Joel Pritchard
Republican politician and co-inventor of pickleball.
Joel McFee Pritchard was born in Seattle on May 5, 1925, and died in Olympia on October 9, 1997, from lymphoma. A Republican, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives and later became Washington’s 15th lieutenant governor—a position no other Republican has held since. He is widely credited as the Father of Pickleball, a game he created in 1965 alongside Bill Bell and Barney McCallum at his summer home on Bainbridge Island.
Pritchard attended public schools in Seattle, graduating from Queen Anne High School in June 1944. He then served in the U.S. Army as a sergeant from 1944 to 1946. After his discharge, he studied at Marietta College in Ohio from 1946 to 1947 before finishing at the University of Washington. From 1948 to 1971, he worked at the Griffin Envelope Company in Seattle, eventually becoming its president.
His political career began as a delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention, which renominated Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 1958, he won a seat in the Washington House of Representatives for the thirty-sixth district, serving from 1959 to 1967 after reelections in 1960, 1962, and 1964. During that time, he worked closely with future U.S. Senators Daniel J. Evans and Slade Gorton. In 1966, he was elected to the Washington State Senate, serving a single term from 1967 to 1971. As a member of Washington Citizens for Abortion Reform, he introduced a bill in 1970 that legalized abortion during the first four months of pregnancy. The measure went to voters as Referendum 20 and passed that November, making Washington the first state to legalize abortion by popular vote.
Pritchard first ran for the U.S. House in 1970, challenging nine-term incumbent Thomas Pelly in the Republican primary. Pelly won renomination, but by a narrower margin than expected. When Pelly retired in 1972, Pritchard ran again and won a close general election against John Hempleman and Craig Honts. He was easily reelected in 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, and 1982, serving from 1973 to 1985. He chose not to seek reelection in 1984.
In 1988, he successfully ran for lieutenant governor, becoming president of the Washington Senate. He was reelected in 1992 and served from 1989 to 1997. After his second term ended, he retired and joined the board of TVW, Washington’s public affairs network.
Pritchard was the second son of Frank and Jean (McFee) Pritchard.
Quick Facts
- Office
- 14th Lieutenant Governor of Washington
- Governor
- Booth Gardner / Mike Lowry
- Term Start
- January 11, 1989
- Term End
- January 15, 1997
- Predecessor
- John Cherberg
- Successor
- Brad Owen
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Joel Pritchard was the second son of Frank and Jean (McFee) Pritchard. He attended public schools in Seattle, graduating from Queen Anne High School in June 1944, and later from the University of Washington. He served in the United States Army from 1944 to 1946 at the rank of Sergeant, then attended Marietta College in Ohio from 1946 to 1947. He worked for the Griffin Envelope Company in Seattle from 1948 to 1971, becoming president of the company. He was married and divorced twice and had a son, Frank, and daughters Peggy, Anne and Jeanie.
Pritchard began his political career as a delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention. He was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1958, serving from 1959 to 1967, and was reelected in 1960, 1962, and 1964. In 1966, he was elected to the Washington State Senate, serving a single term from 1967 to 1971. While in the state senate, he introduced a bill allowing abortions in the first four months of pregnancy, which was approved and went to voters as Referendum 20; it passed in November 1970, making Washington the first state to legalize abortion by popular vote.
In 1972, Pritchard was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Washington's first district, serving from 1973 to 1985 after being easily reelected in 1974, 1976, 1978, 1980, and 1982. He chose not to run in 1984. In 1988, he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Washington, serving from 1989 to 1997, and was reelected in 1992. After his second term, he retired and became a board member of TVW, the state's public affairs network. He died of lymphoma on October 9, 1997.
Reader's Guide
Joel Pritchard's significance lies in his dual legacy as a Republican politician and the co-inventor of pickleball. As a state legislator, he played a key role in Washington becoming the first state to legalize abortion by popular vote through Referendum 20 in 1970. His political career spanned over three decades, including service in the Washington House, Washington Senate, U.S. House, and as Lieutenant Governor. He remains the most recent Republican to hold the lieutenant governor's office in Washington. However, his most enduring impact is the invention of pickleball in 1965 with friends Bill Bell and Barney McCallum at his summer home on Bainbridge Island. The sport has grown into a global phenomenon, leading to his induction into the Pickleball Hall of Fame in 2017. Pritchard's career illustrates how a state-level politician can leave a lasting cultural mark beyond traditional governance.
Did You Know?
- As a state senator, he introduced the bill that led to Washington becoming the first state to legalize abortion by popular vote in 1970.
- He served as a delegate to the 1956 Republican National Convention that renominated Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Joel Pritchard?
Joel McFee Pritchard was a Seattle-born American businessman and Republican politician best known as the creator of pickleball. He also served in the U.S. House of Representatives and later became Washington's 15th lieutenant governor.
How was pickleball invented?
In 1965, Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum came up with the game at Pritchard's summer home on Bainbridge Island, Washington. They blended elements of existing racket sports into a new, accessible format that became the foundation of modern pickleball.
Who co-invented pickleball with Joel Pritchard?
The sport was created in 1965 by Pritchard together with Bill Bell and Barney McCallum. All three are credited as the original founders of the game at Pritchard's Bainbridge Island property.
Why is Joel Pritchard important to sports history?
He is widely recognized as the Father of Pickleball, the individual who originated the game that has since grown into a global recreational and competitive racket sport. His 1965 invention on Bainbridge Island laid the groundwork for what is now one of America's fastest-growing sports.
What was Joel Pritchard's political career?
A committed Republican, he represented Washington in the U.S. House of Representatives before going on to serve as the state's 15th lieutenant governor. He remains the only Republican to have held that particular office in Washington's history.
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