With a strong foundation in squash and handball, the sport of racquetball emerged onto the athletics scene in 1949. Requiring just a racket, small rubber ball and indoor or outdoor court, the game was relatively simple to promote and play. Although the history of racquetball shows a relatively slow start, a surge in popularity eventually occurred.
Early Invention
Joseph Sobek is credited with the invention of racquetball. An avid player of squash, tennis and handball, Sobek invented the game of racquetball by combining squash and handball rules. At the time, he called the sport "paddle racquets" and it was played with short wooden rackets and small rubber balls. In 1952, he founded the Paddle Rackets Association. After developing a specific set of rules for the game, he began ardently promoting the sport at fitness centers and sporting organizations. In the late 1960s, tennis professional Bob McInermy referred to the sport as "racquetball" and the name stuck permanently.
Growing Recognition
In 1969, Roberrt Kendler, U.S. Handball Association founder and president, started the International Racquetball Association. Using his connections, Kendler used the U.S. Handball Association publications to promote the new sport of racquetball. By the 1970s, the sport of racquetball had spread to millions of people and racquetball-specific courts were beginning to pop up across the country. The first professional racquetball championship was held in 1974 and the first racquetball world championship took place in 1981. Over the years, multiple other racquetball organizations were formed, including the International Amateur Racquetball Federation consisting of 14 countries.
Decline in Popularity
In the early 1980s, recession struck and the sport of racquetball suffered greatly. Several racquetball associations went bankrupt and many racquetball courts were forced to close. Throughout the rest of the decade, racquetball continued to suffer as fitness trends evolved. With the introduction of home exercise videos and home exercise machines, people began working out at home rather than traveling to a local racquetball court for exercise.
Return To the Scene
In the 1990s, fitness trends changed yet again as fitness clubs began emerging in small towns and big cities across the country. Fortunately for the sport, racquetball courts appeared in many of these fitness centers and the sport's popularity grew once more. In 1997, the American Amateur Racquetball Association became the United States Racuetball Association. As of 2011, the USRA has a national team, junior national team and several intercollegiate competitions. In addition, the International Racquetball Association continues to conduct yearly championships.
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