ROCHESTER, N.Y. — After a hard day’s work, many of us look for a way to relax and blow off some steam. For some in the Rochester area, it means rushing out of work to a field — and a game that most players can trace back to childhood.   

It’s sort of like Christmas without the snow. The green grass of opening day comes with a bit of rust.

“Lot of cobwebs,” said Jay Loson, as he threw warmup pitches at Ellison Park in Penfield on one of three wiffle ball fields set up in the park.

It happens when you’re an adult playing a kid's game. 

“Oh, it feels great,” he said. “Wiffle’s the best part of summer.”

Wiffle Rochester started in 2011 when social studies teacher Mike Loson got a group of guys together to play a game most started playing when they were kids.

“The idea was like, well I think that if we just made a league in Rochester, people would come and play,” said Loson. “And we did.”

“It brings back great memories from childhood,” said Gregg Marchese. “It's a sport that really takes hold anywhere. I think everybody can relate to it.” 

The rules of wiffle ball are a bit different than baseball. There’s no running the bases. Hits are determined by distance and whether the ball is fielded before it stops moving.

“I'm just looking for something to hit and drive out of this place,” said Ryan O’Toole. “Wind’s flying out today. Gotta take advantage of it.

But just like in baseball, a homer is still a homer.

“It's a kid at heart type thing,” said Loson. “Everybody comes out. No matter how old you are, you relive the same memories you have wherever you played wiffle ball before.” 

You can make a wiffle ball do some crazy things, especially on a windy evening. Sometimes the ball has a mind of its own.

A no pressure, all fun night with friends — playing a kid's game.

“It makes for a great night once a week,” said Loson. “And now we have a whole summer of it.”