| Back in 1970, a gentleman by the name of James C. | | | | marking fluid" formula for soft gelatin capsules, which |
| Hale, an employee of Daisy Manufacturing, designed | | | | were more accurate and bright easy-to-see marks |
| and patented a device to be used by the forestry and | | | | that would wash away easily with water and/or |
| farming industries to mark trees, trails and livestock. | | | | detergent. This patent became the Nelson formula for |
| This mechanism was to become the very first paintball | | | | paintballs, as they were the perfect mix for the sport. |
| gun the Nelspot 007, and was manufactured by the | | | | The very first paintball outdoor playing field opened in |
| Nelson Paint Company. | | | | Rochester, New York in 1982. Very soon after, |
| Charles and Evan Nelson founded the Nelson Paint | | | | paintball originator Charles Gaines began marketing it |
| Company in 1940, as the forest and farming industries | | | | as the National Survival Game (NSG), and the following |
| needed a way to mark hard to reach places. Charles | | | | year saw the first NSG championship complete with a |
| is credited with the creation of pellets filled with paint | | | | $14,000 cash purse for the triumphant party. Upcoming |
| that could be shot out of a regular type of gun to | | | | years saw the first indoor playing field in Buffalo, NY, |
| complete this difficult task. | | | | as well as recognition and outdoor fields in Canada, |
| The first game-style milestone in paintball history came | | | | Australia and England. |
| in 1981 New Hampshire when 3 friends (Bob Gurnsey, | | | | 1988 brought with it the IPPA- the International Paintball |
| a sporting goods retailer, Hayes Noel, a stockbroker | | | | Players Association, a non-profit organization dedicated |
| and Charles Gaines, a writer) planned to play the | | | | to the safety, education and growth of the entire |
| organized game "Capture the Flag" with 9 others. On | | | | paintball industry. The NPPL (National Professional |
| June 27, 1981, the game was played using the original | | | | Paintball League) was founded in 1992, which then |
| Nelspot 007 paintball gun. The winning team never | | | | started the NPPL Pro-Am series that are found all |
| even fired a single shot. The twelve friends had such a | | | | over the U.S. |
| good time, they decided to buy into the Nelson Paint | | | | Paintball has evolved into quite the lucrative business, |
| Company, and began marketing their newfound fun as | | | | boasting quite an array of products for its trade. The |
| a recreational sport. | | | | accessory trade has grown to include barrels and |
| The paintball guns themselves had to evolve along | | | | sites for the guns and sport-specific paintball clothing |
| with this newfound recreational activity, as alternations | | | | and gear, with lots of the newest, latest inventions |
| to make the paint pellets fire softer so they wouldn't | | | | adding to the paintball family the Paintball Bodybag to |
| hurt their human target. George A. Skogg, employee of | | | | organize and carry all of your gear in one handy |
| the Nelson Paint Company, invented a "washable | | | | carrier. |