More than 275 participants from 57 teams competed at the Sportsplex in Crown Point. Wiffleball teams traveled to the region from nine states, including Florida, Maryland and New York.

“When you go up, it’s pretty chaotic,” said WWBC commissioner Nate Hansen. “People don’t really understand how much athleticism goes into this type of Wiffle Ball.”

Founded in Mishawaka in 1980, the WWBC is the longest-running Wiffleball tournament in the world. The tournament was held in Mishawaka for 32 years before moving across state lines to Skokie, Illinois from 2013 to 2017.

Midlothian, Illinois, hosted the tournament from 2018-2023, with the exception of a one-year return to Mishawaka in 2020. When looking for a new site for this year’s WWBC, Hansen said Crown Point was the perfect location because it’s such a festive town.

The two-day tournament began on Saturday morning with the group stage, in which each team was guaranteed four games. 19 games were played every hour from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Hansen, a Mishawaka native, attended the tournament 37 years ago when his uncles played. One of his first memories of the WWBC is throwing balls back over the fence as a 5-year-old boy.

This year will be Hansen’s 31st tournament appearance. Since 1999, Hansen, 41, has been a member of the Munster-based team Club Ripped – a play on words because he and his teammates are not very muscular.

Club Ripped is one of 36 teams moving into single elimination play on Sunday. Sunday’s games begin at 9 a.m. The championship is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

Brian Bogel, 51, of Crown Point, participated in F3 North Wind for the first time with a group of friends ranging in age from 38 to 54.

“We are doing great, we have lost every game,” said Bogel with a chuckle after losing the day 4-0.

F3 North Wind is a free men’s fitness group based in Crown Point whose participants range in age from 12 to 67, Bogel said. The organization celebrated its 10th anniversary in July. (For more information, visit f3nwind.com.)

Bogel said the group thought it was a great opportunity to get together with other like-minded adults who were reliving their youth and playing with their children.

“We never thought at 54 and 51 years old that we would have the opportunity to play a game as great as we have been doing since we were 10 years old,” Bogel said. “I think Crown Point should seriously consider hosting this next year. I think it will bring a lot more people to our town.”

In addition to playing ball, WWBC also raises money for charity. WWBC has partnered with the South Suburban Humane Society since 2018 and has raised more than $13,000. In return, the Humane Society provides volunteers to WWBC each year.

Michigan City Police Captain Kevin Urbanczyk said it was great to play with everyone, but it was also great to know that a large contribution would be donated to the animal welfare organization.

Urbanczyk played with some members of MCPD for the Valparaiso-based team “Donuts and Dingers”.

“We came up with the doughnuts because cops like doughnuts, and the things because we’re trying to hit home runs,” he said.

Donuts and Dingers took a 4-0 lead on Saturday and picked up their latest win against Crown Point Utilities (0-4). Crown Point Utilities player Rick Monroe, 53, said he plans to play many more tournaments with his Utilities teammates.

Urbanczyk said he was glad his team came together and gave WWBC a chance in its first year. Donuts and Dingers will return to the Sportsplex on Sunday for a chance to win the championship.

“It’s a competitive sport, but at the same time it’s very relaxed and you can have fun with everyone,” Urbanczyk said. “We all like baseball, so when we came here and played Wiffle ball, we just wanted to see how we did.”