(http://www.wiffle.com/welcome.htm) Dear WIFFLE® Enthusiast: Thank you for choosing one of America’s favorite backyard games – WIFFLE ball! Three generations of our family have dedicated themselves to the company, and of course, to you our valued customers. We thought we’d take a moment to tell you a little about ourselves, and how the game of WIFFLE ball originated. It all began when our grandfather was watching our father (who was 12 years old at the time) and a friend play a game in their backyard in Fairfield Connecticut, using a perforated plastic golf ball and a broomstick handle. They had given up on baseball and softball – not enough players for two teams, not enough space for a field, and too many broken windows. After days of trying to throw curves and sliders with the golf ball, Dad told Gramp that his arm felt "like jelly". Gramp had been a semi-pro pitcher and knew that throwing curveballs was not good for young arms and thought he might be able to help. He got some parts from a nearby factory, cut various designs into them and sent Dad out to test them. They both agreed that the ball with eight oblong perforations worked best. That’s how the WIFFLE perforated plastic ball was invented. To this day, we don’t know exactly why it works… it just does!! The ball was easy to curve and harder to hit, with lots of strikeouts. In our Dad’s neighborhood, a strike-out was called a "wiff", which led to our brand name and federal trademark registration of WIFFLE. The rules are based on the rules that Dad used in his backyard games. When Gramp saw how much fun Dad and his friends enjoyed the game, he thought others would too. A year later, in 1953, the first WIFFLE perforated plastic balls were produced and sold. The game caught on pretty fast and now the balls are available in many countries around the world. From our family to yours, we hope that you enjoy many fun-filled hours playing WIFFLE ball. We have always tried to produce the highest quality product at an affordable price. We feel that we have done a good job over the more than 45 years of making WIFFLE products and are doing everything possible to ensure that we’ll be around for at least another 45, so your children’s children can enjoy a good game of WIFFLE ball. We thank you again for your patronage and hope your will continue to enjoy WIFFLE perforated plastic balls and plastic bats in your games. Very truly yours, David J. and Stephen A. Mullany

Can't I just finish my wiffle ball game?