Swing and a Hit! Wiffle® Ball Is Back in the Spotlight | Sports Destination Management

Swing and a Hit! Wiffle® Ball Is Back in the Spotlight

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Jun 19, 2025 | By: Michael Popke

Unless otherwise specified, all images courtesy of the World Wiffleball® Championship
 

Wiffle® Ball, the scaled-back plastic version of America’s pastime that is part of so many childhood memories, is receiving some much-deserved love this summer.

Let’s start with the most unlikely of Wiffle ball fields, in northeast Texas, as reported by The Athletic:

In the tiny town of Bells, a Wiffle ball complex honors one of the most iconic Major League Baseball stadiums. A replica of Fenway Park rests in the front yard of the home of Stephen and Lana Newton. It’s a perk for the students who are part of the weekly Bible studies, but the Newtons rarely turn away anyone simply interested in stepping out of their cars to enjoy the splendor. Visitors can treat the field as a landmark by taking photos or, after meeting the owners, touching the surface.

Wiffleball Championship photoThe replica has nearly every intricacy a die-hard Boston Red Sox fan can think of. The Green Monster? Check. The outfield walls and their angles and perpendiculars? Accurate. The foul poles? Right on point…

From a color scheme, the Newtons used the same official brand as the Red Sox. The limited-edition paint, created by Benjamin Moore, is dubbed the “Fenway Collection” and features Green Monster and Foul Pole Yellow, obviously used to paint the wall and foul poles…

The only glaring difference is that while Fenway is a grass field, the surface … is turf. Also, the Green Monster in Bells is built out of metal to avoid rotting wood and reduce maintenance.

It has become the daily movie for baseball fans that the Newtons didn’t know they would be a part of.

While the Newtons don’t seem to be seeking tournament action on their replica field, a new Wiffle ball field in Jasper, Ind., is generating interest from tournament organizers.


The newly-renovated Ruxer Field at Gobert Family Ballpark — which was nearing completion in late May — also includes Legends Field, a Wiffle ball park located behind left field. According to Jasper High School baseball coach Terry Gobert, the field might be “the only all-turf Wiffle ball field in America” (or at least, considering the one in Bells, Texas, the only one that’s designed for tournament action). It will feature brown infield areas, bound bases, and markings specific to Wiffle ball play. A four-foot outfield fence with safety capping will surround the field, which will be accessible to the public when not in use for organized events, adds the Dubois County Free Press.

 

Legends Field will be “a space where the next generation of [Jasper High] Wildcats (and future legends 😜) can dream big, play hard and fall in love with the game from day one,” according to a May Instagram post by field provider The Motz Group. But Wiffle ball is not just played by aspiring Little Leaguers and high school ballplayers. Adults play, too.

 

The Edmonds, Wash.-based American Wiffle Ball Association features eight teams and originally began in 2015 as the Edmonds Wiffle Ball League before rebranding as the AWA in 2020, when players started posting videos online. According to the association’s website, it “reaches hundreds of millions of people each year” and has been featured on ESPN, CBS Sports, MLB Network and more.

Wiffleball Championship photo
The coveted World Wiffle Ball Championship Trophy

“Everyone moved back into their parents’ houses during the pandemic. What else are we going to do? Pick up a game we were playing in high school. Everyone is back. Let’s just film it now,” Jack Blahous, accountant by day and AWA commissioner at night, told SeattleRefined.com last summer. “There were some questions from people. ‘What are you doing? This is kind of stupid.’ Then, we started posting short form, TikTok, and it just kind of caught for some reason. I guess the rest is history.”

The association’s ballpark might be in Blahous’s backyard, but it’s equipped with a broadcasting booth behind home plate and a full production center down the right field line that controls graphics, cameras and livestreaming.

Who knows? One of the AWA’s eight teams might end up competing in the National Wiffle League Association (NWLA) national tournament, which has taken place since 2012 and will be held July 18-20 this year at North Strabane Township Park in Canonsburg, Pa. (near Pittsburgh).

 

With a new title sponsor, convenience store chain Sheetz, the 2025 Sheetz NWLA Tournament presented by Pennsylvania’s Visit Washington County will feature more than 50 games — culminating in a championship game to be broadcast nationally on ESPN+. Sheetz will be the title sponsor for the 2025, 2027, and 2029 Pittsburgh-based tournaments and will serve as the official road trip partner through 2030, fueling teams as they travel to compete.

 

Meanwhile, registration also is open for the 46th World Wiffle Ball Championship, happening Aug. 16-17 at the Crown Point Sportsplex in Crown Point, Ind. Proceeds from registration fees will support local animal shelters; more than $16,000 has been raised to help animals in need since 2018, according to event officials.

 

Photo © Richard Mcguirk | Dreamstime.com
Photo © Richard Mcguirk | Dreamstime.com

If you’re considering starting up your own Wiffle ball team or league this summer, make sure you use the proper equipment. For example, Wiffle balls and pickleball balls aren’t any more  interchangeable than baseballs and softballs. Yes, they’re both made of perforated plastic, but the similarities end there.

 

As JustPaddles.com so expertly explains:

 

When it comes to pickleballs and Wiffle® balls, their construction is the biggest difference. Pickleballs are typically made from a durable, high-impact plastic, ensuring they withstand intense gameplay. On the other hand, Wiffle® balls are crafted with lightweight plastic that allows for precise control and accuracy. The varying materials used in their construction contribute to their distinct characteristics, making each ball suitable for different playing styles. …  Wiffle® balls are softer than pickleballs and will flex a lot more when struck by the plastic bat. They’re less durable and built more for fun than long-lasting and consistent performance. 

 

What’s more, pickleball balls have more holes — 26 for indoor play and 40 for outdoors — while a Wiffle® ball has eight to 10 oval-shaped holes on one side and is solid plastic on the other side.

 

For a primer on how to play (as well as various tournaments options) check out Wiffle® Ball’s official website.

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