A History of Paint Ball Gear Sites
Modern Paint Ball guns were a natural progression from a ‘Ping Pong Gun’ that was used by many young ‘Warriors’ in the 1950′s. This ‘Toy’ would fire Ping Pong balls under air pressure. A hit wasn’t as painful as a modern unprotected ‘Paintball’ hit, because of the deceleration of the very light projectile.
Then the Daisy Manufacturing Company of ‘BB Gun’ fame came up with the first Paint Ball Gun. The first Paint Ball gun was invented (1970) and patented by a Daisy Employee, James Hale (U.S. patent 3,788, 298 issued on January 29, 1974.) with the original intent of use by the Forest Service and ranchers marking trees for harvest and cattle for selection. The first gun actually designed for playing Paintball was the Splatmaster invented by Robert G Shepherd. This U.S. patent number 4,531,503 was issued to Shepherd on July 30, 1985.
The Forestry version (Nel-spot 007 pistols) was used in a game of ‘Capture the Flag’ in 1981, boys will be boys. By 1982 some of the entrepreneurial players from that ‘Capture the Flag’ game, started National Survival Games (NSG) and opening paint ball fields. Charles Gaines, founded NSG. PMI (Pursuit Marketing Inc.) was founded for the distribution and marketing of Paint Ball products and paint ball gear sites. Caleb Strong opened the first outdoor paintball gear site in 1982 in upstate New York. Being in upstate New York, Caleb also opened the first indoor paintball gear site in Buffalo in 1984.
The early marketing of the new sport included articles written by quite a few of those early players and published in Sports Illustrated and other sports genre.
Once established it was only natural to set up a Championship Contest. This was done in 1983 at a paint ball gear site with a purse of $14,000 cash. The sport also went international in 1983 with the opening of an outdoor paintball gear site in Toronto.
More International Venues were added beginning with Australia in 1984, France and Denmark in 1991 with the rest of Europe soon to follow. An indoor paintball gear site was erected in England by 1985.
I’m sure quite a few Wives, Mothers and anyone who does their own laundry are grateful to George A. Skogg who in 1987 patented a “washable marking fluid formulation for soft gelatin capsules” – a Paintball bullet recipe (U.S. patent 4,634,606 granted January 6, 1987.) The fluid when packaged in a soft gelatin capsule produced projectiles that were more accurate and stable and made bright, highly visible marks that could be easily washed out with water and/or detergent and were ideally suitable for use in the sports and games exercises. Skogg worked for the Nelson Paint Company and this patent became the Nelson recipe for Paintballs.
LET’S GET ORGANIZED
In 1988 The IPPA (International Paintball Players Association) was founded. This is a non-profit association dedicated to the education, growth and safety of the sport of paintball. During the period 1992-1993 NPPL (National Professional Paintball League ) was founded and the NPPL Pro-Am Series began with paint ball gear site tournaments set up in Reno, New York, Boston, and other cities around the U.S..
It was inevitable that television would become involved. How could it ‘NOT’ be included. In 1993 ESPN aired it’s filming of the NPPL ‘DC Cup’ from Bowie, Maryland, organized by the PCRI (Paintball Ratings and Competitions International). As interest expanded in 1996 ESPN aired the ESPN World Championships of Paintball from Orlando, Florida.
And of course the Internet would become a venue. In 1994 Warpig introduced the first internet paintball gear site.
The game has exploded into a multimillion-dollar sport with amateur and professional tournaments across the United States and Europe. Paintball Gear Sites are opening every day now, all over the world. Cash purses and prizes in the hundreds of thousands of dollars are involved. Daisy (manufacturer of pellets, B.B.s and air guns), Crossman (manufacturer of airguns), Scott USA (manufacturer of ski poles and goggles) and JT USA (manufacturer of motocross safety equipment) are just a few of the companies that have expanded into paintball paraphernalia and equipment. Sponsors of modern tournaments include companies such as Budweiser and Pepsi-Cola and who know’s what’s next. (Toy’s r Us, Ruger).
