Big League WIFFLE Ball News

When baseball ended for me in high school that was it. Wiffleball throughout my childhood and teens had always been in the backseat. After not playing wiffleball for a long time family and friends played at a camping trip in May of 2009. Kevin and I wanted to get better for the next trip and so it began. We stapled a window screen to a 2×4 for a K-zone bought some balls and pitched from 42 ft. Wanting to learn how to throw new pitches, we searched the internet where I came in contact with known pro Sean “wiffleboy28″ Steffy. We sort of became email buddies and friends over time despite living miles apart. With his videos and support wiffleball became a regular topic of ours. With my hunger for competition I began to record our games to post on Youtube, where again I was contacted by another known pro. Only this time Sylvie Serrano of California told me that there was a wiffleball league right in our backyard. We met at a GSWL preseason session out in Davis, CA and were instantly recognized as those “youtube” guys. I was shocked. I thought basically only people that watched those videos were family and friends and mainly Kevin and I. We played, and learned some new techniques in wiffleball and rest assured we joined the league after 7 just starting a mere 7 months before. Only 4 teams here in Cali the GSWL fast pitch league trained us quick and hard. The rest is history. With Kevin and I practicing literally rain or shine and scrimmages with Sylvie and other teammates we stood in there with some of the top players of the competitive wiffleball community. We were on the runner up team to the now GSTC National champions in the DIABLOS. Then I was fortunate enough to play w/ Sylvie and others in the OPEN national championship and taking an unofficial 3rd place out of the top 13 teams in the country. So take it from me that with practice and practice AND practice, you can compete with the best around in Wiffleball.

We Salute You!

by Mack Dreyfuss

As a wiffle ball pitcher, you must have tremendous focus. You have to know the contour of the ball, where you scuffed and scratched the ball to maintain control, the dynamics of the air that passes over and through the holes, hand position, where you release, whether your angle is more side arm than overhand, the specs of the strike zone, the awareness and tendencies of the batter, and the concealment of your hand position during your wind-up. That’s a lot to keep straight, especially as fatigue sets in.

If you’re just chucking, then your fielding skills better be phenomenal if you’re facing a batter of any talent.

Isn’t that how it goes? If you don’t know what you’re doing, then prepare to get blindsided. How many people do you encounter everyday (or see in the mirror), that are completely overwhelmed and anxietized by a rapid, spastic, technologically-sizzled existence?

Nice antidotes to the frenetic pace of current society are those moments where everything, in stillness, is glorious. Like the yellow light of your garage on a summer night, pouring through the tools that your grandfather used to use with you at his side. Like the baseball games you went to with your dad, where you fell asleep in the seventh inning and you vaguely remember being carried to the car. Like the stars that arched and rolled above you while you first talked with the woman who became your wife. Like the slow breathing of your own children as they fall asleep in your arms. Like your dog hanging his head out the window of your truck on the way back from the lake, fresh-caught fish in the cooler.

Hitting it out of the park is the balance between the combat of earning a paycheck and spending it in eternal arenas.

Will be bringing the winter league:

We are starting an indoor Wiffle® league right here in Cincinnati!

Here are the details. Please contact us ASAP if you are interested in playing.

Where: Southwest Ohio Baseball Academy & Training (SWOBAT)

Indoor Training Facility

West Chester, OH

When: Wednesday nights (Sept. 22 – Nov. 10); 7p-10p

Who:Open to all ages and genders!

What you get:

Regular Season – 3 games per night for 6 weeks.

Post Season Tournament

Two weeks with format based upon participation

All teams qualify for the tournament

Cost: $250 per team (must be registered and paid by Sept. 15th)

Rules and Format:

Rules and setup are generally the same as Reds Summer Wiffle® Classic

Maximum 4 Players on defense

Unlimited batters & open substitutions

Contact: Brian Blinn & Lou Ruedebusch

Wiffleguy09@aol.com

513-675-0902

Dear Wifflers,

First off, on behalf of the Reds Community Fund and the City of Mason Parks and Recreation Foundation, I can’t thank you enough for your participation in this year’s event. As you may know, this was our largest event yet! We hosted 79 teams from not only around the region, but around the COUNTRY! To those who traveled, we really appreciate your dedication to our event.

I also want to thank our title sponsor, Chipotle! Who doesn’t love their burritos?? We much appreciate their support (Enjoy your two-for-one coupons everyone!) Last, but not least, thank you to our volunteer umpire crew provided by Max McLeary! Once again, they did an excellent jbo and we couldn’t have done it without them

Now for the details you’ve all been patiently waiting for. Our 4th annual Reds Community Fund Summer Wiffle® Classic is…well….not quite in the books yet.

As you know the day started out great. Weather couldn’t have been better… Wiffle’s were Wifflin’…. Bats were swingin’… and then we had our first weather delay in four years. Lightning was in the area and after a small break we were back at ‘em. With the growth of our tournament this year (virtually doubling in size) we had some obvious growing pains, but we plugged through and have learned some valuable lessons for next year.

Keeping an eye on the weather in the area, we were again hit with bad news. A huge storm was headed directly for the Mason Sports Park. With lightning again causing an issue, and the impending storm rolling in, we made the decision to shut down the tournament for the remainder of the day. At that time we had 24 adult and 8 youth teams still playing

On the spot, we decided to invite all of the remaining teams to Redsfest on Friday and Saturday, December 3-4 to finish this year’s tournament. (Previously, only the top four teams were originally going to be invited). We are still trying to determine how to manage this many teams which could include some extended Redsfest hours on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. It may also require some off-site play due to the fact that we’ll have only one indoor field to utilize. We are working on this dilemma and will distribute an updated bracket and schedule as soon as possible.

Below is a list of all the adult and youth teams left (as well as their seed). We will simply pick up where we left off to crown another champion. From everyone involved with the 2010 RCF Summer Wiffle® Classic, we wish you a great rest of the summer and hope to see you at next years event.

Local News footage of the event (links):

WCPO Ch9: http://tinyurl.com/2ev3qfv

Fox19: http://tinyurl.com/26qu7wj

~~Brian Blinn
Tournament Director
Reds Community Fund Summer Wiffle® Classic
wiffleguy09@aol.com
513-675-0902

RESULTS:

HR Derby Champion (adult): Jeff Thomas (Freeballers) = 9

HR Derby Champion (youth): Drew Denoyer (Indian Hill Braves) = 4

Adult Division:

8. Mason Force (2)

Hot dogs have long been a baseball related phenomenon. I created a variation of the hot dog called “The Wiffler” which consists of a grilled piece of mozzarella string cheese, placed on a sliced, toasted baguette, smeared with pesto sauce. Toppings include grilled onions, garlic, pine nuts, tomatoes, olive oil, and a variety of peppers (bell, banana, jalapeno). The grilled string cheese, which replaces the hot dog, resembles a wiffle ball bat, and provides a healthy alternative to sodium packed tubes of mystery meat.

Yum!

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

10am Central Park, Hopkins, Minnesota

Hosted by HRL Twin Cities