As is tradition, World Series of Stickball begins today to kick off the Choctaw Indian Fair. World Series of Stickball begins with a Women’s 35 and Over Exhibition match at 7:00 p.m. and a Men’s division game following at 8:00 p.m. There are three adult divisions: Men’s 35 and Over, Men’s and Women’s; and two youth divisions: Pushmataha Division (10-13 year olds) and Tulli Okchi Ishko Division (14-17 year olds).
Stickball has been a part of Choctaw life for hundreds of years. Opposing teams use handcrafted sticks or kabotcha, and a woven leather ball, or tówa. Each team tries to advance the ball down the field to the other team’s goalpost using only their sticks, never touching or throwing the ball with their hands. Points are scored when a player hits the opposing team’s goalpost with the ball.
There are 12 Men’s Division teams: Koni Hata, Bok Chito, Beaver Dam, Warriors, Pearl River, Unified, Oka Homma, Tucker, Tiak Hikiya, Wolfpack, Tushka Homma (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma) and Chikasha Toli (Chickasaws); 12 teams in the Women’s Division: Koni Hata Ohoyo, Tiak Hikiya Ohoyo, Pearl River, Bok Chito Ohoyo, Oka Homma Ohoyo, Natives, Bok Homma Ohoyo, Lady Warriors, Tali Ohoyo, NWA, Tucker and Tushka Homma (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma); and 6 teams in the 35 & Over Division. They are: Bok Cito, Red Clay Hills, Koni Hata, Beaver Dam, Tucker and Tushka Homma (Choctaw Nation of OK).
For the Pushmataha Division, there are 10 teams: Pearl River, Bok Cito, Beaver Dam, Tiak Hikiya Osi, Oka Homma, Warriors, Lil Unified, NWA, Koni Hata Osi and Fani Lakna Osi. Tulli Okchi Ishko Division has 7 teams: Koni Hata Himitah, Pearl River, Bok Cito, Tucker, Oka Homma, Tiak Hikiya and Warriors.
Championship games for Pushmataha, Tulli Okchi Ishko, Men’s 35 and Over and Women’s take place during the Choctaw Indian Fair on Friday, July 13th, while the Men’s Championship game closes the fair. One team of each division will be crowned World Series Stickball Champions.
“I am looking forward to seeing some exciting and hard-fought stickball games at Warrior Stadium,” said Tribal Chief Phyliss J. Anderson. “I encourage everyone to come on out and show your support to our players as they compete for the honor of World Series Stickball champion.”
To learn more about the 69th Annual Choctaw Indian Fair, visit www.choctawindianfair.com, like on Facebook at Choctaw Indian Fair, follow on Twitter at Choctaw Indian Fair or call the fair hotline at 601-650-7450.