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MB5:
2009 World Championships Information >>>
A Busy Monkeyball Weekend -- Three Tourneys, Three First-Time Winners
KOKOMO, Ind. & MEARS, Mich. - June 27, 2009 - For the
first time in Monkeyball's five short years, three different tournaments
were played on the same day. The main event was certainly the 2nd
Annual Green Acrea Open where Chuck Trinoskey won his long-awaited
first MB title. Chuck's win in this warm-up for Worlds came against
a loaded field that included 5 of the top 20 in the world. Watch
out MB5 competitors,
Chuck is in world championship form.
Tournament #2 was also played at Green Acres, starting just
after the Open had concluded. These 10 players hadn't yet had enough
MB for the day, so they redrew and played again in the Green
Acres After Party. After a dismal effort in the Open, Matt Danely won
the After Party and took home his first MB title.
The nightcap was played overlooking Lake Michigan in Mears,
Mich. After falling in the championship of KidleFest
'08 (kind of),
John Kidle won his first career title at KidleFest
'09. Maybe
more importantly, he also is now holds the coveted KidleFest
Sombrero.
Read more about the 2nd Annual Green Acres Open >>>
Read more
about the Green Acres After Party >>>
Read more
about KidleFest '09 >>>
MB5 Two Months From Today; Official Worlds T-Shirt Available For Pre-Order
LANSING, Mich. - June 8, 2009 - Can you believe it? Only
two short months until we crown the next Monkeyball World Champion.
Sp ots
are still available, but I have sneaking suspicion that we might
actually reach our 144 player max for MB5. To guarantee your spot
in the field, shoot
me an e-mail and $10 for registration (let me
know if you want to pay with PayPal). And if you want the official
t-shirt (white shirt featuring logo at right), just add an additional
$10. The t-shirt pre-order deadline is July 4. A few additional shirts
will be available at MB5 for $15.
Get
more information about the 2009 World Monkeyball Championships >>>
MB Featured in Capital Gains Online Mag
LANSING, Mich. - May 27, 2009 - Our beloved sport got some
fun publicity in this week's edition of the online magazine, Capital
Gains. This Lansing-based outfit covers business and living in the
Capital area. Thanks to reporter Adam Molner for getting to know
us, and to Dave
Trumpie for the great action photos.
Read
the Capital Gains article >>>
Carp Wins! Carp Wins! Carp Wins!
MASON, Mich. - May 23, 2009 - It was a long time coming,
but the godfather of Monkeyball has finally won his first tournament.
Joe "Carp" Frushour won the New
Year's Eve in May Tournament on the
hallowed Carp National Monkeyball Grounds.
Years ago Carp saw a "ladder golf" game played
at a campground and immediately drew up his own plans to build a
set. One son designed a logo and website, while the other son developed
common playing rules and envisioned a huge summer-ending tournament.
Today, 56 officially-sanctioned Monkeyball tournaments have been
played across the country by over 350 different ballers, and the
biggest one of them all -- MB5:
the 2009 World Championships -- is scheduled for August 8.
Thanks, Carp, for bringing this game to the people, and congratulations
on your first tournament championship.
Read
more about the New Years Eve in May Tournament >>>
Tom Lom Wins In Baldwin County 'Bama
MOBILE, Ala. - May 16, 2009 - The Southern Monkeyball Conference
stretched further into southern Alabama, and once again a first-time
winner was crowned. Tom Lomenick, proud father of the "jockey" featured
three stories below this one, topped his son to win the inaugural
event in Baldwin County, Alabama.
Read
more about Baldwin County Monkeyball >>>
Frushour Beats Frushour, Wins Title #10
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - May 9, 2009 - With eight players and
four courts, there were games aplenty at Ann Arbor's Allmendinger
Park. On top of that, the field was peppered with four Top 12 players.
With a full round-robin followed by best-of-three bracket, all players
were guaranteed at least 11 games in the 2.5 hour event. Casey Frushour
knocked off top seed and undefeated Dan Kidle in one semi, but Andy
Frushour defeated his younger brother to take the inaugural Allmendinger championship
(his 10th career MB title).
With four wins in four tournaments since MB4,
the Commish has taken over the world #1 ranking. This is likely to
create some controversy since the three-time defending worlds champion
is now #2 (and actually quite close to #3).
Read
more about the Allmendinger >>>
Renner and Fuller in Marathon Match #2; Flights and Babies Delay Championship EAST LANSING, Mich. - May 3, 2009 - Last May, Worlds regulars
Dan Renner and Tony Fuller squared off in the finals of the Blatz
Memorial Day Afternoon Deligiht. Due to a lengthy tournament
format, Dan and Tony needed a mid-match beer run in their best-of-three
championship. Fuller ultimately won the suds-induced title.
