The history of paintballing is very young compared to other sports activities but, as colorful as the balls used for making. The first marker, paintball gun was invented in the 1970’s would become the first paintball gun or marker because it was used to mark tree for the forestry industry and to mark livestock if the field. The colorful history of paintballing would so start.

Picture here are two of the very early stage of paintball markers a pistol and a pump-action rifle. Pump-action gun or marker are the oldest style and are still available.

Paintballing as a recreational sport really began in 1981 it was played by twelve men all using pistol markers and playing a game of capture the flag. The winning team competitor that capture the flag did so without firing a shot as the story is told. His team mates kept firing keeping the other team down and ducking for cover as he made a mad dash to retrieve the opposing team’s flag.  This first event took place in New Hampshire

One of the last states to legalize paintballing was New Jersey in 1988. Yes, paintball play was considered illegal there. The NJ State Police interpreted paintball guns to be a firearm. So if you fired your paintball gun at another player it could be consider an Assault and Battery charge because paintball guns were classified as a firearm. It took over five more years of lawsuits before the first paintball field was open at TOPGUN Paintball site their current site today at was in 1993.

Footnote:  With the increase of drive-by shooting, Halloween pranks and vandalism with a paintball gun involved and the media being more than happy to cover these colorful events several towns in New Jersey and other states are aiming to restrict use of paintball gun on public properties and the transportation in towns. Laws could prohibit paintballing again in NJ and other states so act appropriately.

Time line:

1981 First game played in New Hampshire

1982 First outdoor field was opened to the public in New York

1983 First National Championship was held $14,000 cash prize

1984 First indoor playing field in New York

1985 first outdoor playing field in England

1988 IPPA (International Paintball Players Association) was founded to educate safety promote paintballing

1992 NPPL (National Professional Paintball League) was founded

1993 NPPL Pro-Am Series started with sites around the U.S.A.

1996 Paintball fields, stores, and tournaments can now be found in these and other countries:

USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia, England, Scotland, Denmark, France, Holland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Africa, Russia, New Zealand, Brazil, Venezuela, Philippines, Germany, Austria, Ireland, Belgium, Greece, Israel, Korea, and Thailand.

Today’s Markers: Price for over $2000 to $67.00