Backyard Baseball Wheeler
Backyard Baseball is a software released in 1997 by Humongous Entertainment.
Commentators[edit]
Sunny Day[edit]
- I think we're all ready to play some baseball!
- It's time to get down with your favorite baseball players!
- (custom player) steps up to bat.
- (when the computer player's turn to bat ends) Alright, it's our turn now!
- (player hits a home run) Goodbye, baseball!
Vinny the Gooch[edit]
60 images (& sounds) of the Backyard Baseball 2003 cast of characters. Pics of the Backyard Baseball 2003 voice actors (Game). I think we're all ready to play some baseball! It's time to get down with your favorite baseball players! (custom player) steps up to bat. (when the computer player's turn to bat ends) Alright, it's our turn now! (player hits a home run) Goodbye, baseball! Vinny the Gooch. Waaaaiiit a minute. The Gooch does not under any circumstances say 'Hi ho'.
- Waaaaiiit a minute. The Gooch does not under any circumstances say 'Hi ho'. Sunny Day may be saying 'Hi ho', but The Gooch just says YO!
- Vinny da Gooch is lovin' that!
- (describing Pablo) Even though the Secret Weapon doesn't speak any English, we all know he's a rad dude!
- (describing Achmed) Achmed is one of the best hitters on the team!
- This young batter means business.
- (when a homerun happens) I don't know what kind of pitch that was, but it tasted just like chicken!
- (when a player gets out) He/She was robbed!
- (when a player makes it home) Sweet as candy i tell ya! I like candy, everybody likes candy. That's why Halloween is such a popular holiday!
- (describing Sunny Day) What she means is she's never gonna stop yapping.
- (when a homerun happens) Aloha means goodbye, baby.
- (when a strike happens) It was in there like swimwear.
Backyard Kids[edit]
Achmed Khan[edit]
- (getting picked) Let's rock 'n roll! (Amir Khan also says this)
- I wanna rock! Rock! (scats) I wanna rock!
- (after getting struck out) Aw man, I blew it!
- (stepping up to bat) I'm gonna smack this one! (Amir Khan also says this)
- (stepping up to bat) This one's outta here! (Amir Khan also says this)
Amir Khan[edit]
- (getting picked) Groovy!
- (after getting struck out) I hope Achmed didn't see that!
- (after getting struck out) Major bummer! (Achmed Khan also says this)
Angela Delvecchio[edit]
- (during the chatter) Hey, we wanna batter, not the broken ladder, y'know!
- (striking out a batter) Hey, what'd I tell ya?
- (striking out a batter) Ba-da-bing-ba-da-boom! Bye-Bye, batter!
- (stepping up to bat) I'm gonna smack this one for sure.
- (after getting struck out) No way that's gonna happen again!
- (stepping up to bat) You guys in the outfield better move back.
- (after getting struck out) Don't say a word.
- (getting tired) Okay, I know I'm good, but my arm needs a rest before it turns into a big noodle.
Annie Frazier[edit]
- (getting picked) Sweet!
- (stepping up to bat) I'm looking for a kind hit here, pitcher!
- (stepping up to bat) Come on, pitcher, hook me up!
- (getting tired) Hey, I'm pooped. I need a sub.
- (getting tired) Can I get a sub out here? My arm is toast.
Ashley/Sidney Webber[edit]
- (one of the twins getting picked) Goody! Now pick my sister Ashley/Sidney too!
- (the other twin getting picked) Oh, goody! Ashley/Sidney and I are on the same team!
- (only one twin getting picked) Goody!
- (during the chatter) We've got spirit, yes we do. We've got spirit, how 'bout you?
- (stepping up to bat) I'm gonna crush this one!
- (stepping up to bat) I'm gonna smash the ball outta here!
- (after getting struck out) Tennis is my sport anyway.
- (getting tired) Say, my tennis elbow is acting up.
Billy Jean Blackwood[edit]
- (stepping up to bat) Y'all better step back a few!
- (after getting struck out) That's okay. I didn't wanna run anyway.
- (getting tired) Yoo-hoo! My arm's getting tired out here!
- (striking out a batter) Sorry, I'm just doin' my job.
Dante Robinson[edit]
- (during the chatter) I see London, I see France, I see your underpants!
- Just gimme a minute! I'm still hungry!
- (stepping up to bat) I'm turning that ball into creamed corn!
- (stepping up to bat) Bring on the meat!
