trying to sort out it's standards it is worth the quick review of the history and the point of "balance" mentioned at the 7:59 & 11:29 mark in this video. - Pickleball Barney Mc Callum interview
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