Your first week

Tick each one off as you go

A small boy in a ball cap and white jersey holding a thin plastic bat under a backyard tree — A thin bat and a patch of grass

The classic rules in eight lines

No running, no walks, no bunting

Two teams of one to five players. With two people, one pitches and one bats.
There is no base running. Runners are imaginary and advance only as far as the hit that moves them.
A ball that lands untouched past the single line (about 24 feet from home) is a single. Past the double line, 20 feet farther, is a double. Another 20 feet is a triple, and beyond the last line is a home run.
A ball that lands outside the foul lines is a foul. Fouls count as strikes, but not the third one.
Three swinging strikes is an out. In the classic game there are no called balls and no walks.
A fly ball caught in fair or foul ground is an out. So is a ground ball fielded cleanly while it is still moving.
Bunting is not allowed.
Three outs end a half inning. Agree on the number of innings before you start. Five or six fits into an hour.

From the maker of the ball

Wiffle Ball, Inc. The maker of the ball since 1953; the original rules and field layout, free to read

Three ways to play

Zone ScoringThe classic no-running game above. It works with two players, needs the least space, and is the version to learn first.

Start here

Pace off the single, double and triple lines in your yard this weekend, drop a marker on each foul line, and play a three-inning game with one other person.

Base RunningReal runners on real bases, usually 30 to 45 feet apart, with three or more fielders a side. Decide early whether hitting a runner with a thrown ball counts as an out. Most yards say yes, below the shoulders.

Start here

Lay out bases 30 to 45 feet apart, split whoever shows up into two teams, and agree before the first pitch whether a runner can be put out by a thrown ball.

Fast PitchFull-speed pitching at a strike zone board, with called balls and strikes and often no catcher. This is the format leagues and tournaments play, usually with base running added.

Start here

Set a strike zone board behind home plate, pace off about 45 feet, and throw 50 pitches at it counting strikes. Then read a tournament rulebook to see how organized games run.

NWLA Tournament rules

Open one for its first step. Each game adds its own field gear to the ball bucket: markers for Zone Scoring, bases for Base Running, a strike zone board for Fast Pitch.

Choosing and checking the ball and bat

A white plastic ball with round holes all over it, resting on a blue surface — Round holes all over: a practice ball

The ball should be baseball size (9 inches around) with eight oblong slots on one half and a solid other half. That lopsided shape is what makes it curve.
Softball-size and junior-size versions exist. The baseball size is what the rules and every league assume.
The bat is a hollow tube about 32 inches long and barely wider than the ball. Wider bats make contact easy and the game dull within a week.
Before each game, squeeze every ball and look along the seam and between the slots. A cracked ball flies unpredictably and splits in half on the next solid hit, so retire it.
Check the bat for a flattened spot on the barrel and that the handle tape has not unraveled. A dented barrel sends the ball straight down.
Keep balls and bat out of a hot car. The plastic softens and warps, and a ball that is no longer round will not break the same way twice.

Pitches and swings to learn first

The basic curve

Grip the ball with the slots facing one side and throw it like a normal ball at half speed. A clean ball usually drifts toward the slots, so slots left breaks left.

The riser and the drop

Turn the slots to face up for a pitch that climbs, or down for one that dives. Both need a little more speed than the curve.

The straight ball

Hold it with the slots facing the batter or straight back. You need one pitch you can throw for a strike every time.

A short swing

The bat weighs a few ounces, so there is no need to wind up. Keep your hands back, wait longer than feels right, and swing level.

Tracking late break

Watch the ball all the way to the bat. Most misses come from swinging where the pitch was headed 15 feet ago.

Fielding soft

Catch with two hands and give with the ball. It is so light that it bounces out of a stiff palm.

What trips beginners up

Where the whiffs come from

Wind runs the game. A breeze over 10 mph turns every pitch into a guess, so pitch with the wind at your back or wait for a calm evening.
Throwing harder does not add break. The ball curves most at moderate speed with a firm grip, and overthrowing mostly makes it sail.
Your curve may break the "wrong" way. Scuffs, speed and arm angle all change the direction, so learn what each of your balls does instead of trusting a diagram.
Swinging a real baseball swing produces pop-ups. The bat is too light to muscle, and a compact swing hits the ball farther.
Arguments start where the rules stop. Settle the roof, the fence, the dog and ties at the line before the first pitch.
A new ball curves less than a worn one. Many backyard players rough up the solid side on pavement for more grip in the air, but sanctioned tournaments require clean balls.

Where to watch, learn and find a game

Watching good pitchers is the fastest lesson, and league broadcasts are free online: you can see grips and arm angles in slow motion and copy them the same afternoon. The national tournament's rulebook is worth ten minutes even if you never enter, because it answers most of the questions a yard game argues about. Local leagues are small and run by volunteers, so the way to find one is to search your city or county name plus "wiffle ball league" and check parks department listings; most take free agents and one-day tournament teams of three to five.

Games to watch and a rulebook to read

Why the kit is so short

The ball and bat are the whole sport, and together they cost less than a pizza. Balls are the one thing worth buying in quantity, because they crack and get lost in gutters and hedges. Tape is the only add-on every player benefits from. Everything else depends on which game you play: flat markers for Zone Scoring, a set of bases for Base Running, and a strike zone board for Fast Pitch. Gloves, helmets and cleats are not on the list because the game does not use them.

A toddler running across a lawn swinging a long yellow plastic bat, a white ball in the grass — The yellow bat, in use

Fill the ball bucket

Compare the options below, then set your tiers and check out from the ball bucket. Clicking a card selects it there. The balls, the bat and the grip tape start in the bucket. Field markers, bases and the strike zone board join once you switch on their game.

Perforated plastic balls, baseball size

essential · Core equipment

The ball is the game: eight slots on one half make it curve, and the light plastic keeps it inside a yard and off the neighbor's windows.

budget

Ball Original Ball, 3 Piece

4.8(1.3K)

$8.98

Wiffle Ball

Your first week

The classic rules in eight lines

Three ways to play

Choosing and checking the ball and bat

Pitches and swings to learn first

What trips beginners up

Where to watch, learn and find a game

Why the kit is so short

Fill the ball bucket

Perforated plastic balls, baseball size

Skinny plastic bat, 32 inch

Bat grip tape

Flat field marker spots

Throw-down rubber base set

Freestanding strike zone target