Fast forward one year -- they're at it again. This time Renner
and Fuller are stuck in the finals of the Spring
Kick Off at Prescott Field, and it's STILL not over. After game two
of their best-of-three match, some folks needed to be taken to the
airport thus delaying the championship. A few days later, Dan and
Julie welcomed little Zoey Moret Renner into the world. Needless
to say, this match may be delayed a while. Nevertheless, congratulations
to the new Renner parents!
5/10/09 UPDATE: It's now over. Fuller beat Renner to claim
the Sprink Kick Off title.
Read
more about the Spring Kick Off at Prescott Field >>>
Singleton With the Win, J Salmon Place, But Sofa is the Show at Derby
Day Event BIRMINGHAM, Ala., - May 2, 2009 - Is it coincidence that
Jay "Sofa" Lomenick finished third at the Derby
Day SoMoCo Invitational,
but was also th e
Show of the event. Dressed in full, but oversized, jockey silks (at
right: cell phone photo), Sofa had his best-ever MB outing, losing
in the semis to World #3 Jason Salmon. Salmon lost to Kevin Singleton
in a high-scoring 3-game championship. MB5 ballers beware:
SoMoCo's Kevin Singleton is for real.
The SoMoCO brand of ballers have proven to be worthy opponents,
and their tournament experience will no doubt help them at MB5. Last
year, 15 competitors made the trip. Even though he number is likely
to be smaller this year (right now 4 are on the official
list), they are in a much better position to take out Dean at Worlds.
Read
more about the Derby Day SoMoCo Invitational>>>
Lansing Entertainment Publication Gives Monkeyball Shout
Out; More to Come?
LANSING, Mich. - April 30, 2009 - I thought it was called
Noise magazine, but now I'm not sure if it's Noise or The Hub or
What's On. Either way, we got some Monkeyball love from their
sports writer, Andi Osters, in this
week's summer-themed column.
Recognize the Osters name? Yep, it's the same Andi Osters who finished
third at the 2007 World Championships (MB3
photo archive).
Andi will be back again at this
summer's World Championships,
and rumor has it she may be whipping up an entire column about our
beloved sport. Could this be the start of a Monkeyball media frenzy?
I'm guessing not, but it's fun to see our game mentioned in an article
not penned by me. (Note to Noise/Hub/What's on: we appreciate and
are grateful for the pub, but you gotta ditch that photo of the
poser MB equipment. Carp would not approve.) Read
the article >>>
Join the FB Group: Monkeyball Fan Club (Oh, and T-Minus 100 Days
Until MB5!)
LANSING, Mich. - April 29, 2009 - Just a after MB4, we started
a Facebook group for folks that love to play Monkeyball. Now that
the 2009 season is in full swing, we're enouraging even more people
to joi n the Monkeyball
Fan Club. Even if you're just a fan of "ladder golf", or
any other version of the game we call Monkeyball, feel free to join
us on Facebook.I'd love to see your comments, photos and video on
the grooup page.
On another topic, is it mere coincidence that President Obama's
100th day in office falls exactly 100 days from MB5?
Get
more information about the 2009 World Monkeyball Championships >>>
MB Spring Training in Alabama; Frushour Wins SoMoCo's Commissioner's
Cup
HOOVER, Ala. - April 5, 2009 - The Southern Monkeyball Conference
held yet another huge Monkeyball tournament, but this time the winner
was from Big Ten Country. Commish Frusho ur
won the 29-player Commissioner's
Cup event, but was impressed with
the quality of play from his SoMoCo friends and even more thankful
for the great southern hospitality.
Thanks to Charles and Joyce Swisdak for offering their lawn
for the MB festivities, even though the damp weather was certain
to turn their flat lawn a bit muddy. Thanks to Salmons for the AndiGator
beer, crawfish omelette and comfortable bed. And thanks to the entire
SoMoCo crew for spreading the good word about MB -- I hope to see
many of you at MB5 on
August 8.
While in Alabama, the Commish also learned of the Crawdaddy
Invitational played in March. Although Michelle Salmon was "two
and BBQ" in the Commissioner's Cup, she did win her second SoMoCo
title at the Crawdaddy.
