Players will say that the fact than you can “play the ball” off of any wall anytime during the rally is what makes racquetball so fun right from the start. Apr 20, 2018 | History, Racquetball | 0 comments.

The ball used to play the game is air filled, about three inches in diameter, and has a lively bounce. Racquetball -- a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court. Rather, it was developed early in the twentieth century by combining other popular sports—tennis, handball, squash, and a Spanish sport called jai alai. Nonetheless, IRA remained the most dominant organization when it came to promoting the sport. If there is a club near you, then members of that club will be helpful in explaining the game and getting you started. Sobek founded the Paddle Racquet Association in 1952 and distributed a set of rules to all YMCAs in the United States to help spread the popularity of the sport. The development of racquetball was as a result of lack of a rapid type of game that’s easy to learn and play.

There are various governing bodies for the sport that provide on-going leadership worldwide. Since the company did not have that specific mold size, they made 25 badminton racket prototypes. Sobek approached Magnan Manufacturing Co., a tennis and sports equipment maker, and showed them his design for a short and strung racquet with a head size of a paddle-tennis racquet. Sports clubs and country clubs throughout the United States picked up on the enthusiasm of the sport and started building racquetball courts in their clubs. Nonetheless, even with 50% decline in the popularity of racquetball, there were still millions of dedicated players. At that time, Sobek had not come up with a catchy name for the new game. It has come a long way ever since the first prototype which was made of wood and a leather wrap. In fact, the U.S. Olympic Committee recognized it as the governing body for racquetball in the country.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Facts are sorted by community importance and you can build your personalized lexicon In American rules, this is a valid play. By the early 1990s, it didn’t receive much interest for a number of reasons. Share: Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) It is possible to play solo, doubles, and even with four players.

First, the ball was small and very hard to see and follow on TV, therefore, it did not receive a lot of airtime from TV networks. In that same year, IRA organized the first racquetball professional tournament.

Some include: -Racquetball was invented by a man name Joe Sobek. The racquet is the most important equipment in racquetball. So where did racquetball originate from?

After 10 years of playing and teaching squash and tennis at sports clubs, he landed a job as a customer relations manager at an industrial rubber company in Connecticut. The Australians also follow the rules where if the ball touches the ceiling, the ball is considered to be out. In 1995, the International Olympic Committee approved the sport as a Pan American Game and this has kept the sport alive. Racquetball (Racquetball Quiz Questions): You Can Burn Up About 360 Calories Per Hour Practising This Sport Which Can...: trivia questions, facts and quizzes The game hit its all-time high in 1974 when it was estimated that there were more than 3 million racquetball players in the country alone.

It is known as the youngest sport ever to be noticed by the United States Olympic Committee.