- (after getting struck out) Next time!
- You should pick me. I've got a pretty good arm!
- (getting picked) Let's dig in!
- My name is Dante, but the kids call me 'Stretch'. I guess that's supposed to be a joke!
- One time, I ate a whole turkey! Bet you didn't know that!
- (striking out a batter) Smooth like butter!
- (striking out a batter) Chew on that, tough guy!
- (getting tired) Whew! I'm running out of juice!
- (getting tired) I'm getting noodle arm!
- (on the mound) Eat this!
Dmitri Petrovich[edit]
- (striking out a batter) Indeed, I achieved the proper ball spin.
- (after getting struck out) It appears as if I need to rethink my strategy.
- (during the chatter) May I remind you that the primary objective is to hit the ball?
- (not getting picked) I must admit I am a bit disappointed.
- (bored on the field) Please, cease this foolishness and just FORFEIT THE GAME!!!!
Gretchen Hasselhoff[edit]
- (getting picked) Goodygoodygoodygoodygoody! (Goody goody goody goody goody!)
- MymomnamedmeGretchenafterhergrandmanamedGretchen. (My mom named me Gretchen after her great grandmother named Gretchen.)
- (stepping up to bat) I'mgonnasmackthisoneouttasight. (I'm gonna smack this one outta sight.)
- (getting tired, talks more slowly than usual) Um... I'm tired.
Jocinda Smith[edit]
- (stepping up to bat) Watch this homerun!
- (getting picked) Hey, alright! (Kimmy Eckman also says this)
- (stepping up to bat) It's time for a homerun!
- (getting tired) My arm is toast!
- (getting tired) My arm is spent! How 'bout a sub?
Jorge Garcia[edit]
- I don't like to swim and I don't like to get dirty.
- (getting picked) I suppose I'll play, but I don't want to get dirty, OK?
- (unprovoked) Did you guys see the map of Hawaii that Justin Verlander painted on Kate Upton’s lower back?
Kenny Kawaguchi[edit]
- (getting picked) Alright! Thanks, buddy!
- (stepping up to bat) Here I go!
- (stepping up to bat) Okay, pitcher, give me one right over the center!
- (after getting struck out) Boy, I messed up.
- (after getting struck out) I'll do better next time.
- (striking out a batter) I'm good.
- (on the mound) I'm gonna get you, batter!
- (getting tired) Man, I don't wanna complain, but my arm is tired.
- (getting tired) I could use a sub right about now.
Kiesha Phillips[edit]
- (stepping up to bat) Heeeeerree's... Kiesha!
- (during the chatter) Watch out, Batman! Here comes the Joker!
- (during the chatter) Say, what's up, Doc?
- (stepping up to bat) Baseball been very very good to me.
- (after getting struck out) You are Despicable!
- (after getting struck out) Coises! Foiled again!
- (getting tired) I need a sub and I'm not talking lunch here!
- (getting tired) I can't take much more of this, captain!
Kimmy Eckman[edit]
- My name's Kimmy and I like candy.
- (stepping up to bat) This one's going to miles!
- (after getting struck out) Darn, darn, darn it!
- (getting tired) Come on, coach! I'm dying out here!
- (on the mound) I'm gonna blow this one right by!
- (getting tired) Hey, kid! My arm's getting tired!
Lisa Crocket[edit]
- (not getting picked) Whatever.
- (stepping up to bat and on the mound) Here goes nothing.
- Leave me alone.
- (getting tired) How about a sub, ace?
- (getting picked) Neat.
- (getting tired) I'm tired. Give me a sub.
Luanne Lui[edit]
- Aww, I wuv you!
- (striking out a batter) I got you! Neenoo Neenoo!
- (on the mound) Neenoo Neenoo! Baddo Waddo!
- (after getting stuck out) Me gonna cwy...
- (getting picked) Did you heew that, Teddy? We got picked!
- (stepping up to the plate) This one's fo you, Teddy!
- (getting tired) Teddy says it's time fo his nap. So we need a sub.
- (on the mound) Oh, I wuv pwaying basebaw!
Maria Luna[edit]
- (stepping up to bat) Okay. I'm gonna knock the stuffing outta this one!
- (stepping up to bat) Okay. This time, I'm gonna hit like a pinata!
- (after getting struck out) Ay-yi-yi!
- (striking out a batter) I... Got... You.