Read
more about the Commissioner's Cup >>>
Read more about the Crawdaddy Invitastional >>>
Register NOW for the 2009 World Championships Slated For August 8
LANSING, Mich. - March 30, 2009 - Registration is underway
for the 5th annual
Monkeyball World Championships. MB5 is scheduled
for August 8 at the Old Orchard in Dimondale, Mich. Start time is
10am, and we should be finished by 4. We hope to break the
record of 111 participants set last year, so please invite your friends
and families to join in the festivities. Ballers of all skill levels
are welcome to play.
Entry fee is $10, and I’ll provide beer and water. You can get
the official MB5 t-shirt for an additional $10 if you order by July 1.
As always, for more information visit http://www.playmonkeyball.com or
e-mail me anytime.
YOUR MB5 TO-DO LIST
- E-mail me if you plan
to plan to play on Aug 8. I’ll maintain
an updated participant
list on the web site.
- Sorry,
I don’t have a fancy online registration and payment system – send
$10 to get on the official participant list (my address:
2400 Strathmore Rd, Lansing, MI, 48910). Only the first 144
players will be accepted.
- Add
another $10 if you want to pre-order a t-shirt. What
size do you need? Extra shirts will be available at the tournament for
$15.
- Invite
others to join in on the festivities.
- Start practicing. Three-time
defending champ Dean Allen is chomping at the bit to capture
title #4 – someone
needs to take him out at MB5.
Get more information
about the 2009 World Monkeyball Championships >>>
A New Monkeyball Major?
SoMoCo to Host First Big Event
of 2009
LANSING, Mich. - March 9, 2009 - We all know the biggest
event of the year is the Monkeyball
World Championships scheduled
for the Old Orchard on August 8. Quietly (or not quietly
at all, actually), however, our friends from the Southern Monkeyball
Conference are making a name for themsleves by hosting many of the
biggest non-Worlds events of the year. The SoMoCo folks will be holding
the Commissioner's Cup Tournament at Swisdak Fied in Birmingham,
Ala. on Sunday, April 5.
Monkeyball's only legit major is the World
Championship -- but with golf's first major held one week
later just a few hours away and with SoMoCo's unwavering enthusiasm
for expanding the Monkeyball game, I'm wondering if they might
have earned "Major" status.
I'll be there on April 5 to battle the SoMoCo field and determine
if the South deserves the distinction of hosting MB's only other
Major.
Bama's Kevin Singleton Wins...Finally
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Feb. 15, 2009 - After multiple trips
to championship matches -- and multiple losses to fellow Monkeyballer
Sean Dameron -- Kevin Singleton finally got the monkey off his back
in winning the Valentines
Day Massacre in Birmingham. These two MB fanatics have dominated many
small tournaments in their neighborhood, but their real test will
be performing at the larger SoMoCo events leading up to the 2009
World Championships. Rumor has it that the Commish may even make a
road trip in early April to take on the SoMoCo-ers -- stay tuned
for more details.
Read
more about the Valentines Day Massacre >>>
T-Minus 6 Months to MB5; Format Altered to Add
More Afternoon Qualifiers
LANSING, Mich. - Feb. 8, 2009 - The countdown
to the 2009 World Championship continues -- exactly 6 months from
today we all get the chance to knock of the three-time defending
champ. If you already know you'll be there for the Aug. 8 event, let me
know and I'll add you to the registration list.
A few format changes are on the docket for MB5. The two biggest
include:
- 44 players advancing to the afternoon session (up from 28
at MB3 and MB4).
- The addition of a 5th, albeit very special, morning qualifying group.
The fifth group will be made up of only 16 people, specifically
the Top 16 ballers according to the World Rankings. These 16 will
battle it out all morning long on the Center Courts, and
only 12 will be guaranteed entry into the afternoon. It will be
a Monkeyball bloodbath. The four non-qualifers still have a chance
to reach the afternoon, but only if they survice a one-game, pressure
packed, play-in match. If you want more details on the new format, shoot
me an e-mail.
Get
more information about the 2009 World Monkeyball Championships >>>
Three-Time World Champ Still Confident;
204 Days And Counting
Until MB5
LANSING, Mich. - Jan. 15, 2009 - Text from an e-mail conversation
between Commission Frushour and three-time defending champ Dean Allen
surfaced this week from an unidentified source. Non-pertinent details
have been deleted:
COMMISH: Don't forget to keep
8/8/09 open on your schedule.
ALLEN:
It's open, I'm not practicing in the
snow like some people, but
you know I'll be ready. I may even use the traddy throw for the entire
tournament just so it can be stated a traddy throw can win it all,
we'll see though.
