Return to the Articles Main Page           Post a Comment       See Comments

             \

                                What's In A Name ?

                                                       by Jerry Driggs

       A short history lesson if I might.  The WOW website and league started in 2008 when we put on our 1st

event with the help of my family - having grown tired of beating up on each other at family get togethers in the

summer where raucous games of Wiffle ball where generally the climax of the festivities.

       To be quite honest, Wide Open Whiffleball, as in the name, originated because WOWiffleball was already

taken as a domain name and we liked to proclaim that we followed the "swung what you brung" version of the

game.   Instead of flat tips, the Vortex Thunder bat with the 2 liter like cannister on top filled with compressed

air was the holy grail of bats.

       The rules were a little different - we used very thick plastic balls with holes all over them (and those things

left welts for weeks when you got pegged good), you pitched to your own team (3 pitches to hit one fair) and

each batter was permitted 1 HR per inning from each side of theplate.  

       Those games were a ton of fun.   We had 1 field in the backyard - being 135 feet to center and 120 feet

down the lines.   Think softball on a much smaller scale with pegging.

       Then we learned of the Official Wiffle Ball (Goldstick) version - tried it and were hooked.  We liked the

challenge of hitting with the skinny bats, the curvy balls and being able to hit as many HRs as you could. 

       So, in effect, we were no longer Wide Open Wiffle ball - instead we morphed into a strickly official yellow

stick league.  Quite ironic considering growing up we thought of the yellow stick bats as being wimpy and only

good for swatting fireflys and sending them on a meteoric trail thru the night sky.

       We added a second field to the front yard (our little Fenway), then split the back yard into 2 fields, and

finally added Shelley field to be our 4th (and likely final) field.  

       That 2nd year brought 3 more tournaments, including our 1st annual charity benefit event - and the

formation of the Central Ohio Wiffleball League - functional although somewhat unimaginative.   You can

thank Dave Fisher if you enjoy playing in our league for he was the bright man who said, "We ought to do

this every week in the summer - a league thing, like softball."  Presto.  The idea germinated and we were

off and running that 1st year with 6 teams.

      Our logo was graciously crafted by my dear little sis Joy - and it has served us well.  However, like our

name, it is somewhat dated.

       I have looked around extensively in the last year, admiring the detailed and  catchy logos of other leagues

and wondering if the time was right to change both our league logo and name.

       To make a long story short, we believe it is time.   And we would like to have you help us.

        It just so happens that Carl Coffee of the Southeastern Michigan (very difficult to write that word) Wiffle

Ball league has the logo master (website also) as his editor in chief - Brandon Corbett.   While picking Brandon's

brain about a camera and software setup to record the series of the week to be placed on the website this year,

Brandon mentioned he would like to craft a new logo for us - as he has for literally hundreds of other Wiffle Ball

teams.   So I gave him some things we had talked about wanting in our new logo - and off he went.

       It occurred to us if we were seriously considering a league name change - now was the time.

       So, here is what we propose.  We will take suggestions until March 24th.  We will then have a one week

voting period for league members to vote on their favorite name and viola -  we will begin April with a brand

spankin' new, updated league name - hopefully encapsulating who we are, what we do and where we are located.

       Let the fun begin....Give us your suggestions below !

       By the way, here is Brandon's website if you would like to see some cool logos he has made for teams.   It would be

nice to have each of our teams do their own logo for the upcoming year - it would add some spice to our stats.

http://wifflelogos.blogspot.com/

                                                     Comments Below Form 

                                                                                                                                                    Return to Top