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World Wiffle® Ball Championship to return to Midlothian for 41st annual tournament

September 19–20 at Memorial Park

by Katie Arvia

MIDLOTHIAN, Ill. (July 7, 2020) – The World Wiffle® Ball Championship will make its return to Memorial Park in Midlothian this September 19 and 20. In its 41st year, the World Wiffle® Ball Championship is the longest running Wiffle® Ball tournament in the world.

In 1980, the tournament originated in Mishawaka, Indiana, and later called Skokie, Illinois, home for several years before settling in the Chicago Southland region, where the game has a large following. Wiffle® Ball is played with plastic bats and Wiffle® balls on miniature fields. Teams consist of five players and can be made up of players of all ages.

Each participating team is guaranteed to play four preliminary games with qualifying teams advancing to a single-elimination tournament. Last year, nearly 60 teams from 12 states competed in the tournament, with the World Championship title going to the Cult West Warriors out of South Bend, Indiana, after eight innings.

“We are looking forward to welcoming back the World Wiffle® Ball Championship to the Chicago Southland area. This tournament is always a fun opportunity for both players and fans,” said Jim Garrett, President/CEO of the Chicago Southland Convention & Visitors Bureau (CSCVB).

This year, the World Wiffle® Ball Championship has partnered with Oddball, a new platform that will feature live streams and interviews with players around the country. This also serves as an opportunity to re-introduce the game to adults who haven’t played Wiffle® Ball since they were children.

“We are thrilled to bring the Championship back to Midlothian this year. We hope to provide everyone who plays with a fun, safe environment to get back in touch with their inner child, have some laughs, and maybe get those competitive juices flowing,” said Mike Baniak, Commissioner of the World Wiffle® Ball Championship. “We are grateful for our partnership with the CSCVB, Midlothian Park District, and, now, the Oddball platform which all give us the opportunity to help grow the game we love both in Chicagoland and nationwide.”

Midlothian’s Memorial Park is located at 3250 145th Street in Midlothian, Illinois.

Katie Arvia
Katie Arvia
Katie is a lifelong Lansing native who currently works full-time in marketing while also freelance reporting for The Lansing Journal. In 2015, she graduated with high honors from Saint Xavier University in Chicago with a BA in English, and she plans to pursue a Master's degree in the near future. Her favorite Lansing Journal assignments include coverage of TF South High School's walkout ("Demonstrating the possibilities") and her St. Patrick's Day interview with her grandma ("St. Patrick's Day traditions: reflections of an Irish granddaughter").