Ektelon
Encyclopedia
Ektelon, Inc. is an American
manufacturer of equipment for racquetball
.
Currently based in Bordentown, New Jersey
, Ektelon was founded by Franklin W. "Bud" Held
in 1964 as the first company to manufacture racquetball racquets
and stringing machines, not long after the development of the sport of racquetball
by Joe Sobek. Working from Held’s garage in San Diego, California, the company initially set out to build aluminum tennis
racquets and a racquet stringing machine
. With the development of metal tennis racquets, the old techniques of stringing wooden racquets no longer worked, and Held saw the need for a new machine. Held is credited for one of the first patented designs for a racquet stringing machine. He named the company Ektelon based on a combination of two Greek words: "ektein", meaning to stretch out, and "telon", representing the concept of perfection.
In 1970, Ektelon produced the first experimental racquetball racquet for Bud Muehleisen
, a top racquetball player and early legend of the sport. The company moved into a larger facility in San Diego to begin manufacturing racquetball racquets on a larger scale. Over the years, Ektelon has introduced a number of new racquetball technologies, including the first racquetball racquet made of high-strength aluminum (1971), the first handlaid composite racquet (1978), the first oversized aluminum racquets (1984), and continues to develop new technologies in racquet design such as the elimination of string holes (O3). In 1988, Prince Sports
purchased Ektelon.
International Racquetball Tour
(IRT) Players Ruben Gonzalez John Ellis Andy Hawthorne Woody Clouse Jose Rojas Keith Minor Nick Montalbano Jose Diaz
Women's Professional Racquetball Organization
(WPRO) Players Rhonda Rajsich
Paola Longoria
Brenda Kyzer Doreen Fowler Keely Franks Aimee Ruiz Jennifer Saunders
Veronica Sotomayor Michelle Key Aubrey O'Brien
Outdoor Pros (WOR) Players Craig Clubber Lane John Ellis Andy Hawthorne Gary Martin Son Nguyen Mike Orr Jose Rojas Rick Sandello Robert Sostre Jesus Ustarroz Dillon Silver Greg Solis Rhonda Rajsich
Keely Franks Veronica Sotomayor Tracy Hawthorne Kris Kaskawal Michelle Key Aubrey O'Brien
Junior Elite Players Justus Benson Lily Berry Sam Bredenbeck Jose Diaz Jonathan Lanford Sawyer Lloyd Adam Manilla Erika Manilla Devon Pimentelli Sam Reid Chase Robison Kaitlyn Simmons Samantha Simmons
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
manufacturer of equipment for racquetball
Racquetball
For other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...
.
Currently based in Bordentown, New Jersey
Bordentown, New Jersey
Bordentown City is in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 3,924. Bordentown is located at the confluence of the Delaware River, Blacks Creek and Crosswicks Creek...
, Ektelon was founded by Franklin W. "Bud" Held
Bud Held
Franklin Wesley Held is an American athlete who competed primarily in the javelin.-College career:...
in 1964 as the first company to manufacture racquetball racquets
Racquets
Racquets may refer to:* The plural of Racquet, a piece of sporting equipment* Racquets , an indoor sport using long wooden racquets and a small, hard ball...
and stringing machines, not long after the development of the sport of racquetball
Racquetball
For other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...
by Joe Sobek. Working from Held’s garage in San Diego, California, the company initially set out to build aluminum tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
racquets and a racquet stringing machine
Stringing machine
The process of installing strings in the racquet is called "stringing," and is done with a racquet string machine. These machines vary in complexity, accuracy and price. Stringing a racquet can take up to an hour for a novice, or around twenty minutes for a skilled stringer; during professional...
. With the development of metal tennis racquets, the old techniques of stringing wooden racquets no longer worked, and Held saw the need for a new machine. Held is credited for one of the first patented designs for a racquet stringing machine. He named the company Ektelon based on a combination of two Greek words: "ektein", meaning to stretch out, and "telon", representing the concept of perfection.
In 1970, Ektelon produced the first experimental racquetball racquet for Bud Muehleisen
Bud Muehleisen
Bud Muehleisen is a dentist in San Diego, California, and a racquetball and paddleball player. A left-handed player, "Dr. Bud" Muehleisen was the first person inducted into the , and is considered the best racquetball player and the best paddleball player of the 1960s era, and one of the best...