- (getting tired) Hey there, I'm tired.
- (after getting struck out) That's no good!
Mikey Thomas[edit]
- The kids call me Nugget, but my real name is Michael Rhett Thomas.
- (getting picked) You're my friend!
- (not getting picked) I'm telling my mom!
- (stepping up to bat) I've gotta get on base!
- (stepping up to bat) I want right down the middle for me!
- (after getting struck out) No fair! I'm telling my mom!
- (after getting struck out) That's okay.
- (getting tired) I'm tired of pitching now.
- (striking out a batter) I'm pretty good, huh?
Pablo Sanchez[edit]
- (stepping up to bat) ¡Adiós, béisbol! (Goodbye, baseball!)
- (getting picked) ¡Excelente! (Excellent!)
- Soy Pablo. ¿Quieres jugar? (I'm Pablo. You wanna play?)
- (striking out a batter) ¡Adios!
- (when the player clicks him on the player cards section while holding shift) Okay, don't tell the other kids, but uh... I speak English. I learn Spanish in school.
- (taunting from the field) creo que no qieres jugar (I don't think you wanna play)
- (after getting struck out) Este bate no sirve para nada! (This bat is useless!)
- (getting picked) Vamos a ganar! (We are going to win!)
Pete Wheeler[edit]
- (getting picked) Uh... huh?
- (getting picked) So whose team am I on?
- (stepping up to bat) I'm gonna hit a touchdown!
- (during the chatter) Bet ya can't hit a touchdown!
- (during the chatter) Ra ra ra! Go, team!
- (stepping up to bat) Uh, what am I supposed to do again?
- (after getting struck out) Now what?
- (striking out a batter) Uhh... Whoops.
- (getting tired) Uhh... I don't wanna throw the ball no more.
Ronny Dobbs[edit]
- Know what's neat? Aw, nothing.
- (during the chatter) Miss it! Miss it! Now you gotta kiss it!
- (after getting picked) Neat. I get to play.
- (stepping up to bat) I'm going to hit this one two hundred gazillion miles!
- (stepping up to bat) Neener-Neener! You can't strike me out!
- (after getting struck out) No fair!
- (getting tired) I'm getting sleepy.
- (striking out a batter) I'm pretty good for a little guy.
- (after getting struck out) I don't wanna play anymore!
- (getting tired) I don't wanna pitch anymore.
Sally Dobbs[edit]
- (after getting struck out) I could've hit a home run if I wanted to.
- (getting tired) I need a sub. I don't have the same energy as some of the younger kids, you know?
- (getting tired) I'm getting kinda tired of pitching.
Stephanie Morgan[edit]
- I don't know why...
- (during the chatter) Hey, batter!
- (during the chatter) My, oh my!
- (stepping up to bat) As you can tell, I modeled my stance after the great Babe Ruth.
- (after getting struck out) How Humiliating!
- (after getting struck out) Oh well. I'm sure Cal had his bad days, I suppose.
- (getting tired) My daddy says I shouldn't pitch for too long.
Tony Delvecchio[edit]
- (during the chatter) Be-au-ti-ful!
- (getting tired) What're ya tryin' to do, kill me? I need a sub here!
- (during the chatter) Hey, Slick, swing, why don't ya?
- (during the chatter) Growin' a beard out here, waitin' for some action!
- (stepping up to bat) Watch this one, Slick!
- (getting picked) Listen here, Slick, you made the right decision!
Vicki Kawaguchi[edit]
- I'm going to be a ballerina when I grow up.
- My name is Vicki Kawaguchi. My brother's name is Kenny. He's in a wheelchair. Can I go now?
- One time, I was practicing my pirouette and I got so dizzy, I barfed. But don't tell anyone, okay? But it was really gross and stuff, because I just ate a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. Promise you won't tell?
- (getting picked) Hooray!
- (stepping up to bat) Don't throw the ball fast, okay?
- (stepping up to bat) Here comes the graceful ballerina to the plate.
- (after getting struck out) Stupid baseball is for babies!
- (after getting struck out) That's okay.
- (getting tired) I'm tired of pitching. Can I stop now?
- (getting tired) I don't wanna pitch anymore, please?
- My mommy says I'm her little butterfly and daddy calls me his baseball swan. Kenny calls me pipsqueak.
