Joseph Sobek

{{Short description|Inventor of racquetball}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Joseph Sobek

| image = Sobek210.jpg

| alt =

| caption = 2021

| birth_name = Joseph George Sobek

| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|4|5}}

| birth_place = Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1998|3|27|1918|4|5}}

| death_place = Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.

| other_names =

| occupation = Professional Tennis player

| years_active = 1937–1985

| spouse = Nancy Erlichman

| children = 1

| known_for = Inventor of Racquetball and founder of Paddle Rackets Association

| notable_works =

}}

Joseph Sobek (April 5, 1918 – March 27, 1998) was an American professional tennis and handball player, who invented racquetball in 1949; originally called "paddle rackets".[https://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/31/sports/joseph-sobek-the-inventor-of-racquetball-dies-at-79.html Joseph Sobek, the Inventor Of Racquetball, Dies at 79;By FRANK LITSKY;Published: March 31, 1998][https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1998/03/29/joseph-sobek/ Orlando Sentinel;OTHER NEWS TO NOTE - DEATHS;March 29, 1998]{{Cite web|title=Historical Timeline – US Racquetball Museum|url=https://racquetballmuseum.com/historical-timeline/|access-date=2021-07-06|language=en-US}} Sobek founded the National Paddle Rackets Association in 1952 and was the first person to be inducted into the Racquetball Hall of Fame.[http://usra.org/AboutUSAR/HallofFame/Inductees.aspx Racquetball Hall of Fame;Inductees]

File:Sobek210.jpg