Panzano in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy
Lone courts in unexpected corners of the world
My father, Bill Bell, Jr., was one of the three inventors of pickleball in 1965. I, along with my sister Allison, brother Joel, and 7 or 8 others were part of the bored group of kids for whom the game was invented.
My wife, Margo, and I live next to a small hilltop village called Panzano in Chianti in central Tuscany. We nestled the pickleball court amidst the 150 olive trees we cultivate. First court in our area but not the last!
Inset: My brother Joel and I playing on the original court on Bainbridge Island at the home of Joel Pritchard. – Bill Bell
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2026 | MAGAZINE 19