Racquetball was invented by Joe Sobek in 1949. Looking for a game that was fast paced and that was easy to learn, Sobek designed the first short strung paddle, developed rules combining the basics of handball and squash, and named his modification "paddle rackets." His experiment was an overnight success; the sport caught on quickly and has since evolved into racquetball. By the early 70's, court clubs could be found in every state and the sport enjoyed a rapid and steady rise in popularity. As Americans wanted new and challenging athletic activities, the timing was perfect for racquetball. Courts were accessible nationwide and the sport was fun and easy to learn. In the late 70's and early 80's, racquetball became one of the fastest growing sports in America as thousands of new racquetball courts were built to satisfy the demand. The sport reached its peak in the mid-80's, when many clubs either closed their doors or began converting courts to other uses. Internationally, the sport has also reached new heights in its short history. World Championships held bi-annually since 1981, the addition of five International Olympic Committee approved events and its debut as a Pan American Games Sport in 1995. The sport now has 8 million players in the United States, 9 million worldwide, played in 91 nations, with a World professional tour. It is part of the quadrennial Pan American Games, and the international federation is trying to have it added to the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Joseph George Sobek was born April 5, 1918, in Greenwich and was raised there. Until he retired in 1985, he had spent most of his life as a tennis and squash racquets professional at the Greenwich Country Club. He died of congestive heart failure on Friday, March 27, 1997. He was 79 years old. Sobek was the first person inducted into the Racquetball Hall of Fame...
