Following the success of the last two Western WIFFLE Ball Classics, its founder, 15-year-old Logan Rose, is excited to bring back the popular event for a third year.
Rose, a Paradise Valley resident, began his journey in the sport by creating Big League WIFFLE Ball in July of 2019. In less than three years, Rose had grown such a dedicated following that in 2020 he decided to host a tournament for all ages at the Fenway Park of spring training, Scottsdale Stadium.
“I was inspired to start the Western WIFFLE Ball Classic after creating a four-team wiffle ball league in my backyard during the summer when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit. Playing wiffle ball on those hot summer days brought a lot of those players, including myself, so much joy that we were all disappointed when the season came to an end. The success of the season called for something bigger and better, the Western WIFFLE Ball Classic at Scottsdale Stadium,” says Rose, who had help in starting the tournament from someone near and dear.
“My dad was a major help in starting this tournament through his past experience in starting various events. It was very helpful to learn from him and hear his input on the event,” says Rose.
For those who don’t know what the sport is, Rose explains: “Wiffle ball is essentially mini baseball with a plastic ball that can curve, drop, rise, etc., way more than a regular baseball. For the most part, rules and the overall format are very similar to baseball. However, some key differences include the field size and dimensions scaled down, a smaller and skinnier plastic bat, using a plastic Wiffle ball, and pegging runners with the ball.”
The 2022 tournament begins at 9 a.m. on Sat., Oct. 29 and will allow for up to 42 teams to enjoy a competitive championship tournament. All fields will be set up on Scottsdale Stadium’s main field, home to the San Francisco Giants spring training.
Teams will be comprised of three to five players, each team guaranteed to play three games each. Games will last 35 minutes or four innings, whichever comes first. Then, 16 teams will advance to a single-elimination tournament. All ages are welcome and encouraged to participate in the tournament. The winner and runner-up will be awarded the Western WIFFLE Ball Classic trophy.
“These past two years have been amazing. It has been so great to see so many people get involved in the tournament,” says Rose. “My goals for the Western WIFFLE Ball Classic include growing it to one of the largest Wiffle ball tournaments in the league. I think having over 50 teams participating one day would be awesome. Among my goals for Big League Wiffle Ball are to get a bigtime feature by a sports network such as ESPN and to grow to over 100,000 total followers across social media.”
To learn more, visit blwwiffleball.com.
