Men Opposing Sex Trafficking (MOST) will make a second attempt to break the world record for “longest marathon softball game” Sept. 17-22 at Dellinger Park in Cartersville, Georgia. 

The game will begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17 and is scheduled to conclude at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22, which would set the new record at 121 hours. To be certified by the Guinness Book of World Records, the game can be played with a maximum of 40 players, with a minimum of 20 of those same players completing the challenge. Players are required to sleep by the dugouts, have all their meals on the field and may only step away for five-minute bathroom breaks.

In April, MOST played 52 hours – nearly halfway to the record 115 hours set in 2009 – with a final score of 774-766 in 251 innings. Guinness World Records doesn't certify regional records, but the game is believed to be the longest ever contested in Georgia. In addition to inclement weather, injuries and player shortages were the primary factors that forced an early ending to the first attempt, so this time, MOST will have the maximum of 40 players in the game.

“When we set out to break this record, we knew it would be difficult, but we underestimated just how grueling it would be,” said Bruce Deel, CEO and founder of MOST. “To make sure we get the job done, we have been laser-focused on getting in the best shape possible – both mentally and physically. That starts with me, as I’ve increased the length of my runs and pushed my endurance levels to ensure I’m leading by example.”

By breaking the record, the nearly two-year-old organization hopes to capture the public’s attention and further its mission to encourage men to take a stand against sex trafficking, as more than 95% of people buying illegal sex are men. Initially focused primarily on spreading awareness, MOST now employs two analysts tasked with locating sex trafficking activity and an interdiction team of 11 men with military/law enforcement backgrounds that assist local authorities around the country with sting operations. While MOST didn’t reach its goal on the field in April, the attempt proved to be a fundraising success, generating $500,000 in donations.

“The reality of battling sex trafficking is that you fail more than you succeed, so in many ways, it’s appropriate we initially came up short of breaking the record, because it forced us to dig deep and test our own strength and resolve,” added Deel. “As an organization, we believe in doing hard things for the right reasons, and we are fully committed to proving that to ourselves and the world through what we do on the field, and more importantly, the work we’ll continue doing to fight sex trafficking.”

A live stream of the marathon game will be available on WeAreMost.org, with non-stop coverage for the duration of the record-breaking attempt.