MudBall

Having just arrived to Sitka (AK) I overheard another passenger on the bus ask the driver something about Mudball as he got off.

Mudball? – Hmm.

Well, as I was about to uncover, it was today, the Friday leading into US Labour Day long weekend that marked the start of the biggest Mudball tournament of the year with some 40 different teams participating from not only the furthest reaches of Alaska, but also Canada. And with that, as is so often the case my plans were about to change.

It’s softball in the mud.

– Is how the Alaskans (whom as by now I’d come to appreciate don’t like to over complicate things) put the game to me.

Actually it’s a little more than just Softball in the mud as few different rules needed to be introduced to make the game playable, but you get the idea.

The opening game was for six PM and after stopping by the Liquor store (on recommendation of the bus driver it would be wise for me to take refreshments), I was perhaps a little too eager for things to get underway arriving to Kimshame Field with about an hour to spare. But it did give me a chance to have a look around and watch things being setup.

 Note the players arriving, in GUMBOOTS!

 

Ready for the opening pitch I took a seat on the Bleachers behind Home plate, fashioned a stubbie holder and awaited play to get underway. Which it did, promptly at six.

Ready for the opening pitch I took a seat on the Bleachers behind Home plate, fashioned a stubbie holder and awaited play to get underway. Which it did, promptly at six.

Hey not only was the beer cold, but so was the weather, and not to mention wet! – I was also in full rain gear)

 

 

The bleachers soon filled with an interesting mix of both spectators and other players alike, all keen to see the action as the late mail was for this game to be a cracker.

Actually everyone I spoke too within the first half hour was actually playing during the tournament, but it was the other team from Juneau that really got my attention. Now I need to give credit where its due and due here it is as if there is ever a mark of dedication to the game and their team then this would be it. Now remember, this is COMMUNITY MUDBALL!

And of course they too brought their own refreshments, wisely remembering to stay hydrated given the Thunder Bears opening game was at 7AM the next morning.

 

Thinking back to my last game in the Bleachers at Wrigley Field earlier on in the year (Cubs V Arizona Diamond Backs), not only was this SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper (free entry and BYO – everything), but due to the modified rules the game was far, FAR more entertaining!

 

In the end Juneau got up 17 to 14, and all done in 60 minutes. I then wondered over to the Women’s field to see game two where I was promptly offered Jelly shots and Vodka gummy bears on arrival (and it would be extremely rude, possibly even starting some type of international incident not to accept such local hospitality).

 

Oddly, for Mudball the Women’s ball is 11’’ diameter whilst the Men’s is 12” (still can’t wrk this out, maybe it’s Phallic related?), but to fair the ledger a Men’s regulation bat is of a softer compound than the Womon (ok this one I can understand).

 

Without lights the action at Kimshame ended up after game two so I headed over the main field at Moller stadium, and whilst it’s still called Mudball, after a recent multi-million dollar upgrade (something the locals did seem awfully proud of), here it’s now probably more akin to Rainball.

The End

If we didn’t play in the rain then we wouldn’t play at all

– Pretty much summed it up nicely. But for a full round-up of the event or more details on that game click here.