The History of Racquetball – From Prisons to Country
Clubs
In the 1800s, when people would run up debt and couldn’t pay,
there was no such thing as a charge-off or protective bankruptcy.
People who owed money would go to debtors’ prisons. Men would
move into the prisons with their families and all of their
possessions. A lot of the men were prosperous in their past lives
(often beyond their means, which put them in a debtors’ prison in
the first place), and they had tennis racquets (racket is also an
acceptable spelling) with them. They started playing ball with
their racquets against the prison walls. The courts began
appearing outside a lot of prisons. They would either just use
one wall, or there would be three walls. There was never a
fourth, back wall. This was the game called “Rackets.” Soon the
game began being played at schools and was no longer a prison
game.
The game was brought to Canada from the British Army, and it
eventually spread to the United States – it was even a sport in
the Olympics at one point - but it never really caught on. There
are still a few courts in existence to this day. The most
important thing about the game is that it is thought to be the
origin of a game called “Squash Rackets.” It also, therefore,
played an important part in the history of racquetball.
There weren’t enough rackets courts, so instead of waiting for
long periods of time for an available court, people played in
smaller courts designed for handball. The rackets ball was too
hard to play with on the smaller court, so someone thought of
poking holes in the ball. It worked well, and when you hit the
ball with a racquet, it deflated. The racquets squashed the ball.
Hence, the game was called squash rackets. There was also a
squash tennis sport where people simply used tennis balls and
racquets to play the same game.
American Beginnings
Early forms of racquetball were played in America in the 1920s.
The form that we play today can be credited to a tennis pro named
Joe Sobek. He was from Greenwich, Connecticut. This man played
the biggest role in the history of racquetball.
Sobek was apparently so good at squash that he had a hard time
finding partners. He started playing handball at a local YMCA,
but the sport hurt his hands. Sobek combined the rules of squash
and handball to come up with his new game. He designed
racquetball racquets that were smaller and more like paddles. He
had 25 prototypes made in late 1950, which he sold to other
members of his YMCA. He called his new game “Paddle Rackets.”
He had great timing. It just so happened that there were about
40,000 handball courts built in YMCAs (Young Men’s Christian
Association – a place where guys - and now men, women, and
children of all ages - could work out) and JCCs (Jewish Community
Centers). Because these courts influenced the derivation of his
new game, they were, of course, the perfect size to play the
sport.
The balls, though, were a different story. When they were hit
with the racquets, they became too lively. Sobek’s search for a
better ball led him to a dime store, where he found an ordinary
rubber ball made for children. He bought a large quantity of the
balls, and later he found a company to make hollow balls as he
designed them.
The men he sold his prototype racquets to were successful
businessmen. They traveled a lot to different countries, where
they shared the sport with others. In 1952, Sobek made a set of
rules and printed a number of copies for distribution. He created
the National Paddle Rackets Foundation at this point.
Sobek began to market his sport to other YMCAs and JCCs across
the country. He would send packets to them including equipment
and rules. The sport became popular with everyone except the
die-hard handball fans who resented the paddle people taking over
their courts.
The sport continued to build in popularity. The first national
championship (open only to men) was held in 1968 in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. In the 1960s, Joe Sobek was invited to a Memphis YMCA
to give a demonstration and commentary on his paddle rackets
game. The YMCA had also invited the founder and president of the
U.S. Handball Association, Robert Kendler. They apparently had
wanted a Crossfire-type debate about the game.
It Gets Official
Kendler wasn’t a fan at first, but the sport grew on him and he,
too, became an important part of the history of racquetball. In
1969, he founded the International Racquetball Association (IRA).
Another tennis pro in San Diego came up with the name, and
Kendler ran with it. He used the handball publications to
publicize the sport and build on its popularity.
There were millions of people playing racquetball by the 1970s.
Courts were now being built just for racquetball all over the
country. In 1974, the first professional championship was held.
Meanwhile, Kendler (the handball turned IRA founder) had a few
disputes with the International Racquetball Association, and he
left to form a couple of other organizations – the U.S.
Racquetball Association and the professional National Racquetball
Club. In 1979, the IRA became the American Amateur Racquetball
Association.
In 1979, the International Amateur Racquetball Federation (now
just called the International Racquetball Federation) was formed,
and it included 14 countries. In 1980, the men’s pro tour was
established along with the Ladies Professional Racquetball
Association (LPRA). In 1981, the first Racquetball World
Championship was held. The country, however, was heading into a
recession at this time, and both of the new organizations founded
by Kendler (The USRA and the NRC) went bankrupt in 1982. The
International Olympic Committee recognized racquetball as a
developing Olympic sport, but times were tough.
In fact, the recession hit racquetball pretty hard. A lot of the
courts had to close or be used for different purposes. Racquet
sales hit an all-time low, and people put their love for
racquetball on the back burner. Jane Fonda’s workout, aerobics,
stationary bikes, and other new, advanced fitness machines became
wildly popular. People could now get exercise at home with
instructional videos played on new VCRs or an exercise bike of
their very own.
In the 1990s, fitness clubs became very trendy. Most of these
fitness clubs included racquetball courts. Racquetball again
became popular. It started being featured in the US Olympic
Festival, and there is a lot of talk about racquetball becoming
an Olympic competition in the future.
In 1990, the International Racquetball Tour was created with
competitions throughout the year for professional players. In
1997, the American Amateur Racquetball Association became the
United States Racquetball Association (USRA). The organization is
still going strong, with a national team, a junior national team,
and intercollegiate competitions. There is still a Racquetball
World Championship held every year by the International
Racquetball Federation.
The History of Racquetball Equipment
Since Sobek’s prototype, racquetball racquets (bigger than squash
racquets) have become a lot more advanced. New materials have
allowed them to become lighter than ever, you can get custom
grips, and vibration dampeners allow for better performance. For
beginners, racquets can cost as little as under $20. Advanced and
customized racquets can run as much as $300.
You don’t need a lot of other equipment to play racquetball. You
have to wear eye protection in most courts, and you have to play
with balls specially designed for racquetball. You can play in
ordinary t-shirts and shorts, or you can invest in specialized
material that will pull sweat away from the skin to keep you
drier and cooler while you play.
There are also court shoes available that will help you keep your
footing on the court floor. Racquetball gloves are designed to
help you keep your grip on the racquet. It’s definitely a great
way to keep in shape. The only activity that burns more calories
is running. It also keeps your interest – most of the time, the
time goes by very quickly, and it’s definitely an all over body
workout.
The Future of Racquetball
Racquetball is still growing in popularity, and the history is
still being shaped. Because the game is still relatively new,
there may be more changes ahead. Look forward to seeing this game
in the Olympics of the future, and more televised events on
sports television.
If you are interested in playing racquetball, there are great
equipment deals online. You can also buy an instructional book
and video to help you learn the fundamentals and tips on how to
get better. The game was designed with pretty simple rules to
keep it easy to learn. There are, however, some strategies that
you can use to better your game. The best part of the game is
that so many people play. It’s never difficult to find a partner
or join a league. Head over to your local YMCA, gym, or country
club to get involved.
Shannon Schwartz is a successful freelance writer offering
guidance and suggestions for consumers buying racquetball
equipment, court shoes and health & fitness equipment. Her many
articles give information and tips to help people save money and
make smarter decisions.
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