For some sports, such as soccer, their origins stretch back for centuries or millennia, such that many people in many places contributed to the modern sport and its refinements. Racquetball differs in that its history can be pinned down to one person in one place and time.
Time Frame
In 1949, tennis pro Joseph G. Sobek created racquetball in Greenwich, Connecticut. He called it "paddle rackets" at the time. He designed a new shorter racket and began promoting it in the local YMCA. In 1952, Sobek created the National Paddle Rackets Association. Robert Kendler, head of the U.S. Handball Association, met Sobek in 1968 and started the International Racquetball Association a year later. That same year, the IRA held the first National Championship in St. Louis. In 1995, the U.S. Olympic Committee recognized racquetball as an official sport in the Pan-American Games.
Function
Existing racket sports influenced Sobek's creation. Handball put too much strain on his hands over time, so he mixed it with tennis and squash. Racquetball combined aspects of the three games. Sobek introduced the game in YMCAs hoping to influence the fitness world. He created racquetball to promote competition and physical toughness.
Geography
After racquetball's origination in Connecticut, clinics in Massachusetts and elsewhere helped it rise in popularity in the Northeast. The sport quickly grew across the United States in the 1970s as the IRA held national championships in a cities including St. Louis, Salt Lake City and San Diego. The sport spread to Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries that already played squash. Racquetball continued to develop around in the world including Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.
Misconceptions
Players did not originally play the game with the traditional racquetball equipment used today. Sobek first introduced a racket with aluminum frames and a longer stick. The racket evolved over time into an oversized frame made of different materials and a shorter stick. Even now, companies alter rackets every year to make performance better. The ball also changed over time. Sobek began using Spalding rubber balls after players disapproved of the original ball. He eventually founded his own company to produce regulation balls.
Potential
Racquetball continues to grow internationally. After being recognized as an official Pan-American Sport in 1995, the sport developed to 14 million players participating from 90 different countries by 1998. New countries continue to become involved each year. In 2010, Kingscourt, Ireland, hosted the World Seniors Doubles and Seoul, South Korea, hosted the World Championships.
Member Comments