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| The annual Old Mission Beach Athletic Club's Over-the-Line Tournament is held on Fiesta Island in Mission Bay |
PLAYING BY OMBAC’S RULES FOR 61 YEARS--Two weekends. The party crowd dominates the first weekend
of tournament play while the more serious competitors shine on the second
weekend of double elimination action.
It’s softball
at its dirtiest and no one cares because it’s just another reason to shower
with a friend.
In case you
want to know how to play Over-the-Line (because you’re from da Bronx and just
arrived in San Diego because the road ended at Fiesta Island) here’s the end
all link:
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| Three man teams. Teammate soft tosses a pitch and batter must hit the ball in the sand between the foul lines BUT over the line. Two fouls is a strikeout. Grounders are outs. Four hits equal a run. No gloves for men but women can use gloves. Usually five or six innings are played. On defense players usually stack up in a row. Home runs occur when you hit the ball over the head of the deepest lined up player on defense. |
Also, the organizers
of the annual Over-the-Line tournament want you to know they’re really a lot
classier. To work this myth here’s a history
of the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (tournament organizer since 1954).
OMBAC HISTORY (you can skip the following essay for the chick shots at the bottom of this blog).
OMBAC’s
official beginning was 1954, but its roots sprouted years before. From
friendships of the late 30s, 40s and early 50s, the spirit and attitude of
OMBAC evolved in Old Mission Beach. The common denominator was a strong desire
for having fun!
The Old
Mission Beach Rats sponsored volleyball tournaments that soon needed better
organization to compete for playing dates with Los Angeles beaches. So, in
1954, the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club was born. The original membership was
less than twenty and the annual dues were the same for over forty years.
OMBAC
sponsored volleyball events, coached youth flag football, had its first Coming
Out Party and Over-The-Line Tournament. All was good until 1958 when the Old
Mission parking lot closed, the lifeguard station moved, and members had no
central meeting place. The Club drifted apart until a new location was
established in South Mission.
In 1964, the
Club reorganized and a new vitality and determination was kindled. The
Over-The-Line Tournament had survived because of a few die-hards.
Presently,
OMBAC is a San Diego, California based 501(c)(4) not-for-profit organization
with 440 members. OMBAC continues to enjoy the respect and admiration of the
community. Focused on serving amateur sports and youth athletics OMBAC enjoys
unmatched leadership. If not for the dedication of its members and the
unselfish gift of their time, OMBAC would no longer exist.
Resources:
Excellent LA
Times article capturing the bawdy but charitable nature of Over-the-Line: http://articles.latimes.com/2006/jul/21/local/me-line21
LOCAL COLOR:
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| The event is a great place to show off tops and tats. |
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| OTL is also known for its colorful team names and uniforms |
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| And, of course sponsors are quick to spot an opportunity |
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