External links[edit]
21 years ago, the original Backyard Baseball game was released for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh. The game was wildly popular and probably delivers nostalgia for a lot of people that played it a couple decades ago—you might remember popping in the CD-ROM to play. In honor of the 21-year anniversary, these are my picks for the best ten players in the original Backyard Baseball.
Honorable Mention
Ricky Johnson, Dimitri Petrovich
Backyard Baseball Pete Wheeler
10. Angela Delvecchio
Strictly a pitcher that could swing the bat, Angela “Sugar Pop” Delvecchio couldn’t run and couldn’t field. But when she was on her game with enough juice in her juice box on the mound, there might not have been a pitcher more frustrating to hit against. Delvecchio didn’t blow hitters away with gas, but she used her pitchers and hit her spots.
Backyard Baseball Pete Wheeler
9. Vicki Kawaguchi
Vicki Kawaguchi couldn’t hit, but she’s good at everything else. She isn’t quite the pitcher her brother Kenny is, but she’s well above average there. In the field, Vicki could cover a ton of ground and make plays like a vacuum in the outfield or at one of the two middle infield spots. And while she wasn’t going to threaten for a home run, “Swan” could get on base with bunt attempts.
8. Ernie Steele
The baseball card for Ernie Steele (A.K.A. “Funnybones”) says “everyone loves Ernie because he is so silly.” You don’t want a bunch of jokers on your team, but a well-liked player like Ernie could help bring a group together. Steele is just adequate at hitting and running, but he’s an elite fielder that can step in and do a good job on the mound as a reliever.
7. Mikey Thomas
Mikey Thomas was extremely slow—perhaps the slowest in the game—which made him a potential liability on defense. Ideally, you would hide him at right field and hope not many balls head in that direction—he does have a great arm, so he could throw people out on the basepaths, and a good centerfielder could track down balls in the gap that Mikey can’t get to in time. As a hitter is where Thomas shines, as he could hit moon shots without needing an aluminum bat.
6. Achmed Khan
Achmed Khan wore headphones and listened to music while he played, but it didn’t matter—he arguably had the biggest power swing of any Backyard Baseball character. “Axeman” would just go to work when it was his turn to bat, and the nickname indicates he preferred a down-on-the-baseball approach instead of using a launch angle to hit his bombs.
5. Jocinda Smith
If you have the nickname “MVP”, you better be good at sports—and Jocinda Smith is certainly good at baseball. Smith is said to have the “best swing in town,” but she didn’t seem to have as much pop as some of the other maxed-out hitters in the neighborhood. Basically, Smith was a technically-sound, all-around player that’ll do her job.
4. Kiesha Phillips
Kiesha Phillips is described as “the neighborhood clown,” which probably leads to more swing-and-misses than you’d like to see from someone with so much skill. However, Phillips has a ton of power—only matched by only a few other players—and her ability to cover ground in the outfield (she’s nicknamed “Flash”) makes her one of the best players to build a lineup card around.
3. Kenny Kawaguchi
Do not overlook Kenny Kawaguchi just because he’s in a wheelchair. “K-Man” is an all-around baseball player and probably the best pitcher of anyone, as the nickname indicates. Kawaguchi might not have as much pop at the plate as others, but he is a very good option in the bottom half of batting lineups.
2. Pete Wheeler
Nicknamed “Wheelie”, the name fits for Pete Wheeler, who is a little slow in the mind but not slow in athletic ability. Wheeler’s Backyard Baseball card calls his swing “legendary” if he makes contact, as his power rivals anyone in the game. The fastest of the characters probably has the most natural ability of anyone; he’s not in love with baseball like the top player on the list, but he makes amazing things happen for his team without even realizing it.
1. Pablo Sanchez
Pablo Sanchez doesn’t speak a lick of English, but that doesn’t affect his ability on the diamond. He’s an elite five-tool player that’s arguably the best contact hitter, power hitter, fielder, and baserunner of all the kids. In a pinch, the “Secret Weapon” can get on the bump and dominate there, too. The multi-sport athlete has small shoulders, but he can legit carry his team to victory, and his legendary presence makes his squad the favorite no matter who the other eight players are. His theme song is even the best. Pablo Sanchez is the greatest sports video game character of all-time.
Bonus: The best team names in Backyard Baseball
1. Melonheads (Mighty Melonheads is the classic)
2. Bombers
3. Socks
4. Rockets
5. Giants
6. All Stars
7. Monsters
8. Hornets
9. Wombats
10. Fishes