Sometime around the summer of 2017, Gary Mrowka (a long term resident of Dunkirk) returned from Florida with an idea of introducing a sport with a funny name in the Dunkirk/Fredonia area.  He put an ad in the local newspaper suggesting if anyone wanted to learn a new sport to meet at the Townsend & Tunney basketball courts.  There were about six of us who answered the ad.  However, in the months ahead and as the colder weather was on its way to Chautauqua County, we needed an indoor facility to play at.  We were fortunate to find what was the Boys and Girls Club in Dunkirk.  We played there for several years until the building was sold. Fortunately, we were able to find another location at St. Anthony's in Fredonia.  We currently still play there along with Brocton Elementary, Cattaraugus Community Center, Cassadaga Beach, Fredonia State University @ Steele Hall, Forestville, Russell Joy Park, Wright Park and Park Church in Sinclairville.

     Every year since our inception, our membership has steadily continued to grow.  Since 2019, we reached just under one-hundred members.  Just two years later, we ended the year with one hundred fifty eight members.  Last year, 2024 we hit an all-time high of two hundred fifty two members.

                     The History of Pickleball

The sport of pickleball was invented one summer day in 1965, when two friends on Brainbridge Island, Washington were looking for something to do for their families.

Bill Bell and Joel Pritchard were at Pritichard's home, which had an old badminton court in the backyard.  Pritchard and Bell looked for some badminton equipment and could not find a full set of rackets, "according to USA Pickleball.  "They improvised and started playing with ping pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball."

The net was first placed at 60 inches but soon lowered to 36 inches.  Their friend Barney McCallum soon joined and the three came up with the rules of pickleball, with a nod to badminton, as a sport that can be played with the entire family.

                                                           How did Pickleball get its name?

There are a few different stories about how pickleball got it's name;  one is about "pickle boats" and one is about the Pritchard family dog.

Pickle boats

According to USA Pickleball, Joel Pritchard named pickleball after pickle boats:  "a reference to the thrown-together leftover non-starters in the 'pickle boats' of crew races." Pickle boats are generally the last boat to finish a race in the sailing world, or the crew of a boat that was put together randomly or haphazardly.

Pickles the Dog

The second story regarded Joad Pritchard and the family dog, Pickles.  Neighbors of the Pritchards remembered that Joan named the sport after their dog, Pickles.

                 Why is Pickleball called Pickleball? 

                             Which story is true?

USA Pickleball did an in-depth investigation into the controversy, and found records that Pickles the dog was born in 1968---three years after the invention of pickleball.

"One day, during the summer of 1965, the Bells and Pritchard's were sitting  around and made the decision to come up with a name for the game," explained Pickleball Magazine.  Joad stepped up and said, "Pickle Ball", She then explained the reference to leftover rowers who would race for fun in local 'pickleball boat' crew race competitions."

The rumor about pickleball being named after Pickles the dog came years later.