The game of paintball is more than 28 years old now and with so much change happening every year it’s easy to forget where we came from. There are many people that contributed to the game of paintball in a meaningful way. Whether it is as a player, industry member, inventor or founder, paintball is truly a game that has been influenced by some brilliant and talented people. Starting this month we’re going to take a look at some of those responsible for the growth and maturity of our great game. 

MR. BOB GURNSEY 

 Charles Gaines, a writer from New Hampshire, Hayes Noel, a New York stockbroker, and Bob Gurnsey, a ski pro-shop owner, organized the first ever game of paintball that was played in New Hampshire in the summer of 1981. Using Nelspot markers found in a farm catalog by a mutual friend George Butler, the three played with nine other invitees and the game of paintball was officially born. Later that year, with his ski shop failing, Gurnsey borrowed $20,000 and started a company he called The National Survival Game (NSG).Although he struggled to make ends meet early on, Gurnsey and the Nelson Paint Company forged a worldwide distribution agreement for their paint and markers. Within two years his company helped more than 350 people start paintball fields under the NSG name. And in the fall of 1983 Gurnsey ran the first ever paintball tournament. NSG also designed and made the first paintball-only marker, the Splatmaster in 1985. Gurnsey and his NSG remained in the game until 1993. Later he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Amateur Open for his contributions in the game of paintball.