This year’s incarnation of the Annual Fourth of July Wiffle Ball Tournament, the 37th annual, was contested at Costner-Conway Field in Chandler on Independence Day.
Prevailing in a round robin format were the Eddie Vedders (Eric Clagg, Spencer Clagg, Carson Clagg and Kayden Jones). Wiffle records indicate that in taking the 2021 championship, their seventh, the Vedders have now surpassed the legendary Power Lords as the team with the most titles in Wiffle history.
The Vedders’ march to the championship began with a 19-9 triumph over “1987” (Steven Conway, Greg Crum, Zach Crum, Cade Cochran), then a 12-3 win over United (David Vassar, Justin Jones, Allison Conway, Josh Parsons, Eli Smithey). 1987 then eked out a victory over United to claim second place.
Eric Clagg’s 2-0 pitching record earned him the title of second oldest MVP in tournament history. Greg Crum won the trophy for Home Run King. Jackson Crum once again manned the custom scoreboard.
Traditional Wiffle pageantry included the annual parachute launch, the ringing of the Liberty Bell 37 times, and a tasty American buffet courtesy of Wiffle hosts Inda Jo Conway and Steven Conway, who kicked off the festivities with a dedication to the late Alan Conway and Jerry Nelson.