WALKER, Mich. — The annual wiffle ball tournament held in the backyard of a West Michigan home has continued to grow since it's inception eight years ago, becoming a staple summer event for a tight-knit neighborhood of kids and their families.
Mark Augustyn and his family began building Mission Field in the backyard of their Walker home almost a decade ago.
"The kids in the neighborhood were starting to play a lot of wiffle ball in the backyard, and asked if they could play more... and out of that, we turned it into a tournament,“ he told FOX 17 Tuesday morning.
It started as a one-day event with 16 teams competing.
During the last few years of the tournament, they have capped it at 40 teams— roughly 200 kids competing at different points.
It takes about 19 hours of game time over two days to get through all the match ups.
Tuesday kicked off with a first pitch by the family's beloved grandmothers.
They don't often make appearances on the wiffle ball diamond, as they typically are focused on cooking up the hundreds of hot dogs these young athletes and their families snack on.
The tournament goes until Wednesday afternoon, when a winner will be determined.
There are brackets set up in the driveway so everyone can check on the tournament progress, and see who they will go up against next.
You can find out more about the tournament, and how to take part next year at their Facebook page HERE.
