The Bainbridge Island Historical Museum will be conducting a Pickleball Tournament this coming August 22-25. The tournament will be one of the Museum’s major fundraisers in 2019 and is expected to draw players from throughout the Pacific Northwest. It will be sanctioned by the National Pickleball association (the USAPA) and held on the Bainbridge Island High School tennis courts, where 6 tennis courts will be temporarily re-striped to create 18 pickleball courts.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America and it started right here! The sport was invented in the summer of 1965, by three Islanders, Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum.  To honor the three inventors, the Museum is calling it ‘The Bainbridge Island Founders Tournament’. This local tournament is a great way to celebrate its growth and its important contribution to the rich history of Bainbridge.

In conjunction with the tournament, the Museum will have a historic display on the history of the game and will be organizing free beginners’ clinics at the courts on August 22nd so more people of all ages can learn and appreciate the game.  The Museum will also be offering tours to “Court #1”, the former badminton court at Pleasant Beach, where the very first pickleball game was played.

Online tournament registration is open, sign up today!