When was paintball made

In , the Nelson Paint Company tried to sell their marker, the Crosman , but it was a commercial failure. In a second attempt to market his marker, Nelson found success with Daisy, renowned BB gun manufacturers. Inspired by this marker, saw the first official game of paintball. Friends Bob Gurnsey, Hayes Noel and Charles Gaines were debating who was best at survival — city folk or country folk.

Bob Gurnsey wrote the rules, and nine other players were invited to the first paintball playing field in New Hampshire, USA on June 7, , to play the first game of paintball. The first game was a capture the flag format, with six woodsmen and six city men battling it out to collect all flags without being eliminated to be crowned the winner. Each player was given Nel-Spot markers, eye protection, and a map of the acre wood playing field.

The first paintball game was won by forester Ritchie White, without him even firing a shot. One player, Bob Jones, published an article discussing the game he had played in Sports Illustrated and interest for the game grew and grew. As they began to earn more media attention, Gurnsey, Noel and Gaines saw a business opportunity and began selling starter kits for their game with a marker, paintballs, goggles and a rulebook.

They trademarked their game as the National Survival Game and contracted the Nelson Paint Company to provide their guns and equipment. Continuing with the success of their franchise, in , Gurnsey hosted the first major paintball tournament, the National Survival Game National Championship. Some used their speed in an attempt to get to the flag stations before their competition.

Others laid in ambush near flag stations, in an attempt to eliminate their opponents. The first player to be eliminated was investor Ken Barrett. He was eliminated by filmmaker Jerome Gray. Ultimately the winner was forester Ritchie White. White chose stealth as his strategy. He quietly moved to each flag station, collecting all of his flags without firing a shot. Soon after the first game, Bob Jones wrote an article about paintball that was published in the October issue of Sports Illustrated.

The package included a paintball marker, paintballs, goggles, and a rule book. It was first known as the National Survival Game. In March of , Bob Gurnsey opened the first commercial paintball field. His company, National Survival Game, contracted with Nelson Paint to be the sole distributor of their product. In , a company known as Smart Parts got a patent for paintball markers using an electro-pneumatic valve. Unfortunately, this also initiated a series of lawsuits regarding markers built during the pending patent period.

It also created a massive backlash against Smart Parts by many players of the game. The event sent a shockwave through the industry, and several smaller manufacturers immediately ceased production of electronic markers. However, for those companies that continued to make the electronic markers, the competition would only rise.

Founded in , DYE is one of the oldest companies in the sport. It manufactures a wide range of paintball equipment, as well as the popular Dye Rize line of markers. The goal of the company was to deliver reliable and dependable paintball guns and gear to all players.

A small England-originated company known as Planet Express became popular after creating what they called the Eblade board. This was a complete chip kit with the ability to convert any typical auto-cocker marker into an electronic one.

Today the company is now a leading manufacturer in electronic paintball markers such as the CS2 and the Etha 2. DLX designed its marker to be as customizable as possible and continuously updates to meet the demands of the players. When the game was first played, it was merely 12 friends trying to test who had the best survival skills only to become a world-known official sport in a matter of 2 years later. Paintball has grown over the years, from outdoor and indoor fields to elaborate obstacles including custom scenarios and tactical gameplay.

It has evolved into a highly competitive sport that comes in many different forms, ranging from small groups of friends to professional tournaments. The game is now getting the attention it deserves and is a favorite recreational past-time for many people.

Did you enjoy learning about the history of this exciting, adrenaline-driven sport? Please let us know what you think in the comments below! We may also earn commissions on purchases from other retail websites. When Was Paintball Invented?

So how did it all come to be? History of the marker When asking when was paintball invented, we must take a look back to the mids. What he invented was the paintball marker. If only they knew how mistaken they were. The Nel-Spot Years later, Nelson decided that he might have more success if he sold his paintball marker as a toy.

The First Game of Paintball image source: pixabay. Rise of the paintball industry Shortly after the first game, one of the participants, Bob Jones, decided to write an article about the experience for Sports Illustrated Magazine. Paintball as a Worldwide Sport image source: pixabay. The Paintball Patent Wars image source: pixabay. Most high-end companies were less affected However, for those companies that continued to make the electronic markers, the competition would only rise.

The Game of Paintball Today image source: pixabay.