The interesting thing about life staying (mostly) at home during the presented with interesting ideas that you decide to run with at full speed.
And that’s why I’m part of a team playing for a Wiffle Ball national championship this fall.
United Wiffle®Ball is a new group that has come together to organize a Wiffle Ball National Championship this October in York, PA. There have been a series of national championship tournaments over the years, and UWB is working to keep that tradition alive. It is affiliated with Mid-Atlantic Wiffle Ball, an organizing body for leagues and tournaments in the Pennsylvania and Maryland area.
This is not your normal backyard Wiffle Ball we’re talking about either. This is unlimited speed Wiffle Ball.
When you combine this with my love of baseball and my need to compete in obscure sports, it was natural that I decided I wanted to play. Try to win an obscure championship to go along with my 1995 Regional Duckpin win and last year’s 2019 Bubba’s 33 Open title.
Maybe one day I can get a spread in Obscure Sports Quarterly.
So we’re playing. With a team including myself, The Duckpin’s Jim Braswell and former Anne Arundel County Economist Scott Shaffer, among others.
There’s a Facebook Page. And a Twitter feed. And a cool logo.
(For those of you wondering, the name works on two levels; one being that we’re from the Old Line State, but also the fact that we’re all over 40)
Of course, there’s one slight challenge that we face. The fact that none of us have ever played competitive Wiffle Ball.
Ever.
Is that an impediment to being competitive? Yeah, probably. Especially when you consider all of the teams that have won major tournaments that have been playing for years. Even more so when you consider that most of the teams have at least a few players who are 15-20 years younger than we are. Comparatively, we’re the Washington Generals and every team is the Harlem Globetrotters. Probably more accurate to say we’re Angola and every other team is the Dream Team.
But if Pasadena, MD’s own Gillberg can win the WWE Light Heavyweight Championship…….
(Please don’t @ me about wrestling being “fake.” Yeah, we know it’s scripted. Take it somewhere else)
So why do it? Because it’s going to be fun. We’re gonna have a good time. Hopefully, we can help others have a good time. Maybe we’ll write a story about it. Maybe we’ll make a movie about it. But it’s good to have fun.
The Duckpin of course is the media partner of Old Line WC and I’ll be writing about our experience here.
Who is your cleanup batter? Good luck
See you on the Ocho