The Paramus Wiffle Ball League was founded in 1957 by Big Buck McKenzie and Scout Horvath. Growing up in what-was-then rural Paramus, Buck and Scout would often spend their days at the sandlot playing wiffleball. One summer, after many drinks and even more 8-balls, they decided to put together a full league. Together they recruited players, soiled fields, planted seeds, and secured funding from various sponsors. Morton Salt was the first PWL sponsor, putting up 49 cents for a bag of wiffleballs.

By Summer 1958 Big Buck and Scout saw their dream sprout into a full franchise. Together they had built a sense of wonder and innocence into the community, and brought many new faces into the backyards of Paramus. Historians contribute the rise of Paramus' population to the wiffleball boom of the late 50's. Soon after, the PWL would take on a life of its own, with franchises springing up in states as far as Alaska and California.

The PWL went through some turbulent times during the 60's, when the country was divided on the Vietnam war and took to wiffleball for comfort. That proved to be incendiary, as many players had politics of their own, and the league got out of control with drugs, booze, prostitutes, and gambling. Jolly Jeff Cesarano published a searing autobiography of his time in the early days of the league ("The Drunken Summer," Simon & Schuster, 2011).

Facing bankruptcy, the league underwent strict renovations in the 1970s. With Scout Horvath having passed away, Big Buck McKenzie had ran the league into the ground with mounting debts and bad investments (rumor has it that Big Buck invested 50m in MGM failure 'Heaven's Gate'). Buck was ousted as president and the league was taken over by a committee of 12 general managers. The GMs, as they called them, were notorious in only handling deals that benefited them. They wouldn't budge on monetary offers, gaming rights, licensing, or rules changes. The league saw a drastic dip in attendance during this time.

in 2008, independent investor and gay porn star Brian Legentil purchased the league from Big Buck McKenzie's last remaining relative, Little Buck. Legentil fired every single GM and brought new blood to the league. He mandated that every team needed conditioning coaches, innings limits, and PED bans. He brought a new dynamic to the league; one of organization. Fans came back to the park in droves, while Adam Richardson began to slug homers at a record pace and Steamin' Steve Major chased the batting title, while "Fastlane" Donny Livio brought his Hollywood bravado to the fields of Paramus after a large offseason trade.

The league was booming during this time, and hasn't let up since. However, during a show at the Meat Locker, Legentil tragically passed away in 2010 when he fell off stage and was impaled by his bass. His #13 is retired throughout the league. Angelo Santaniello stepped in as interim commissioner until one was officially pointed. Former player Mike Ozaks was given the job, but was tragically found dead facedown in his swimming pool the next day. The coroner ruled it a suicide, but the autopsy report noted bruises around the neck. Santaniello was highly suspected of foul play, but brushed off any wrongdoing. Mysterious circumstances continue to surround his death, but Santaniello was given the full-time commissioner job soon after.

It is said that as commissioner, Santaniello rules with an iron fist, but it seems to be working as attendance is at an all time high, the fields are kept in pristine conditions, and there looks to be even greener pastures on the horizon. The 2012 season will herald in a new era of players and see the league continue to cement itself in the hearts of Paramus residents.

"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no wiffleball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." - Kurt Russell