The Over The Line Tournament Returns This Summer

It’s that time of year again to dust off your baseball bats and pack the cooler for the fun and whacky antics of the Old Mission Beach Athletic Club’s annual Over the Line Tournament. Celebrating their 63rd season of events, this San Diego tradition has had a long illustrious history of being not only a seasonal favorite, but a staple. This world championship tournament brings together players globally, as well as locally, to join in the excitement of the OTL sport. There are two weekends this summer to witness the crazy chaos of the tournament, July 9th and 10th (first weekend) and July 16th and 17th (second weekend).

As usual, the original Over the Line Tournament will be held in San Diego on Fiesta Island, Mission Beach Park. Shuttles are available throughout the day, transporting spectators back and forth from the island and the festivities. Both weekend 1 and weekend 2 tournaments begin at 7:30am and extend until the beach grows dark in the evening (around 6pm). 

The Old Mission Beach Athletic Club was established in the very same year the first Over the Line tournament was held on the sandy beaches of San Diego. Although it wasn’t officially established until 1954, the original friends would congregate and even play volleyball in the very same vicinity. Organizing games and sporting events was hard work and an official club was created with minimal joining fees and involvement in a multitude of areas throughout the community. This nonprofit organization has had a hand in many sports-related functions and games for over 50 years. It's from this seemingly miniscule organization that the famous Over the Line tournament gained global recognition. 

If you’ve grown up in San Diego, you've likely heard of the Over the Line tournament held annually on the beach. The actual game played is reminiscent of baseball. In proper Southern California style, however, this athletic game is typically played on the warm, sandy beach. With a three-player team, two competing teams—traditionally donned with raunchy titles—battle it out with a bat and a ball, hoping to strike the ball into fair territory without being caught by an opposite team member. The tournaments will vary, with different amounts of innings per game. The OMBAC tournament has separate gender teams, keeping the games to a safe and fair standard upheld in an extremely prestigious manner.

The Over the Line tournament is celebrating its 63rd year of bringing abundant smiles to the San Diego area each summer. Starting in the early 1950s, the ball game has transformed quite a bit from the original event, but it has kept the fun and lighthearted aspects that make the sporting event so unique. Of these details that remained through the test of time are the adult-oriented undertones of the entire event. Hilariously vulgar team names emerge, as well as adult beverages consumed throughout the weekend. 

Because the tournament tends to have adult themes, parents are encouraged to leave younger spectators at home. However, that doesn’t mean the kids are excluded from the rush and excitement! There is a youth version of the sport, named Junior Over the Line, where kids of all genders and ages can come together and build friendships all while playing a fun sport. Not everything is paralleled between the adult and junior versions of the baseball-like sport. The size of the area is significantly more petite, and adult-themes are replaced with sportsmanship and camaraderie. Tournaments are divided by age and, unlike the original version, these games are coed! Not just the adults can partake in the fun this summer; young ones are encouraged to come out and give OTL their best shot.

It’s not all about bats and ballgames at this event; every year there is a Miss Emmerson contest, a competitive bikini contest. The winning lady is crowned "Miss Emmerson" and is invited to OMBAC events, representing the face of the club for one year until the next beautiful lady is crowned. 

Being a public event, the OTL world championship tournament is accessible and a free event for all. However, young children are discouraged from attending due to the nature and safety concerns of the game.