NEW CARLISLE - Cult West’s Danny Hernandez headlines the New Carlisle Wiffle®Ball Hall of Fame Class of 2021. This year’s inductees will be the second class honored, after the inaugural group of 15 members established the Hall of Fame last summer.
Hernandez was named on ten of the 13 ballots (76.9%) cast by the current surviving members of the Hall. He will be honored in a ceremony at Migley Field prior to The Wiffle®Ball Championship Game on Sunday, July 25.
Hernandez is a four-time Champion of Wiffle®Ball with the Warriors, playing a vital role in both Cult West’s three-peat (2013-15) and the redemption tour in 2017.
Although best known as a member of Cult West, Hernandez has played for three different Old Republic Wiffle®Ball League (ORWBL) teams thus far in his nine-year career. He has won three ORWBL World Series titles, two with Cult West in 2012 and 2015, and his third with the New Carlisle Newts in 2016. He most recently played for the Rolling Prairie Emery’s Army in 2020.
A five-time ORWBL All-Star, Hernandez is seventh all-time in career hits and ranks eighth for both home runs and RBI. He was the 2015 All-Star Game Most Valuable Player.
Koby Keck of the New Carlisle Newts was also elected, receiving 12 votes (92.3%). Keck is the founder and commissioner of The Wiffle®Ball Championship and was the founding commissioner of ORWBL from 2007 through 2015.
Keck is a 14-time ORWBL All-Star, winning the All-Star Game’s most valuable player award twice. He ranks near the top of the ORWBL all-time leaderboard in most career statistics: second in RBI, third in hits, and fourth in home runs.
A six-time manager of the year, Keck has guided the Newts to three Hometown Cups and three ORWBL titles. The Newts have made eight appearances in both the Hometown Cup Finals and ORWBL World Series, tops for both events.
The Hall of Fame exhibit, featuring inductee plaques and historical artifacts from both the league and tournament, is scheduled to be open this year at Memorial Park during the Hometown Days festival. Additionally, the first Hall of Fame Game is planned for Friday, July 23 after the annual Home Run Derby.
Nominations for the Class of 2022 are open through the end of the calendar year. Nominees must be named on at least 75% of the ballots cast by the members of the Hall to be elected.