Sports inventors and innovators
20 entries in the Sports Inventors and Innovators compendium.
William George BeersDentist who codified modern lacrosse and founded Canada's first dental journal.Bill Bell (pickleball)Co-inventor of pickleball in 1965.Nico BroekhuysenDutch teacher who invented the mixed-gender sport of korfball.Duncan Campbell (inventor)Canadian co-inventor of murderball, later wheelchair rugby.Eddie CochemsPioneer of the forward pass in college football.Oscar EckensteinEnglish climber who invented the modern crampon and pioneered bouldering.Julius GoldmanMulti-sport athlete and coach who modernized basketball rules.Ned HaigButcher and rugby player who invented rugby sevens.Gunnar LjungströmSwedish engineer who pioneered SAAB's early automotive and aerodynamic design.Barney McCallumCo-inventor of pickleball and designer of the M2 paddle.Van Phillips (inventor)American inventor of the Flex-Foot prosthetic limb.Dick Pope Sr.Founder of Cypress Gardens and promoter of Florida tourism.Joan PritchardWife of inventor Joel Pritchard who named the game pickleball.Joel PritchardRepublican politician and co-inventor of pickleball.Bradbury RobinsonThrew the first legal forward pass in American football.Ralph SamuelsonInventor of water skiing, first performed in 1922.Larry StevensonInventor of the kicktail, which revolutionized skateboarding.Fred WallerAmerican inventor and film pioneer who created Cinerama.William Wilson (aquatics)British journalist who originated water polo and advanced swimming technique.Olav ZipserGerman skydiver who pioneered the sport of freeflying.
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