Fridley Factors Wiffleball
This page is meant for anyone in the world to speak their mind about anything wiffleball. The title of the page will change anytime anyone posts an article. If you would like to have your work posted on the website email me at lthompson@minneapolisparks.org during the summer or lathompson@csbsju.edu during the school year. Please write. People love to see opinions other than mine! Welcome in Class of 2008 Luke Thompson 11-16-08 Jared Urbach stood outside my house on a cold November night. He wasn’t allowed to come inside due to the fact that the current Fridley Factor Hall of Famers were voting on who would be the newest members to the Hall. Jared was on the ballot…..again. All he could do was hold homemade signs torn from a notebook to try to persuade voters. Maybe this year he’d finally get in. A boy named Joe Schwartz was also on the ballot. This was his first time. “Joey Crack” didn’t have the greatest numbers compared to the other people on the ballot, but what he lacked in power, he made up for in heart. Crack would show up consistently to Factor Field carrying a small lunchbox filled with medicine in case his allergies acted up. Both these boys were underdogs when it came to wiffleball. Despite almost daily ridicule, even from his own brother, Jared continued to show up to the field to play. Even if all he did was stand by the fence and play with a stick, Jared was there. Teams would walk the bases loaded to get to Jared, but still he swung. When Joe came to the plate with his team down 1 run, and down to their last out, teammate Adam Phenow remarked, “This game’s over.” Then in front of the National Night Out gathering, including a city police officer, Joe tied the game with a homerun that bounced off the top of the wall and over. Jared had been standing outside in the below freezing temperature for about a half hour, when he got the phone call. He had almost unanimously been inducted into the Hall of Fame. He jumped around flailing his arms, and knocking his glasses crooked. After receiving the news that he too had been inducted, Joe went straight to his computer to thank everybody that voted for him. He wanted to tell everyone how honored he was. This is coming from a 6th grader. Jared Urbach and Joe Schwartz are what Fridley Factor Wiffleball represents. They may not be the greatest athletes on the field but they have the love for the game. They are easy to love, and the Factor family loves them back. Wiffleball in Fridley is not just a sport. It’s a community. There isn’t anyone in this community that isn’t proud of the newest members of the Hall of Fame. Come on in Jared, it’s cold outside.
Past Articles
SJU Wiff 08/Favoritest Factor
Factor Frenzy Results 2008: July 23
Draft Time Solution: Luke Thompson, July 2
Class of 05: Casey Urbach, June 30
Why Not Us?: Luke Thompson, June 30th
The 08 Debate: Luke Thompson, June 17th
