Racqtball History

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Racquetball was invented in 1949 by Joe Sobek, a tennis pro from Greenwich, Connecticut, who combined the rules of squash and handball to create a new game dubbed paddle racket. At present, over 7.5 million people in the United States play regularly, compared to less than 50,000 in 1970. It is estimated that there are approximately 15 million players participating in 87 countries world wide. Racquet frames have undergone significant changes in size and composition, from the original strung wooden paddle, to aluminum alloy (1971), fiberglass (1972), graphite (1978), boron (1982) and finally titanium (1997). Of course many racquets today are composites of two or more of these materials.

RACQUETBALL -- it's a sport for the millennium and beyond... truly a sport for a lifetime. You can play day or night, rain or shine, male or female, young or old. If you are not playing today and you enjoy the thrill of competition while benefiting from the results of an outstanding aerobic workout; racquetball is for you!

History of Ektelon

Ektelon was established by Franklin W. Budi Held on November 4, 1964. The purpose of the sole proprietorship was to develop an
aluminum tennis racquet and a racquet stringing machine. Initial operations were carried on in the garage of the Held residence in Point Loma, California. The name Ektelon was taken from two New Testament Greek words: Ektein, which is to stretch or draw out, and Telon, which conveys the idea of perfection. The contraction of these two words into Ektelon provided both the name for the company, and a basic working philosophy to draw out perfection. The first stringing machine, a table top model, was sold December 2, 1966, to California Western University for $50.00. Early in 1968, a three-year contract was made with Bancroft Sporting Goods Company for the exclusive distribution of Ektelon stringing machines. Shop space was rented in San Diego, and Held personally built the first five Model A stringing machines there, and shipped them to Bancroft on July 5, 1968. The first Ektelon employee was hired in the summer of 1968.

Capitalizing on the phenomenal popularity of racquetball, in early 1969, Held fabricated the first experimental racquetball racquet for Bud Muehleisen, a top competitor in the sport. Muehleisen liked it so well that he asked for one for his doubles partner, Charlie Brumfield. Muehleisen and Brumfield won the National Invitational Doubles with those racquets, ensuring instant success for Ektelon racquetball racquets among the sport's tournament players. That summer, Ektelon moved to a larger facility and began manufacturing racquetball racquets in earnest. By 1971, Ektelon again expanded its space and had become a financial success with 16 employees. In October 1969, Ektelon was incorporated in the State of California.

Lloyd - Backman - Crockett
Circa 1978, "Mouse" Lloyd, Milt Backman, & Judge Crockett were winning racquetball games despite an average age of 76 years young

Dave Peck
Shooting his patented crosscourt forehand pinch, crossing his legs hoping for a winner

Hogan vs Brumfield
Marty Hogan and Charlie Brumfield - power versus finesse, both equally important

Hillecher vs Bledsoe
Jerry Hillecher and Davey Bledsoe keeping their eyes on the ball

Wright vs Adams
Shannon Wright and Lynn Adams - challenging for centercourt

Hogan vs Brumfield
Marty Hogan goes airborne to avoid shot by Charlie Brumfield and a hinder call by the referee

Internationial Racquetball Association