Wiffle Click Bait: 10 Least Successful HWL Teams
Heroes will be remembered, but legends never die seems to be the idea of remembering great teams in the HWL. Teams that seemed unbeatable like Breaking Balls in 2014, the double headed monster pitching of SOMB in 2015, to the unstoppable Maroon Squad in 2013 and the Mothmen team where every player would be a star on any other team. But during these years of playing there was a spot in the schedule where they looked forward to playing… the whipping team. Giving these players a much needed break from facing tough competition, the whipping team seemed to have nothing go their way. So lets take the time to celebrate those break in the schedule and recognize the top ten unfortunate teams.
#10 2017 Wiffle Hit Wonders
Team ERA N/A
Team AVG N/A
Players Jeremy Ray, Patrick Horton, Derek Darlak, Anthony Stidham, Paul Castle
This team had a lot of potential on paper with players like Jeremy Ray and Patrick Horton on the team, but this team was never consistent and never seemed to gain traction right out of the gate. With the leagues first ever Draft, this team led by then TJ Harrison, had the #1 pick overall and TJ sold out for Jeremy Ray. Being the best pitcher and one of the strongest hitters available Jeremy was an obvious choice. This team wasn’t an easy win as the rest of the top ten was, but the non chemistry of the players is why this team was doomed to fail. They had glimpses of possibly pushing for the title the first two months, lack of participation what kept this team from reaching any potential with Jeremy and Anthony barely hanging on to the franchise. Some good did come out of it. Patrick Horton showed who could bat and pitch with great speed, and Derek showed promise with pitching. But for now this team opens up the list at number 10.
#9 2013 Terrorhawks (7-17)
Team ERA 8.28
Team AVG .476
Players Josh Smith, Daryl Pullin, Julie Meadows, Andrew Hankins
2013 was a big year for the league, one that found pitching speed increasing and the longball going longer. Josh Smith captained the Terrorhawks in 2012 and rarely tallied anything in the wins column, which was no surprise since it was just him and Jeremy Litton and sometimes a couple other players. But in 2013, Litton founded his own team leaving Josh to start from scratch. The 2013 Terrorhawks squad had modest success. The team featured a player in his 60's, the league's only female player that year, and a player that had not played wiffleball since 2005. Despitae all those factors working against them, they won over one-third of their games. They were...decent at the plate, but where they really struggled was with pitching, the team as a whole had one of the highest team ERAs that year and it cost them dearly.
#8 2012 Turtles (2-6)
Team ERA 8.17
Team AVG .385
Players Zach Daniels, Mikie Saton, Matthew Vega
The league's first year spread itself thin to try to have enough teams for varied competition. They ended up with 5 teams, many of which didn't play more than 10 games that year...one of them being the Turtles. Captained by Mikie Saxton, this team of minors shocked the league on opening day by defeating Beaver Fever (who would go on to win the championship that year) giving them their only loss of the season. This team was plagued by making rookie mistakes (as can be expected from such a young team) and didn't do much for the league's credibility at the time but considering the pieces they were working with, finishing with a .333 winning percentage isn't bad.
#7 2015 Huntington Wifflers (3-17)
Team ERA 8.25
Team AVG .246
Players Bradley Burck, Andy Kipp, Wes Larson, Zach Sturgil, Michael Marcum, Frank Shuler
Much like number 10 on this list, this team had so much potential that fizzled out due to lack of participation. With Zach Sturgil potentially becoming ROY for the league for being a solid hitter and pitcher. This team while playing at their best was making it difficult to beat. Keeping it close with the likes of Breaking Balls, Asthmatics and SOMB. But forfeiting half your games is what doesn’t help. That’s why they fall in this top ten. Oh what could’ve been but alas…
#6 2012 Owls (0-3)
Team ERA 17.22
Team AVG .452
Players Beth Smith, Tierra Jessie, Christy Saxton
The Owls were the league's only all-female team. Made up of the spouses and girlfriends of existing players, this team was the embodiment of "taking one for the team." This team lacked passion and drive but formed with the best intentions - to expand the league. They only played three games and only one player on the team had any baseball or softball experience, a glaring fact that was obvious upon watching them play. However, they were a fun team to watch and do hold the record for highest team ERA in league history. Gotta count for something, right?
