Koreball - The Best Wiffle® Ball Replacement
While you can still purchase classic Wiffle balls for backyard play, many people are now using Kore Baseball as an upgrade from traditional Wiffle balls. Koreballs look and play like real baseballs but with plastic composition that allows pitches to move similarly to Wiffle balls. The material also provides a realistic pop off the bat for hits. Koreballs are regulation size and weight for a real game feel with the added challenge of crazy pitches you get from a Wiffle. Koreballs combine the free flowing fun of Wiffle ball with advanced equipment for modern backyard and beach play.
For over 60 years, Wiffle ball has endured as a way for kids and families to play simple versions of baseball in the backyard using outdoor imagination. While rules and equipment have advanced, the nostalgic fun of Wiffle ball continues to provide enjoyment. Introduce Wiffle ball to kids today to pass on the traditions and create your own family memories around this classic game.
History of the Kore Ball
"The idea for the Kore Baseball began in the hearts of baseball kids who ate slept and breathed baseball. After hitting the cover off our baseball, my childhood teammates and I stuffed it with whatever soft material we could get our hands on, resewed the laces, and kept playing." - Kore Baseball founder David Koelliker
History of the Wiffle Ball
The origins of Wiffle ball date back to 1953 in the backyard of a home in Fairfield, Connecticut. One summer day, a father named David Mullany had the idea to drill holes in a plastic golf ball so his son and friends could throw sweeping curveballs and sliders. The perforated ball curved wildly in the windup and on contact, providing a new challenge compared to regular baseballs. Mullany patented his invention and by 1959, over 4 million Wiffle balls had been sold across the country. Since then, Wiffle ball has become a staple of backyard fun for kids of all ages to enjoy.
Traditional Backyard Rules
The classic way to play Wiffle/Kore ball is with simplified rules in the backyard:
- Use a yellow plastic Wiffle ball bat and white perforated plastic Wiffle balls
- Pitching is traditionally underhand from a close distance
- Strikes are recorded when the batter swings and misses or hits a foul ball
- Outs are made when a fielder catches a ball in the air or throws a runner out
- Innings are played with 3 outs per half inning, no walks allowed
- Games often go to a set score like 7 or 10 runs
These casual rules allow for free flowing games with plenty of hits, strikeouts, and home runs without intense record keeping. Part of the nostalgic fun of Wiffle ball is recreating simplified kid versions of real baseball games.
Field Setup in the Yard
Wiffle ball can be played in any backyard or green space. Plastic bats allow you to safely hit balls against backyard fences, trees, garages and houses to create dense obstacle courses. Typical backyard setup:
- Place bases in a diamond formation, or designate lawn items like trees as bases
- Leave enough room for hits without constantly breaking windows
- Set ground rule doubles for balls that reach the fence or street on flies
- Place a strike zone on the house or garage with chalk or tape
Get creative with how you configure the playing space. Curve hits around obstacles, play off garage doors as walls, or make holes in the fence “home run zones”. The randomness of am backyard field is part of the fun.
Pitching Variations
While traditional underhand pitches are common, get creative with different pitching styles:
- Overhand throws add velocity, movement and challenge
- Mix in whiffle ball slider and curveball grips for breaking pitches
- Set distance variations like halfway to the batter or from the regular mound distance
- Take turns pitching innings to involve all players
Come up with a repertoire of straight, sweeping curve, screwball and knuckleball pitches. Part of the enjoyment is tailoring rules and pitches to the players and ages involved.
Advanced Equipment Options
As you look to add challenge and competitiveness, upgrade your equipment:
- Composite bats provide much more pop than plastic bats
- Baseball style pitching from a mound raises difficulty
- Radar guns measure pitch speeds and exit velocity
- Clay bricks allow actual dugouts instead of lawn chairs
- Portable scoreboards for proper scoring and innings
While not necessary, upgraded gear allows older or competitive players to take Wiffle ball games to the next level. It brings real baseball elements into the backyard without intense practices and time commitments.
Different Game Variants
Change up the rules and flow of games by trying new Wiffle ball variants:
- Home Run Derby - Each batter gets a set number of pitches to hit home runs, most homers wins
- 500 - Points earned for hits and catches, first to 500 wins
- Elimination - Strikeouts result in elimination, last batter standing wins
- Speedball - Each pitch has to be swung at, reflexes and reaction time tested
Invent games like 500 and elimination during play to spice things up. Short side games are also great with fewer people when you don’t have full teams.