| Joseph Sobek | |
| Birth Name: | Joseph George Sobek |
| Birth Date: | 5 April 1918 |
| Birth Place: | Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Professional Tennis player |
| Years Active: | 1937 - 1985 |
| Spouse: | Nancy Erlichman |
| Children: | 1 |
| Known For: | Inventor of Racquetball and founder of Paddle Rackets Association |
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".[1] [2] [3] Sobek founded the National Paddle Rackets Association in 1952 and was the first person ever to be inducted into the Racquetball Hall of Fame.[1] [2] [4]