But there is also something else that happens every time. Once those same folks watch some video clips (like this one or this one, both of which feature Mid Atlantic Wiffleball players) or even better, step into the box to take some hacks of their own, their laughter dissipates rather quickly. The beauty of the Wiffle® Ball is that it can be anything the user wants it to be. It can be used for a lighthearted backyard game of catch between father and son. When put in the hands of a former high caliber baseball player turned serious Wiffler, the ball becomes a serious pitching weapon.

(Discuss this at the BSL Board here.)

For more than thirty years, former baseball players and baseball fans have turned to the sport of Wiffle® Ball when baseball is no longer a reasonable option for them. Unlike Softball, competitive fast pitch Wiffle® Ball places a heavy and nearly equal emphasis on three of the four foundational elements of baseball – pitching, fielding and hitting. Mid Atlantic Wiffleball adopted the slogan “Pitch. Hit. Field.” because of the way that Wiffle® Ball allows players that full three-pronged baseball-like experience.

Pitch –The best Wiffle® pitchers – throwing from 45 feet away – can reach speeds of up to 90 MPH while making the ball dance and curve in physics-defying ways.

Hit – Hitters have to learn to deal with those pitches, work the count, and use the entire field rather than simply waffle home run after home run (although there are plenty of those as well).

Field –Fielding can be a difference maker just as it is in baseball. Solid defense can spell the difference between a contending team and a championship squad. On occasion, you will see a spectacular athletic play like this one that rivals of the greatest web gems seen in Major League Baseball.

You might have noticed that the one foundational baseball element missing is the running element. Batters do not run, but rather reach base and move up bases depending on where the ball is hit on the field. A hit leaving the infield without being fielded is a single. A ball that reaches the fence on the ground is a double. A ball hitting off of the outfield fence (usually somewhere between 75 and 110 feet away) is a triple. The lack of base running has several benefits. It allows for lower barriers of entry in terms of players needed to field a team. Four players (a pitcher and three fielders) are all that are needed. The setup allows players to concentrate on developing their hitting, pitching, and fielding skills without having to worry about being in top running shape. Lastly for us older guys, we can play a highly skilled baseball-like game without worrying about pulling a muscle while attempting to beat out an infield hit.

As competitive as the games are at Mid Atlantic Wiffleball tournaments, the tournaments are meant to be fun above all else. At the end of the day, Wiffle® Ball is still a game meant to be played and enjoyed by everyone. Players as young as 10 years old and or as old as 60 years old have participated in tournaments. Tournaments can be a wonderful way for three or four friends to spend a sunny spring or summer afternoon. We take Wiffle® Ball seriously, but never too seriously. The goal of everyone involved with MAW is to ensure a fun and enjoyable tournament and season experience.

So go ahead, giggle if you must. Everyone else does. But if you are looking for a fun and competitive way to play as close to a facsimile of baseball you can find without having to round up seventeen friends and find a vacant baseball diamond, then Mid Atlantic Wiffleball is for you!

Come join us April 29^th in York, Pennsylvania for our first tournament of the 2017 season! If you register now following these contest rules you could win a pair of tickets to TWO highly anticipated Baltimore Orioles games this summer! Register today for April 29^th and be sure to let us know that Baltimore Sports and Life sent you!

Mid Atlantic Whiffle Ball:
https://www.midatlanticwiffle.com/

@Midatlanticwiff ‏
facebook.com/Midatlanticwiffle/

The post Mid Atlantic Wiffleball: Hit. Pitch. Field. appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Award-winning, Baltimore-based digital agency, Mindgrub, has just finished creating the city’s first “Holodeck.” The Holodeck, short for Holographic Environment Simulator, gets its name from Star Trek’s fictional virtual reality facility. In the Star Trek universe, the Holodeck is often used for recreational activities.

Mindgrub has transformed one of the rooms at its headquarters in Locust Point into a safe and controlled environment dedicated to testing virtual reality apps and games. Through Mindgrub’s expansive virtual reality capabilities utilizing tools such as the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive headsets and handheld controllers, users can interact with a variety of virtual environments.

Mindgrub has already created a virtual reality bike experience using Oculus Rift and demoed it at various local Baltimore events, including Smart CEO’s Corporate Culture Awards to raise awareness for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, and the Baltimore Light City Festival. Dedicated to pushing the limitations of virtual and augmented reality, Mindgrub is actively pursuing new and exciting possibilities for virtual reality in a range of industries, from gaming and entertainment, to healthcare and education.

For additional information, please contact:

Vincent Sharps
Mindgrub, Vice President
855-MINDGRB (855-646-3472)
vsharps@mindgrub.com

The post Mindgrub Creates First Virtual Reality Holodeck In Baltimore appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.