Dodge this

Scared Hitless team member Dan Szkola, 37, of Sugar Grove jumps higher than even he thought possible to unsuccessfully avoid getting out in a match against the Over 40 team at the Ben Gordon Center Foundation second annual Charity Dodgeball Tournament at the Recreation Center at Northern Illinois University on Saturday afternoon. Chronicle photo ERIC SUMBERG

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

Jim Bohlig's Over 40 dodgeball team had just dispatched the Houdinis in an epic match. Tempers had flared as opposing sides accused each other of cheating. Taunting and finger pointing were seen. “How did you play?” an inquiring reporter asked. “Like a bunch of old farts,” Bohlig, 39, replied with a smile. The second annual Ben Gordon Center Foundation Charity Dodgeball Tournament at the Recreation Center at Northern Illinois University on Saturday afternoon brought out the kid in participants young and old. About 63 teams - comprised of more than 600 participants in youth, adult and business divisions - engaged in the schoolyard classic on the rubberized surface of the indoor gym at NIU. Victors were crowned based on talent, as well as good looks. The Peter Panzies took home top honors for best-dressed youths, while The A-Team, outfitted in headbands, custom-printed T-shirts and long socks, were the favorites for adults. Robin Schrader, 21, of the NIU coed service organization Alpha Phi Omega, volunteered to help officiate matches. She was impressed by the level of competition, particularly among the men's squads. “Some are very ... what do you say ... they whine a lot over calls,” Schrader said. “The guys teams are very competitive.” The competition on the coed side was similarly fierce. Dave Lamphere, 43, of DeKalb and the Cruz Missile II team, had his glasses knocked off his face in a match against the Blue Ballers. Despite this slight dishonor, his team prevailed and he seemed no worse for the wear. “You come going, ‘It's only social,' but when you start playing, it's really fun,” Lamphere said. Ben Gordon Center President and CEO Michael Flora made sure all the matches went smoothly and participants respected the dodgeball code of conduct. “Everybody's been a great sport,” Flora said. “They're here to have a good time.” The dodgeball event accounts for approximately 20 percent of the Center's fundraising for the year. Last year, the organization spent $400,000 on charity care for people who needed financial help, in the form of sliding-scale fee reductions and indigent care, while using the Ben Gordon Center's services for mental health and substance abuse treatment. This year's event should raise about $20,000, Flora said. “It was an absolute blast,” Flora said. “Great sportsmanship from the entire community. Overall, it was a success.” Eric Sumberg can be reached at esumberg@daily-chronicle.com.