racquetball, game similar to handball but played with rackets. The game is played on a four-walled court with a short-handled racket and a ball larger than that used in handball. It was invented in 1950 by Joseph G. Sobek, who was unhappy with the indoor racket sports then available. By the early 21st century there were some 10 million racquetball players in more than 90 countries.