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Thirteen-year-old Jack Ronan, an eighth-grade student at McCall Middle School, is a Wiffle ball expert. In his spare time, he makes customized bats for friends and local teams.
Wiffle bats come in assorted colors, but they are unadorned. Ronan wanted to turn bats into something special, and he did. He customizes Wiffle bats by meticulously and individually wrapping them in distinct colors of tape and adds decorations and icons to really make them “pop.”
“I have been playing Wiffle ball for many years,” Jack says. “It’s a fun game for kids of all ages, even really little kids who are only 5 years old.”
Bats and balls are plastic, so injuries are rare. Kids are limited to pitching at a maximum of 20 to 30 mph. If this rule is broken, there is a “speed check” warning.
Wiffle ball, which was invented in 1953, is a more prominent sport than commonly perceived. Competitive play has grown substantially. There are 80 to 100 adult leagues in the United States, according to industry experts.
One of the things Ronan likes about his game is it teaches people how to work in teams and support each other. Players must take it seriously, but it is a game, and everyone should have fun.
Ronan thoughtfully added that if a kid has mobility problems, T-Ball can be a fun possibility for them. It is affordable too. All you need is a plastic bat and ball.
People want customizable Wiffle ball bats for performance, seeking designs that improve power, and bat speed, and for personalization, adding custom colors, wraps, or names for fun, gifts, or team identity.
The kids who buy a bat from Ronan tell him colors they like. His customers range in age from 6 to eighth grade students. But it is not just kids who want customized bats, the Massachusetts State Police recently bought several from Ronan.
Ronan and his friends play the game in the fields around Winchester, but they must book playing time in advance.
When a field is available at McCall, Ronan and his friends organize a pick-up game. If there are just a few people available to play, there is always someone’s backyard.
The balls and bats are plastic, and no one needs to worry about broken windows. Wiffle ball is a three-season game, although Ronan says it would not be fun to play in winter weather.
Winchester resident Charlene Band is a Town Meeting member.
