{"id":208694,"date":"2026-08-09T20:36:34","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T01:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=208694"},"modified":"2026-08-09T20:36:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T01:36:37","slug":"wrenway-park-ready-for-annual-wiffleball-tournament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2026\/08\/09\/wrenway-park-ready-for-annual-wiffleball-tournament\/","title":{"rendered":"Wrenway Park ready for annual wiffleball tournament"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"
Wrenway Park will once again host the annual Wiffleball Warehouse Tournament August 21-22. Van Wert independent file photo<\/em>s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

SCOTT TRUXELL\/<\/strong>independent editor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are many sports venues around the country. Some are big, some are small, some are old, some are new, and some are unique and quite famous \u2013 Lambeau Field in Green Bay and Fenway Park in Boston are two that come to mind, but during the third weekend of August, a small venue in extreme southwest Van Wert County takes center stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s when Wren hosts the Wrenway Park Wiffleball Warehouse Tournament, which transforms the tiny village (estimated population 150) into \u201cThe Wiffleball Capital of Ohio.\u201d Each year, 16 teams compete for the coveted and undisputed wiffleball championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Appearing on Sunday\u2019s Mayor\u2019s Conference\/Commissioners Corner radio program on 99.7FM WKSD\/WERT 1220AM\/104.3FM, Jack Davis, who serves as commissioner of the annual event, shared some of the history of Wrenway Park and the tournament itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tournament has been held at the same location since it debuted in 1992 but it wasn\u2019t known as Wrenway Park for the first couple of years. However, the tournament quickly took off and the site became what it is today. It features elements from other famous ballparks, including the \u201cGreen Monster\u201d from Boston\u2019s Fenway Park, the tall stacks from Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, and a clock modeled after Chicago\u2019s Wrigley Field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davis noted the ballpark was designed by Mike Wortman, who decided how the field would be laid out in the available space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s how it became the shape that it is today,\u201d Davis said. \u201cAs you know, a baseball field is a 90-degree angle for second and third (base), but this is more like a 70-degree angle. You just watch the games \u2013 everybody that rounds first, they\u2019re going right to the pitcher\u2019s mound \u2013 you need to made that wide turn as you round first base.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite its small dimensions at the ballpark \u2013 125 feet to straightaway center field and 122 feet down the left and right field lines \u2013 you won\u2019t see a lot of home runs during the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really set up that we want people that should hit home runs so they can\u2019t,\u201d Davis explained. \u201cWe don\u2019t want this to be a home run derby. We get about 20 home runs a year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the somewhat rare occasion that a batter does indeed hit a home run, a siren that was mounted on a fire truck 50 years ago, goes off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tournament attracts media attention and even some delayed television coverage on Lima-based WOSN. With that in mind, ground was broken earlier this summer for a new press box. Construction is now complete and it\u2019s ready to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe used to be on top of a school bus,\u201d Davis quipped. \u201cWhen it rained it was a problem \u2013 we\u2019d get wet and there\u2019s a bunch of electronics up there. We\u2019re really feeling proud of the new press box and we\u2019re thankful to the community and the village.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Wren and Wrenway Park will be a hub of activity August 21-22.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The annual tournament features 16 teams that are primarily local \u2013 Wren, Convoy, Van Wert and Decatur, Indiana, but Davis said there have been teams that have come from as far away as Chicago to play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey thought they were going to come in there and really compete and (instead) they came in and really got it handed to them,\u201d Davis said with a chuckle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each year, the field of 16 teams is ultra competitive and Davis acknowledged that over the years, the chase for the championship has become a younger man\u2019s game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou need to be young, fast and athletic,\u201d Davis said. \u201c(Years ago), maybe you didn\u2019t have to be quite as young and athletic. We really get the area\u2019s best athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The equipment used in the tournament is pretty standard \u2013 a 40-hole pickleball, which has been used in each of the 34 years, but the bats have changed three times. Davis noted that now-retired Crestview baseball coach Jim Wharton supplied the original equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Davis also credited his brother Jim Davis, who is now deceased, for starting the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur festival is called the Wren Homecoming and at the park they had some kids games like ring toss but there was really nothing for the 16 and older crowd,\u201d he explained. \u201cHe said \u2018let\u2019s do a wiffleball tournament\u2019 and the rest is history 34 years later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s tournament will begin on Friday, August 21, with the ceremonial first pitch scheduled for 5:45 p.m. The first game will start at 6 p.m. and the first game of Saturday, August 22, will begin at 8:30 p.m. Action will continue through the day into the evening, leading up to the championship game.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCOTT TRUXELL\/independent editor There are many sports venues around the country. Some are big, some are small, some are old, some are new, and some are unique and quite famous \u2013 Lambeau Field in Green Bay and Fenway Park in Boston are two that come to mind, but during the third weekend of August, a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-208694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-topstory"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-17 00:07:22","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=208694"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":208710,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208694\/revisions\/208710"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}