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