Wiffle Ball

Wiffle Ball

by Jean McGavin

I grew up in the 1950s on a cul-de-sac in a leafy green suburb. It was the baby boom and my street was a major contributor to that boom - lots of kids lived in nearly every house on that street. So the stage was set for games, and games that could accommodate lots of kids. We had minimal traffic and lots of kids. But with houses not too far from the street, we had free reign to play but not to break windows. Enter Wiffle Ball as the way to engage in America’s pastime with lots of kids - young and old - without breaking windows. We had plenty of kids for a couple of teams. The balls never made it to the windows and if they had, the glass never shattered. Because Wiffle Balls were lightweight hollow plastic balls with holes in them, they weren’t hit very far or with much force. Little kids could catch them without a glove and as they flew rather slowly from the pitcher’s hand, they travelled pretty slowly toward the hitter’s bat. The little kids could catch and hit the ball without fear. I was one of the smaller ones and with Wiffle Ball I could keep up. And being one of the smaller and younger ones, nothing was better than being able to play with and keep up with the older kids.

We also loved playing Wiffle Ball at night at the beach where we spent our summer vacations. I suppose we played at the beach because not being able to hit the ball very far meant we didn’t worry about it getting hit into the sea or getting lost in the dark (I don’t remember but I suspect we kept a flashlight on hand to find the ball in the sand). And again we had the range of age factor. My own family had 7 kids over a 15 year range. Wiffle Ball appealed to the entire expanse. 

Playing Wiffle Ball was joyful and when I think about it now, so many years past my introduction to it, I still think about it with such joy. It was so universally accessible and fun. The older kids and younger ones, boys and girls, we all enjoyed it. 

We had other games we played outdoors. Tag, Jail Tag, Flashlight Tag, Hide and Seek, Kickball, Red Light Green Light, and of course, riding our bikes and exploring in the woods behind our houses. But, none of these was so leveling or as universally enjoyed together as Wiffle Ball. With any of the Tag games or any of the other games we played, the older kids were advantaged or bored based on the accessibility or abilities of the kids of various ages. You might think that the older kids were just being nice to the younger ones and maybe that would have been true once or twice but we all know that older kids just aren’t going to stick around to play little kid games on an ongoing basis. I do believe the big kids enjoyed the game as much as the little ones and there are very few games or toys that can make that boast.