, a top racquetball player and early legend of the sport. The company moved into a larger facility in San Diego to begin manufacturing racquetball racquets on a larger scale. Over the years, Ektelon has introduced a number of new racquetball technologies, including the first racquetball racquet made of high-strength aluminum (1971), the first handlaid composite racquet (1978), the first oversized aluminum racquets (1984), and continues to develop new technologies in racquet design such as the elimination of string holes (O3). In 1988, Prince Sports
Prince Sports
Prince Sports, Inc., based in Bordentown, New Jersey, is a manufacturer of equipment for racquet sports, primarily for tennis, badminton, and squash....
purchased Ektelon.
Ektelon involvement in racquetball tournaments
Ektelon sponsors numerous tournaments and tours nationally and internationally, including:- US Racquetball Association
- National Intercollegiate Championships
- National Doubles Championships
- National Singles Championships
- Racquetball World ChampionshipsRacquetball World ChampionshipsThe World Racquetball Championships, organized by the International Racquetball Federation , were first held in 1981. The second World Championships were in 1984, and have been held every two years since.The World Championships have two parts...
- World Outdoor Racquetball (WOR) Championships
- International Racquetball TourInternational Racquetball TourThe International Racquetball Tour is the professional series that features the world's best racquetball players and the most important pro events, mostly played in the USA....
- International Racquetball Federation
- Classic Professional Racquetball Tour
- Racquet for the Cure
- Women's Professional Racquetball OrganizationWomen's Professional Racquetball OrganizationThe Women's Professional Racquetball Organization is the latest name for the women's professional racquetball tour. It features the world's best players and several events each season - running from September to May - that are mostly played in the USA....
Ektelon in professional racquetball
Professional racquetball players currently using Ektelon racquets include:International Racquetball Tour
International Racquetball Tour
The International Racquetball Tour is the professional series that features the world's best racquetball players and the most important pro events, mostly played in the USA....
(IRT) Players Ruben Gonzalez John Ellis Andy Hawthorne Woody Clouse Jose Rojas Keith Minor Nick Montalbano Jose Diaz
Women's Professional Racquetball Organization
Women's Professional Racquetball Organization
The Women's Professional Racquetball Organization is the latest name for the women's professional racquetball tour. It features the world's best players and several events each season - running from September to May - that are mostly played in the USA....
(WPRO) Players Rhonda Rajsich
Rhonda Rajsich
Rhonda Rajsich is an American racquetball player. She is the reigning two time racquetball World Champion and has won four US Open championships - more than any other woman...
Paola Longoria
Paola Longoria
Paola Michelle Longoria López is a Mexican racquetball player. She is the first Mexican woman to attain the #1 ranking on the Women's Professional Racquetball Organization tour, doing so at the end of the 2008-09 season and at the end of 2009-2010 season as well...
Brenda Kyzer Doreen Fowler Keely Franks Aimee Ruiz Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Saunders (racquetball)
Jennifer Saunders is a Canadian racquetball player from Thompson, Manitoba. Saunders is the current Canadian Women's Champion, winning her 5th title in Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia in May 2011...
Veronica Sotomayor Michelle Key Aubrey O'Brien
Outdoor Pros (WOR) Players Craig Clubber Lane John Ellis Andy Hawthorne Gary Martin Son Nguyen Mike Orr Jose Rojas Rick Sandello Robert Sostre Jesus Ustarroz Dillon Silver Greg Solis Rhonda Rajsich
Rhonda Rajsich
Rhonda Rajsich is an American racquetball player. She is the reigning two time racquetball World Champion and has won four US Open championships - more than any other woman...
Keely Franks Veronica Sotomayor Tracy Hawthorne Kris Kaskawal Michelle Key Aubrey O'Brien
Junior Elite Players Justus Benson Lily Berry Sam Bredenbeck Jose Diaz Jonathan Lanford Sawyer Lloyd Adam Manilla Erika Manilla Devon Pimentelli Sam Reid Chase Robison Kaitlyn Simmons Samantha Simmons