Racquetball was invented by Joseph Sobek of Greenwich, Connecticut. He was driven by a lack of satisfaction with indoor court games and concerns about handball’s impact on his hands. Employing a racquet to play instead, he developed the new sport, which used the rules of both handball and squash and was originally called “paddle rackets,” in 1949. While the racquets he designed were based on old tennis racquets, his early models, built in 1950, were shorter.

1. The Origin of Racquetball
By Michael Schackett

2. The Origin of Racquetball
Racquetball was invented by Joseph Sobek of
Greenwich, Connecticut. He was driven by a lack
of satisfaction with indoor court games and
concerns about handball’s impact on his hands.
Employing a racquet to play instead, he
developed the new sport, which used the rules of
both handball and squash and was originally
called “paddle rackets,” in 1949. While the
racquets he designed were based on old tennis
racquets, his early models, built in 1950, were
shorter.

3. The Origin of Racquetball
The Paddle Rackets Association, founded in
1952, distributed the first printed rules of the
game. Robert Kendler founded the International
Racquetball Association in 1968, the same year
the sport was renamed as such by tennis player
Bob McInerny. The sport’s popularity blossomed
during the 1970’s. There were an estimated 10
million racquetball players in the United States
in 1998. Its popularity has spread to more than
90 countries, with roughly 14 million players
worldwide.

4. About Michael Schackett
The President of Forest Uniforms of New York,
Michael Schackett’s interest in racquetball spans
more than 30 years.