How to go
What: Perforated Plastic Wiffle Ball Nationals
When: 9 a.m. Sept. 24
Where: North End fields
Entry fee: $60 per team of three to six players, plus a donated item for each player to the Blue Star Mothers Organization, which provides items to military members.
For more info: Call Greg Wilcher at (859) 640-2433, Jerry Lauer at (513) 868-5820 or email perforatedplastic@rocketmail.com
HAMILTON — There aren’t many sports where anyone has a shot at taking on the best players and teams in the country. But on Sept. 24 many of the nation’s top-ranked Wiffle Ball teams visit North End fields in Hamilton, and anyone may enter a team to play them.
“Buddies from the neighborhood, buddies from school that want to get out and see what it is like to play competitive Wiffle Ball, by all means, put a team together and come on down and play,” said Greg Wilcher, the event organizer and CEO of Perforated Plastic Magazine based in Florence, Ky.
Teams need at least three players but can have as many as six on a roster.
The new publication and organization puts on tournaments throughout the country, which is how it is able to rank the teams. This will be the 18th tournament this year and the biggest, crowning a national champion in its slow-pitch division and modified-pitch division. Last year, the group was known as the National Wiffle Ball Federation and held more than 30 events, including the Ohio state championship at North End.
The Hamilton event was such a success that it was picked for this year’s national tournament.
“The fields and accommodations were perfect for them,” said Jerry Lauer, who is the softball program director for the city of Hamilton. “They just loved the setup of the park. The playing surfaces at our fields are as nice as any you’ll ever play on, probably second only to (the fields at) Disney World.”
Wilcher agreed the players preferred the Hamilton fields, which for Wiffle Ball is set up entirely on the grass in the outfield of the normal softball fields. Wilcher added that the city’s easy access to restaurants and entertainment from the fields also was behind choosing the site.
Perforated Plastic Magazine was created to include all sports with plastic balls, and a NERF flag-football tournament might come to Hamilton this fall.
The entry fee for the Wiffle Ball tournament is $60 with a three-game guarantee.
“Wiffle Ball is probably one of the fastest growing sports right now outside of soccer, especially with the adults,” Wilcher said. “It’s a lot more economical to play Wiffle Ball than it is to play softball.”
Most play with the yellow plastic bats that are inexpensive, and gloves aren’t allowed for fielding.
Plus, men, women and children can play. Wilcher, 42, said the game is just like the way he grew up playing it in the backyard, except for some of the pitching.
“Some of them curve the ball 6 or 7 feet,” Lauer said. “It’s unbelievable.”
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