WFA
History
In this section you will learn about
Wisconsin Fistball history from the early 1960's to the present. This
history was given to me by my father, Art Jesswein, who was involved
in the "rebirth" of fistball in Wisconsin. His accounts are based on
records he kept personally and on his own recollections. A complete
history is not available to my knowledge.
How it Started
Art Jesswein was stationed as a soldier in
Bamberg, Germany in 1956/57. This is where he had occasion to attend
the Bavarian Junior Fistball Championships and see the game for the
first time in his life. Some time later, upon rejoining the Deutsche
Athletic Club(DAC) in Milwaukee a portable fistball set was
discovered, the same one we still use today for practices. It was
discovered after talking with some of the older members that fistball
was played here competitively here in the 1920's and 1930's. On
request, one of the old fistball players, Fritz Krause, introduced
the basics of the game at a summer picnic at Carl Schurtz Park on
Okauchee Lake. The seeds for contemporary fistball were planted and a
lifelong devotion for the game began for some.
At every available opportunity fistball was
played for fun. Then in 1963 regular Sunday morning practices began
at Sherman Park in Milwaukee. During this time the Friends of
Nature(F.O.N.) camping grounds near Jackson was visited by some of
the fistballers. Here it was discovered that fistball was being
played by some of the camp members and they also became aware of a
Chicago group of fistball enthusiasts.
In 1964 Willie Hammacher and Art Jesswein
took it upon themselves to establish personal contact with Chicago by
visiting their summer camp ground in Genoa City, WI, where they
witnessed a tournament. There was a team from F.O.N., as well as a
team from the East Coast, participating in this tournament. This was
the beginning of a long lasting relationship with the Chicago group
that later included alternating tournaments at the Genoa City and
F.O.N. sites, usually three per season, starting with two DAC teams
participating in a tournament at Genoa City in 1964. It was also in
the summer of 1964 that a local team called FC Harmonie, formed by
George Kuchler(DAC member), challenged the DAC fistballers to a
friendly beer game at Sherman Park. The DAC fistballers won and the
1/4 barrel prize was promptly consumed at a post-game celebration at
George K.'s residence!
With tournament experience under their
belt, the DAC fistballers formed a 4 team league in 1965. All games
were played at Sherman Park with wives and children in attendance as
spectators. The inaugural season's standings were as
follows:
1. DAC Black
2. DAC White
3. FC Harmonie
4. Mueller Color Plate
At the end of this season, in November
1965, the Wisconsin Fistball Association(WFA) was formally founded
and, for the first time, established local playing guidelines in
conjunction with International Fistball Rules.
1966 again was played at Sherman Park and
the final standings were as follows:
1. DAC Black
2. Sparta
3. FC Harmonie
4. DAC White
In 1967 the league was expanded to six
teams and games were played at the YMCA field near the Bavarian
Soccer club in Glendale. Final Standings:
1. DAC Black
2. Sparta
3. FC Harmonie
4. DAC White
5. Mueller C.P.
6. FC Bayern
In 1968 the same 6 teams participated at
the same location. Final standings:
1. DAC Black
2. DAC White
3. Mueller C.P.
4. Sparta
5. FC Harmonie
6. FC Bayern
More events of 1968:
An Interstate Tournament League was formed
(4 dates/year).
Through Reto Durisch's contact with the
International Fistball Association the W.F.A. became aware of
fistball activity outside of the United States and established
communication with the Manitoba Fistball Association in Canada. This
prompted an invitation from a Winnipeg fistball group, to the W.F.A.,
for their Fall tournament. Two "select" teams were sent on an all
night train ride from Milwaukee to Winnipeg. Although a little bit
intimidated by Winnipeg's recent involvement in the 1968 World
Fistball Championships in Germany, the Milwaukee Fistball teams beat
the Canadian teams convincingly and returned home
victorious!
Off to Canada
During the winter of 1968/69 the first (and
only) Winter Indoor Championship was played with 4 teams
participating at Steuben Middle School. Final Standings:
1. DAC Black
2. Sparta
3. DAC White
4. Mueller C.P.
The early years at F.O.N.
