NEW CARLISLE- After four seasons riddled with forfeits, including the inaugural season
being cut short without crowning a champion, the Old Republic Wiffle Ball League had its
most successful season in 2011.
The league had an essentially forfeit-free season last summer. Only three games from
Opening Day were not played, those coming prior to Alex Friedman buying and overhauling
the Minutemen franchise. Friedman's team, competing as the Maple City Magic, completed
the remaining 39 games on their schedule.
The league provided two major incentives during the 2011 season to prevent forfeits:
returning $100 of each team's league fees and allowing all teams into the playoffs. Both of
these incentives were contingent on teams playing all of their scheduled games.
The league office also cites the significant contraction from 12 to eight teams as a positive
factor in avoiding the forfeits. Moving forward, the league will carefully weigh its options before
adding any more teams.
However, interest has already been expressed by potential franchise owners. Sources report
that Kevin May has sent the Commissioner's office an official statement of interest regarding
a new team in Walnut Ridge. The team reportedly would be called the Muskrats and could
make a significant impact on the roster of May's current team, Emery's Army.
The league maintains expansion will not happen unless an even number of teams is
preserved.