The picture of Bill Gates it may be the furthest one can get from an athlete. However, he is a true lover of the sport, especially one that is growing in popularity: el pickleball.
This discipline of American origin combines elements of badminton, table tennis and tennis, being played with wooden or composite paddles to hit a perforated polymer ball.
It is played between two or four people, on a badminton-like court and with a tennis-like net.
The spread of pickleball dates back to the 60’s when several schools in the United States promoted it as a playground game for children. Today there is a Major Pickleball League, a National Pickelball Championship and the US Pickleball Open.
The origin of Bill Gates’ passion for pickleball
Bill Gates account on his blog who began to practice it in 1965, becoming passionate.
“My dad was friends with the inventors of the game, Joel Pritchard (state legislator and Washington lieutenant governor), Barney McCallum and Bill Bell,” says Gates. “He learned about its creation in the late 1960s, and they inspired him to build a pickleball court in our house. I’ve played it ever since.”
According to the billionaire, currently the sport is played by more than 4.8 million people in the United States, with a growth of almost 40% in the last two years. “And I hope it gets bigger,” Gates says.
Among the athletes in the sport Gates most admires there is the American Ben Johns. “I enjoy watching YouTube videos where I can learn tactics and strategies from the best players,” says the philanthropist. “It’s amazing to see professionals like Ben Johns play.”
“I hope that one day I can be as a demonstration sport at the Olympic Games.
Gates closes with a piece of advice for his fans: “If you decide to try pickleball one day, I hope you can enjoy it as much as my family and I do.”
