Which window level of the Duomo should be a triple?

Posted on January 27th, 2008 by Lango.
Categories: pienza, tuscany, wiffleball.

You ever get the feeling you’re doing something you’re certain no one else has ever done before?

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Tonight I was out enjoying some good vino bianco with a friend and teammate when the discussion turned to our trip to Pienza, Tuscany in November and our unique experience one night in its main piazza. I was on writer’s strike at that time, let’s say, and therefore you won’t find nary a mention of it here before this. Fortunately, though, our blackleg friend Fango was amongst the traveling codognesi and documented the four-day waist-expanding trip rather well over at Bici Vecchia.

Fango alluded briefly in that post to wiffleball, referencing our midnight game played in Pienza’s main square, an event surely without precedence in the 550-year existence of Piazza Pio II. Oddly, though, for someone like me who evaluates peoples’ backyards on wiffleball potential, it was impossible not to note immediately how well the piazza is designed for this popular game.

Fango, after perhaps one too many glasses of vin santo, relays another theory, noting that Pope Pius II’s ideal Renaissance redesign of Pienza was certainly undertaken with plastic yellow bat and perforated white ball in mind:

Centuries later, a group of us made good on Pius’ promise to Wiffle athletes. On our recent trip to Tuscany, we played Wiffle Ball in Pienza’s historic central piazza. Crazy, yes, but true. We found many pieces of Pius II’s grand Wiffle Ball stadium still in place and were frequently surprised by the overarching beauty of his plan. The locker room/dugout along the wall of one abutting palace, replete with hooks for jackets. The batting practice cage alongside the ancient well. Infield/outfield practice from the lip of the central door. A perfectly placed circle bricked into the very pattern of the piazza from which the pitcher could serve up Wiffle junk.

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He continues:

The lights shone bright on our field. Tickets were scalped to disbelieving neophyte fans for free – we were putting on a show and inviting all of Tuscany, even the papal ghosts, to join us. Except for when the municipal police rolled by: some of us scattered like high schoolers caught loitering in a midnight parking lot; one of us waddled off with the Wiffle Ball bat running the length of his leg. Our official photographer documented the scene. We laughed at the spettacolo and improbability of it all: Wiffle Ball in the House that Piccolomini Built for Wiffle Ball.

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An aerial view of the piazza by day can be found here, with our mound clearly visible in its center.

11 comments.

Bodo

Comment on January 28th, 2008.

I was there !! Incredible night ! Almost the perfect night…great food and wine, beautiful place and good friends….why almost perfect ?!? 0 for 4 that night !!! :-)

JOJO

Comment on January 28th, 2008.

Bodo is keeping stats already…when will there be a link to http://www.italia-wiffle-ball.it? It will become the underground cult that Fight Club was to the US? Start smuggling wiffle balls & bats with the Peanut butter & Skoal!

girasoli

Comment on January 29th, 2008.

That must have been a great night. My backyard was the place to be for a wiffle ball game when I grew up. I haven’t thought about wiffle ball in years.

Fango

Comment on January 29th, 2008.

I take umbrage at being referred to as a “blackleg.” Scurrilous, egregious, atrocious, and unfounded defamation of my character… Thanks for the linkage and the memories, however. As for Senor Bodo going 0 for 4, I believe my forchetta and stile submarino might have had something to do that. That and vin santo… Ah, vin santo…

joe

Comment on January 30th, 2008.

Build it and they will come…..

Bodo

Comment on January 31st, 2008.

Vin santo…it was our gatorade for that game..our grape gatorade !!! :-)

Bodo

Comment on January 31st, 2008.

Oh i dient’s see it the first time i have read this post. This is great :

“Wiffle Ball in the House that Piccolomini Built for Wiffle Ball.”

Bravo Fango !!! I’ll print a sign and i’ll put on the wall over the locker room/dugout.

casister

Comment on February 17th, 2008.

Who’s organizing the Lombardia Wiffle Ball tournament? I’ve got a courtyard if your short on campi

Piero

Comment on February 23rd, 2008.

Ehi..Ehi…when play in Codogno for Spring Season? Ciao Mark…i’m Piero and now i am working very strong on my web….but spring season is near and in this season start baseball…o very good…past a long winter we can see friends and girls….in baseball field …in this 2008 i continue with MC Codogno but in little baseball my family arrive Fortitudo Bologna, Italy and New York Yankees…because in 2007 i have worked at the top and this teams want continue also with me…i don’t write on my web Italian basket because i have a direct contact with NBA…Lakers and Chicago Bulls…Formula ONe? oh…naturally i continue with Ferrari….Ciao …..wine…very good but….you cannot drik when you play…..Buenas dias

Piero

Comment on March 2nd, 2008.

Ciao Mark
Do you remenber 31 march 2008? In this date there is Opening day in Yankee Stadium with NYY against Blue jays..in this 2008 i ‘m very happy because i have very many visit in my web also in English version..i have contact also from Germany and China but also from U.S.A. with NYY and NBA….today i am very sleep because yesterday ia have seen Festival of Sanremo…Edo can be happy because has wont Lola Ponce…a beautiful girl of Argentina…BYE BYE

Moris

Comment on March 10th, 2008.

C’erp anche io !! Grandi Mark e Pat !! A presto

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