Men Opposing Sex Trafficking to attempt world record for longest softball game in Georgia
CARTERSVILLE, Ga. - Men Opposing Sex Trafficking (MOST) will make a second attempt to break the world record for the "longest marathon softball game" from Sept. 17-22 at Dellinger Park in Cartersville.
The game will begin at 8 a.m. Sept. 17 and is set to conclude at 9 a.m. Sept. 22. If successful, MOST will set a new record of 121 hours. The Guinness Book of World Records requires the game to be played with a maximum of 40 players, with at least 20 of those same players completing the challenge. Participants must sleep by the dugouts, eat on the field, and can only take five-minute bathroom breaks.
In April, MOST played 52 hours, nearly halfway to the current 115-hour record set in 2009. Despite finishing with a final score of 774-766 in 251 innings, the attempt was cut short due to injuries, inclement weather, and a shortage of players. This time, the organization plans to have a full roster of 40 players.
"We knew it would be difficult, but we underestimated just how grueling it would be," said Bruce Deel, CEO and founder of MOST. "We’ve been laser-focused on getting in the best shape possible—both mentally and physically."
Founded nearly two years ago, MOST aims to raise awareness and mobilize men in the fight against sex trafficking. By breaking the record, the organization hopes to draw more attention to its mission, especially since more than 95% of illegal sex buyers are men. MOST has expanded its efforts to include two analysts working to identify trafficking activity and an interdiction team of 11 men with military and law enforcement backgrounds assisting local authorities in sting operations.
While the April game didn’t break the record, it raised $500,000 for the organization’s cause. "The reality of battling sex trafficking is that you fail more than you succeed, so in many ways, it’s appropriate we came up short," Deel said. "We are fully committed to proving our resolve on the field and continuing the fight off the field."
A livestream of the marathon game will be available on WeAreMost.org, offering non-stop coverage of the record-breaking attempt.