COMMISH: You will go down if you rock the traddy,
but no worries -- you'll be going down this year anyway. Not to
take anything from your historic three-year run, but there are too many
good players for you to win again. It just won't happen.
ALLEN: The fuel
last year was you picking
Osters to win it all, the "too many good
players" comment just may be the fuel for this year.
Get
more information about the 2009 World Monkeyball Championships >>>
SAVE THE DATE: MB5 Set For AUGUST 8
LANSING, MIch. - Jan. 10, 2009 - Mark your calendar, reschedule
your summer vacation, and start your training regimen,
the always highly-anticipated event-of-the-summer is
now officially on the 2009 Monkeyball docket. The fifth annual
Monkeyball World
Championships will
be held on AUGUST 8. The Old
Orchard in Dimondale, Mich. will once again host the top
ballers in the world for a day of
camaraderie, beer and world-class
Monkeyball action. A couple new twists are in store for MB5, and
I'm guessing even more out-of-towners will be making the trek to
Michigan to try and knock off three-time champ, Dean Allen.
As always, bookmark this site and check back often
for additional information. In the meantime, dust of
your Monkeyball shoes, work on
your delivery and start building up your tolerance -- MB5 will be
here before you know it.
(Below left: Snow and cold don't stop Commissioner Frushour
from working on his pinch, while future Monkeyball champion Abigail
takes notes. Below Right: Sean Dameron
and Jason Salmon of the heralded Southern Monkeyball Conference
based in Birmingham, Ala., have developed a way to practice while
sitting at their work desks. Please note the stylish tee worn by
Sean. You can order
your very own official Monkeyball t-shirt to
show off to friends and intimidate opponents during your next MB
gathering. Photo courtesy of the Dameron
Cinco blog.)
 
Get
more information about the 2009 World Monkeyball Championships >>>
Dameron Wins Monkeyball's First Event of 2009; It's His
4th Career Title
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Jan. 1, 2009 - Sean Dameron continued
his dominance of his Birmingham neighborhood winning Monkeyball's
first tournament of 2009, the New
Years Ball Drop. Friend and practice
cohort, Kevin Singleton, once again finished second fiddle to Dameron.
The title is Dameron's fourth career tournament championship, tieing
him for 2nd all-time with Michigan's Dan Kidle and three-time World
Champ Dean Allen. A win at the next big gathering of SoMoCo's finest
will cement Dameron as contender at the 2009 World Championships.
Read
more about New Years Ball Drop >>>
Andy Frushour Closes 2008 With Win at First-Ever
Sanctioned Indoor Event
MEARS, Mich. - Dec. 28, 2008 - When the Commissioner  married
into the Kidle family 7 years ago, I doubt they realized they'd be
playing indoor Monkeyball over the holidays. With 8 adults watching
4 kids run around the Lakehouse, we figured it was time for our first
sanctioned Monkeyball event. And since it was 20 degrees with 30
mph winds and snow on the ground, we took the game to the basement
for Monkeyball's first-ever indoor event. Ultimately, son-in-law
Andy Frushour beat Dan Kidle in the finals of the Naked
Christmas in the Basement in what is sure to be the first of many Kidle
family tournaments.
Read
more about the Naked Christmas in the Basement >>>
An Unexpected (Yet Expecting) Salmon Takes B-Ham Christmas
Top Honors
MOUNTAIN BROOK, Ala. - Dec. 21, 2008 - Michelle Salm on became
the next in a long line of first-time SoMoCo champs by winning the
2nd Annual Birmingham Christmas
Invitational. It was news to the
commish that Michelle is also carrying a future Monkeyballer -- congrats
to Michelle and Scott!
Michelle's championship comes on the heels of another fine
showing at a recent beach event. These results have yet to be reported
to the MB headquarters; the Monkeyball Nation hopes the tournament
manager finds them soon.
Read
more about the 2nd Annual Birmingham Christmas Invitational >>>
Christmas Gift Idea: A New
MB Shirt
LANSING, Mich. - Dec. 9, 2008 - Looking for the perfect
gift for that hard-to-buy-for person? Want to show off your allegiance
to the Monkeyball Nation? Still have money leftover from your
2008 stimulus check? Whatever the situation, a newly designed, fresh-off-the-presses
$15Monkeyball T is probably
the answer for you.
Shirts are available in Navy and Sport Gray. I only have
adult sizes available. Shipping is $5 per package.
So e-mail me your order today
-- afrushour@gmail.com --
and let me know if you want to send a check or if you want me to
send you a PayPal invoice.
Get
more info about the new Monkeyball Shirts >>>
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