SHELTON, Conn. (WTNH) — Did you know that the Wiffle Ball was invented in Connecticut in 1953? Did you know it is a third generation company based in Shelton?
There have been millions and millions of wiffle balls made since David N. Mullany invented the 8-hole plastic ball. Now, his grandson, David Mullany, has taken over as President of Wiffle Ball, Inc.
“We started out with the junior ball, probably very quickly after that, a bat and ball set came out and the bats back in those days were wooden and they were very thin, almost like that broom handle that my Dad and his buddies would use. It was slightly turned at the end, the handle on it and they would package those together that was into ’54 and then they went to the baseball and into the softball,” said Mullany.
We watched a vintage Wiffle Ball commercial from the 50s:
“Hey kids, here’s Whitey Ford, ace pitcher for the World Champion Yankees. Here on his day off, he shows you the secret of Major League pitching with the original Wiffle Ball; it’s the ball with the holes on one side… Use an over-hand delivery with all the wiffle holes on the left and your pitch will curve to the left. Throw the wiffle ball with the holes on the right, for a breaking curve right. For a curving up-shoot, deliver sidearm with the wiffle holes on the top. For a Major League drop, pitch sidearm with the holes on the bottom. It’s that simple!”
This year, The Wiffle Ball was one of 12 finalists up for the chance to be inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.
To find out more about this company known around the world, click here.