#5 2014 Poker Night (3-17)
Team ERA 4.19
Team AVG .229
Players Austin Hanna, Scott Hatfield, Michael Marcum, Daniel Payne, Adam Rose, Todd Scott, Jason Watson
What a fun group of guys! If played in 2013, they may have had more success. But unfortunately they were thrown in a division with Drew McClanahan, Jacob Fischer, Paul Hesson, and Steven Adkins to hit off. With a division like this of course they were the bottom of the barrel. But luckily for this team, they weren’t the worst team that year. That spot belongs to our number 4 team on this list.
#4 2014 Green Bears (3-17)
Team ERA 6.73
Team AVG .181
Players Josh Smith, Greg Sowards, Mikey Saxton, Julie Meadows, Mike McCoy, Andrew Hankins
The year was 2014, a very legendary year with immortals coming to play in the likes of Drew McClanahan from Breaking Balls, Jeremy Ray from Sit On My Base, and Jacob Fischer from the Honey Badgers. With this league emerging as a top ten in the nation, with a couple of teams nationally ranked, you’d think that the teams were all solid that year. In comes the Green Bears. With a name like that from Legends of the Hidden Temple, this team was anything but legendary and more hidden from the lime light. Having the worst ERA and batting AVG that year of course they would make this list. Having nothing going their way they did have one shining moment. Like Buster Douglas exposing Tysons weak chin, Big Mike McCoy put a dent in the untouchable Drew McClanahans armor with the solo shot heard round the world.
#3 2013 Welfare Warriors (2-22)
Team ERA 12.23
Team AVG .336
Players Jeremy Litton, Colby Wells, Troy Twisdale, Mike Sumner, Eric Shamblin, Dylan Evans, John Dough, Luke Davis
In 2013 the was rapidly expanding. Although 2012 had 5 teams, only 3 of them were solid. The league had 4 expansion teams join in 2013 and one of them was the Welfare Warriors. Captain by former Terrorhawk Jeremy Litton, this team was assembled with some old GDWL players and friends of Litton's that he could get to the field. The season was long and arduous for the Welfare Warriors as Litton struggled to cobble a team together week after week as players lost heart by getting shelled by teams like Maroon Squad and Holy Balls. How Litton got this team to the finish line will remain one of the league's greatest mysteries.
#2 2015 Plain White Tees (0-20)
Team ERA 25.89
Team AVG .344
Players Anthony Sitdham, Zack Daniels, Andy Hill, Nathan Redhead, Jeremy Litton, Josh IDK, TR Hush, James Albright, Brian Church
This team had enough players to field a whole baseball team. With a revolving door of players, its no wonder that this team was doomed to fail. Andy Hill had no idea who was going to show up every Tuesday to play for his team. At this point if all the players played the field it would’ve matter with a win while teams just used them to add to their stats. Fielding the first team to go without a win for a whole season, the PWT seem like the best choice to being the worst team ever to play for the HWL. In 2015 teams were still throwing fast pitch so no hitters, shut outs and perfect games were often thrown against this team. I needed to throw the last tidbit to give the reason why they didn’t fall to number one. They’re not even bad enough to be the worst!
#1 2016 Beaver Fever (0-13)
Team ERA N/A
Team AVG .293
Players Greg Sowards, Mikey Saxton, Zach Daniels, Jerry Southall, Logan Stidham, Brandon Ferrell, Jeremy Litton
With the era of the slow pitch being introduced to the HWL, a lot of questions were going to be asked. Will this save the League? Will it make it more equal? Will there be a dominate team? But the biggest question of all was will there be a whipping team still? Enter, Beaver Fever. This team came into the slow pitch format with high hopes that Zack Daniels will provide a huge at bat for this team. But that didn’t happen. Opponents were laying in the outfield picking dandelions while this team was up to bat. One team in particular was SOMB. With Rick Patterson on the mound he threw one of the most unusual games in slow pitch history… a perfect game! It was slow pitch and this team had a perfect game thrown on them. If they kept ERA stats that year would help solidify the reason this team belongs at the top of the bottom. Much like #2, they were a team to boost your stats against.