Copyright © 2006 C. R. Ellsworth
He’s been involved in On-Line & Network Marketing since 2000.
Paintball Gear Sites
I Work 4 U
The Waldorf=astoria Hotel – The 74th Annual Kosciuszko Foundation Dinner And Ball
ON SATURDAY, APRIL 25, 2009 MR. BOGDAN CHMIELEWSKI, Chief Executive Officer of the Polish and Slavic Federal Credit Union will be Chairman of the 74th Annual Kosciuszko Foundation Dinner and Ball a…
Happy New Year Buffalo Ball Drop 2008
Ball dropping ceremony Buffalo 2008
Have a Ball – and Bath – in Buffalo, New York
As the second largest city in New York behind New York City, Buffalo has a number of outstanding attractions to entice visitors. Travel to this intriguing city of sights and culture in 2008, and see what all the excitement is about!
Begin your tour of Buffalo with a stroll through its beautiful city centre, where a number of architectural treasures await. The Guaranty Building, for instance, stands as one of the world’s first steel-supported buildings, while the Hotel Buffalo was the first hotel in the world to feature a private bath in each room. Visitors can also marvel at a number of buildings designed by world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, including the Darwin Martin House, the Graycliff Estate and the boathouse on Buffalo’s Black Rock Canal.
Buffalo is also known for its various city parks (twenty, to be exact!), perfect for the city-goer who enjoys a spot of serenity. Olmsted Park and Parkway System are among the gems of Buffalo’s natural landscape, with three-quarters of the city’s park land belonging within the system. Moreover, Buffalo is located close to vast natural attractions, including Lake Erie, Niagara Falls and Canada’s Golden Horseshoe. So whether you’re after a fun-filled city break or a getaway amid the region’s natural beauty, Buffalo, New York offers the perfect option.
Art aficionados will also have much to look forward to in Buffalo. The city is home to over 50 public and private art galleries, including the famous Albright-Knox Gallery, which boasts a world-class collection of modern pieces. Various small galleries and studios, such as the Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center and the Burchfield-Penney Art Center, also promote the local art scene of Buffalo.
Interested in the city’s performing arts scene? Head to Kleinhans Music Hall, where you can catch the world-renowned Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, or to Shea’s Performing Arts Center, which stages spectacular productions and concerts year-round. And if you have an eye for local arts and crafts, don’t miss the yearly Allentown Art Festival and the Elmwood Festival of Arts – renowned for displaying original, hand-crafted goods.
As a melting pot of colourful cultures, Buffalo is certainly a treasure trove when it comes to cuisine. Visitors can whet their palates with everything from Italian and Polish food to German, Greek and Jewish culinary delights. And if you’re after some original local favourites, don’t miss out on a bowl of Buffalo Chicken Wings, Beef on Weck, or a refreshing beer brewed by Buffalo’s very own Flying Bison Brewing Company.
For those who are up for a lively night on the town in Buffalo, a customary 4 a.m. last call is sure to appeal. Various nightlife districts have emerged in Buffalo, with the most prominent being West Chippewa Street. This region boasts countless dance clubs, pubs, bars and restaurants, not to mention a string of coffee houses for a more relaxed scene. Allentown, another social district, is also full of bars, but exudes a more laid back vibe. And remember – New York City is just a 6.5 hour drive away, offering even more excitement during your trip to Buffalo.
If you’re planning a trip to Buffalo, rest assured that you’ll find a number of hotels in Buffalo, New York to suit your taste and budget. Whether you’re after an exciting city break or a relaxing getaway amid the region’s natural splendours, Buffalo is sure to deliver. So visit this spectacular city in 2008, and see what countless tourists are drawn to each year!
Paul McIndoe is an online, freelance journalist and keen hillwalker. He lives in Scotland with his two dogs.
