The 65th annual Old Mission Beach Athletic Club’s summer classic Over-the-Line Tournament will be over-the-brim this year sporting its own festive brew.
Second Chance Beer Co. and OMBAC have teamed to debut a new, limited-release collaboration beer, “Over-the-Line Lager.” It will be the hops of choice for many participants in the three-on-three beach softball tourney known for its risqué team names and freewheeling spirit. OTL will be held on back-to-back weekends July 14-15 and 21-22 on Fiesta Island.
More than 1,200 teams will hit the sand at sunrise on July 14. The first three game days will start at 7:30 a.m. and continue until sunset, concluding on Sunday, July 22 with the Men’s Open Championship.
Games will be three innings only for the first weekend of the tournament and four innings during the second weekend. The tournament will follow a double-elimination format for all participating teams in all nine divisions.
OMBAC provides complimentary bus transport, as traditional parking fills the island early, usually closing it to traffic by 10 a.m. The “OmShuttle” goes to and from the island during the first three days of OTL. OmShuttle runs from Fiesta Island to the Sun Runner lot on Sea World Drive and from Fiesta Island to the Linda Vista trolley station.
Over-the-Line Lager, brewed with German pilsner malt and light floral hops, is the perfect tournament complement, said Marty Mendiola, Second Chance brewmaster and co-founder.
“This light, session lager is the perfect beer to seize, sip and enjoy with a bat in your hand and toes in the sand,” Mendiola said. “You can enjoy a couple of pints or cans while playing OTL, or while watching the spectacle still keeping your eye on the ball.”
“It’s about time San Diego’s signature sport had its own beer brewed right here in the capital of craft,” agreed Tom Doyle of OMBAC. “Over-the-Line Lager was brewed for just that reason, and we were proud to collaborate with Second Chance. They know the sport and our mission. We can’t wait for everyone to taste it.”
Over-the-Line Lager will be available in 16 ounce cans, kegs and drafts at the tournament, and has been available at Second Chance Beer Co. Tap Rooms in North Park and Carmel Mountain, as well as a limited number of bars and stores across San Diego, since June 18.
The origin of the homegrown OTL beach sport dates back to 1954 on the sand of Mission Beach where a group of beach volleyball players, awaiting an open court, grew antsy and began brainstorming ideas to pass the time. OTL was the result.
The bat-and-ball sport, trademarked by OMBAC, is a variation of softball that uses rope, a softball bat and a rubber ball. Three-person teams pitch, bat and field. The game is played on a sand court resembling a triangle attached to an open-ended rectangle.
Every summer since 1954, thousands of players and spectators from around the globe have taken over Fiesta Island in mid-July for OTL. OMBAC asks OTL participants to observe the no B’s rule: “No bottles, bikes, babies or bowsers.”
Second Chance is a San Diego independent craft brewery. The company partners with a variety of local and national non-profits ranging from animal rescues to breast cancer and organ-donation awareness.
OMBAC is a nonprofit organization that focuses on amateur sports, youth athletics, and local charities. OTL is the group’s main fundraising event. Past recipients of OMBAC’s fundraising and donations have included UCSD Cancer Research, Jr. OTL Scholarships, Wounded Warrior Foundation, Huntington’s disease, Bikes for Kids, Jr. Lifeguard Foundation, Cancer Walk, Marine Family Christmas Fund, Alpha Project, Meals on Wheels, Hospice, Pacific Beach Youth Group, San Diego St. Patrick’s Day Parade, San Diego Blood Bank, OMBAC Rugby, OMBAC Lacrosse and OMBAC Water Polo. Play ball
What: 65th annual World Championship Over-The-Line Tournament.
When: July 13-14 and July 20-21. Play begins at 7:30 a.m. ending at dusk.
Where: Fiesta Island in Mission Bay.
Info: ombac.org.
