1987 ‘Nightline’ Trumpets Paintball’s Arrival

Floating around the Web, I found this blog posting, entitled “Before Paintball Was Politically Correct,” which takes a then-and-now look at the world of competitive paintball (as if there is another type).

The post appears on the comprehensive paintballing Web site http://68caliber.com.

According to the analysis, over two decades, an equipment evolution has stacked the deck in favor of players with the best weapons and the most paintball pellets.

Then comes this: “As proof that paintball was once politically incorrect -– and to give you all some idea of the kind of political incorrectness the game needs to get back to -– check out this video of the Nightline program from 1987.”

Embedded below is the September 1, 1987 “Nightline,” which introduces the mainstream to the wild new world of “paintball.” And it is wild, indeed. Gary Shepard has the report.