Wiffle ball's a big hit at benefit World Series

From: South Florida Sun-Sentinel, FL
Nov. 17, 2002

By Nancy L. Othón
Staff Writer
Posted November 17 2002

WELLINGTON· No bats cracked. No one even ran around the bases. And they all tried their mightiest to whack at a perforated plastic ball with a plastic bat.

More than 100 people -- mostly adults -- gathered Saturday at the polo grounds to relive their childhood with Wiffle ball games at the first Palm Beach Wiffle Ball World Series.

"It's a gas," said Boca Raton resident Mike Murphy, 41. "I haven't played Wiffle ball in 30 years."

The tournament benefits the Together with Pride Foundation, which helps educate hearing-impaired children. Curtis Pride, Major League Baseball's first deaf player, founded the charity and organized the tournament with his wife.

Dan Segui, 35, of Port St. Lucie, has known Pride since they played in the minor leagues together and Segui immediately agreed to play and recruit friends for a team.

"Every kid, I think, grew up playing Wiffle ball," said Segui, then glancing at his friends. "Some kids never grow up, though."

His teammate, Paul Leo of Fort Pierce, said he took Wiffle ball very seriously as a child. "We used to keep track of stats," said Leo, 27.

Wiffle ball games Saturday were played on mini baseball diamonds such as "Mini Wrigley Field" and "Mini Fenway Park." Pitchers can make the ball dance by throwing curveballs or sliders using different grips.

There's no baserunning, just "ghost running." Games consisted of four innings with two outs per inning. Scoring is based on the area where the ball is hit.

Not having to run was just fine with John Pride, 62, who flew down from Maryland to surprise his son Curtis for the tournament. He was drafted into setting up the field, working until almost 4 a.m. Saturday, as well as playing.

"I didn't know anything about Wiffle ball, I'd never heard anything about it," John Pride said. "I practiced and I couldn't hit a thing. It's kind of a challenge -- it might be my age."

Wind, however, was a more likely excuse on Saturday, a blustery and cloudy day, at least in the morning.

Sean McNaughton, 28, of Coral Springs, blamed his inability to hit the ball on the "conditions." "When there's not a lot of wind, we have a good time and laugh at each other," McNaughton said. "Mostly everybody's laughing at me."

His teammate, Dr. Anita Wilborn, 35, of Lake Worth, had never heard of Wiffle ball and was the only woman on her team. Even though her team lost, She said, "I was the only one who hit the ball, so that feels pretty good."

And Philadelphia Phillies catcher Todd Pratt, a West Palm Beach resident, didn't let a little wind stop him from hitting a grand slam and win the game for his team. Pratt, 35, compared Wiffle ball to baseball.

"Swinging that little bat, with the ball moving like a butterfly," Pratt said, "it's like hitting a knuckleball from Tom Candiotti."

Copyright © 2002, South Florida Sun-Sentinel