OFA students pose following the end to their successful Guinness world record for continuous Wiffle Ball play. After 30 hours of play, the group broke the 2013 record of 25 hours, 39 minutes and 33 seconds. The final score was Red Team 263, Blue Team 259. (Photos by JoAnn R. Walter)
A total of 36 OFA students, including one Chenango Valley student, set out on June 22 at noon to break the Guinness world record of continuous Wiffle Ball play.
OFA Wiffle Ball team members congratulate each other while playing during a Wiffle Ball marathon. The students broke the 25 hour, 39 minute and 33 second record set in 2013.
From left, Trevor Hopler and Dominick Matarese, OFA students and organizers of the continuous Wiffle Ball play, pose for a photo during the 30 hour marathon game.
Some serious Wiffle Ball action took place at Stephens Memorial Park in South Apalachin on June 22 and 23. Thirty-six OFA students, including one Chenango Valley student, broke the world record for continuous Wiffle Ball play. Video and witness statements will be sent to Guinness and follow-up is expected to take upwards of 12 weeks.
Thirty-six young people, students from Owego Free Academy (OFA) and one from Chenango Valley, had one mission in mind following the end of the school year, to break the Guinness world record for the longest continuous Wiffle Ball game.
And that they did, shortly after 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 23.
The game, comprised of 18 players on each team, officially started at noon on Wednesday, June 22 at Stephens Memorial Park in South Apalachin and was planned to continue through Thursday, June 23 at 6 p.m., a total of 30 straight hours of marathon Wiffle Ball play.
To break the world record, the blue and red teams, in the spirit of OFA school colors, played longer than the record set in 2013 according to guinnessworldrecords.com, which was 25 hours, 39 minutes and 33 seconds.
Event organizers, Dominick Matarese and Trevor Hopler, chose 30 hours of play to ensure that they not only broke the record, but also surpassed it.
Both shared on Wednesday afternoon, “We’re going to pace ourselves, eat a lot and take allowed breaks.”
“My feet hurt a little already,” shared Trevor after about six hours in, and added, “We wanted to start it after Regents exams and complete it before graduation.”
And why do it? When posed that question, Dominick replied, “Just to break a world record. When we looked through options, it seemed like the easiest world record to break.”
Considering several of the students have played softball or baseball together since childhood, Wiffle Ball seemed like the perfect match.
Another goal was on their minds as well. Dominick explained, “We also want to try and get to 300 runs or more.”
The game ended approximately 6:20 p.m. with a score of Red Team 263 and Blue Team 259.
To officially achieve the record, the action had to be filmed, so tech-savvy students were on site using their laptops to film all 30 hours. In addition, witnesses were required to observe and document statements.
The next step is to upload the video and submit it along with witness statements to Guinness and wait for follow-up, which could take up to 12 weeks.
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