Ektelon

Ektelon, Inc. is an American manufacturer of equipment for racquetball.

Ektelon
Subsidiary of Prince Sports
IndustrySporting goods
Founded1964
HeadquartersBordentown Township, New Jersey, United States
Key people
Franklin W. "Bud" Held, founder
ProductsRacquetball racquets, Apparel, Accessories, Racquetball Equipment, Eyeguards, Footwear
ParentPrince Americas, LLC
Website

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,[1] not long after the development of the sport of racquetball by Joe Sobek.[2][3] Working from Held’s garage in San Diego, California, the company initially set out to build aluminum tennis racquets and a racquet stringing machine.[4] 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.[5] 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.[6]

In 1970, Ektelon produced the first experimental racquetball racquet[1] 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).[1] In 1988, Prince Sports purchased Ektelon.[7]

Ektelon involvement in racquetball tournaments

Ektelon sponsors numerous tournaments and tours nationally and internationally, including:[8]

  • US Racquetball Association
  • National Intercollegiate Championships
  • National Doubles Championships
  • National Singles Championships
  • Racquetball World Championships
  • World Outdoor Racquetball (WOR) Championships [9]
  • International Racquetball Tour
  • International Racquetball Federation
  • Classic Professional Racquetball Tour
  • Racquet for the Cure
  • Women's Professional Racquetball Organization

Professional Ektelon Players (International Racquetball Tour - IRT)

Current World Top 100 IRT Professionals

  • Jose Rojas
  • Jansen Allen
  • Charlie Pratt
  • Adam Manilla
  • Andy Hawthorne
  • Farshid Guilak
  • Dylan Reid
  • Ryan Maher
  • Marco Bertarelli

Team Ektelon Players

  • Nick Montalbano
  • Ricky Diaz
  • Richard Aal
  • Anthony Wong
  • Bill Gorge
  • Michael Baker
  • Yee Cheng
  • Steve Cook
  • Woody Clouse
  • Alex Ackerman
  • Ruben Gonzalez

Ladies Professional Racquetball Tour (LPRT) Players[10]

Outdoor Pros (WOR) Players

  • Craig Clubber Lane
  • Scott Davis
  • Bill Gorge
  • Andy Hawthorne
  • Gary Martin
  • Son Nguyen
  • Mike Orr
  • Jose Rojas
  • Rick Sandello
  • Robert Sostre
  • Jesus Ustarroz
  • Dillon Silver
  • Greg Solis
  • Veronica Sotomayor
  • Tracy Hawthorne
  • Kris Kaskawal
  • Michelle Key
  • Aubrey O'Brien

Junior Elite Players

  • James D'Ambrogia
  • Justus Benson
  • Lily Berry
  • Sam Bredenbeck
  • Daniel Rojas
  • Dane Elkins
  • Sebastian Fernandez
  • Alexis Iwaasa
  • Ben Jenkel
  • Jonathan Lanford
  • Victoria Leon
  • Sawyer Lloyd
  • Heather Mahoney
  • Adam Manilla
  • Erika Manilla
  • Devon Pimentelli
  • Sam Reid
  • Chase Robison
  • Ricky Diaz
  • Kaitlyn Simmons
  • Samantha Simmons
  • Julian Singh
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References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-08-10. Retrieved 2008-08-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-09-08. Retrieved 2008-08-09.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. "USA Racquetball - Features, Events, Results - Team USA". usra.org. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2008-08-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "RACKET STRINGER". freepatentsonline.com. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  6. "wallbanger.net". www.wallbanger.net. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2008-08-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2008-08-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "LPRT Pros - Women - Athletes - Ektelon Athletics". www.ektelon.com. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
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