A decision was made to move the league
venue to the F.O.N. camp grounds starting in 1969. Due to this move 2
teams dropped out of the league(Mueller C.P. and FC Bayern). However,
the camp gave fistball a permanent home base and was an ideal
backdrop for the children and wives of the players. The final league
standings in 1969:
1. DAC Black
2. FON(formerly Sparta)
3. DAC White
4. FC Harmonie(dropped out halfway through
the season due to injuries and job related transfers of some of their
players.)
1969 also saw three teams from the WFA take
another train ride to Winnipeg to participate in a fall tournament,
which also had two German teams from Neu-Oetting taking part. The #1
select team from Wisconsin placed second to the #1 Neu-Oetting team
in this tournament. The Neu-Oetting group subsequently visited the
Wisconsin Fistballers for several days. Some WFA players visited them
in their home town in 1975 and 1978. They also played fistball and
again finished second to the same team that beat them in
Winnipeg.
During the 1969/70 winter, the WFA
conducted practices at the Dominican High School Gym in Whitefish
Bay.
The fallout of several teams triggered the
establishment of a new team, the Giants, made up of players from
existing teams and some dropouts from previous years. This in turn
brought in another team and the year finished with 5 teams. Final
standings:
1. DAC White
2. FON
3. Giants
4. DAC Black
5. Trimm Dich(entered at the midway point
of the season)
Also in 1970, after Winnipeg participated
in the Wisconsin Open Tournament, the WFA once again traveled to
Winnipeg (this time by car) for their fall tournament. Three select
teams went, including their wives, who also played now in a women's
league. This tournament was played indoors due to cold weather and
the top WFA team placed second. This turned out to be the last trip
to Winnipeg as the Canadian group ran into some organizational
problems of their own after 1971.
Later that year a group of fistballers
joined the Eagles Club in Milwaukee and played Sunday morning
fistball(practice) during the winter months.
1971 saw the addition of the Kickers
(Bavarian soccer juniors). This again made it a six team league.
Final standings:
1. FON
2. DAC White
3. Giants
4. DAC Black
5. Trimm Dich
6. Kickers
In 1971 several events of note
occurred:
1. The women formed their own league in
affiliation with the WFA.
2. Winnipeg participated in the Wisconsin
Open Tournament (July 4th) along with Chicago.
WFA Open-1971
3. WFA corresponded with the Eastern
Fistball Association(EFA) in preparation for attending their summer
tournament the following year.
1972 saw the Kickers drop out. It was again
a 5 team league. Final League Standings:
1. FON
2. DAC White
3. Giants
4. Dac Black
5. Trimm Dich
In July of 1972 two WFA teams, two WWFA
girls teams as well as a couple of Chicago teams took part in the EFA
fistball tournament near Philadelphia, PA. There were about 60 total
teams and games were played simultaneously on 5 or 6 separate fields-
all on the same clock! It was quite a sight for those from the
midwest. The temperature was near 95 degrees and extremely humid.
There were five men's divisions. Although the players on the best WFA
teams were almost all above 30 years of age, they insisted on playing
in the under 30 men's division in order to face the very best teams.
They had four teams in that division. One of the WFA teams finished
in a tie for first, the other finished 5th out of the six teams.
However, at the end of the tournament the WFA teams were informed
that they were considered to be playing "out of competition". During
trophy presentation their finish was not even mentioned.
Unfortunately, no further contact was made by the EFA with the WFA,
until this past year.
Since then our league has remained fairly
stable, averaging between 5-7 men's teams and 3 or 4 women's teams
each year.
Currently there are 6 men's teams and 3 women's teams in the
Wisconsin Fistball Association (WFA). There are 8 playing dates for
the regular season and two open tournaments (July Fourth weekend and
Labor Day weekend). All teams perform referee duties and help in
field setup. All in all, the games are competitive, great exercise
and most of all fun. The camaraderie and competition has been a major factor in
many of us staying involved for so many years. We made contact
internationally with fistball teams due in large part to the efforts
of Dietmar Kartali, our former secretary/treasurer and Roger Willen
of TSV Jona in Switzerland. He welcomed us to the international
fistball community with open arms! Now a new organization exists to promote the United States involvement in international competition. The USFA (United States Fistball Association) website can be located at usfistball.com!