More than 30 million people have watched a backyard baseball video from a Meridian family. What began as a husband filming his wife crushing home runs exploded into a social media sensation shared by ESPN, SportsCenter, Barstool Sports and House of Highlights. Millions now tune in for backyard competitions and family games that feel refreshingly authentic in a world dominated by screens.
But for Tanner and Lauren Henry, viral fame was never the goal. Their mission has always been simple: get people outside. That mission has grown into Sports Fore Days, an Idaho-based brand built around family, friendly competition and play. At the heart of it is the Henry Ball, a uniquely designed foam baseball created for indoor and outdoor use.
“It’s really just who we are,” Lauren says. “We’re athletes. We love spending time with people. We love playing games. We love being competitive.” One of the couple’s earliest videos featuring Lauren launching a backyard home run earned more than three million views. Another has surpassed 30 million.
A Ball Built for Everyone
The Henry Ball began long before the cameras were rolling. When Tanner and Lauren were dating in Southern California, they spent afternoons playing Wiffle ball in Tanner’s parents’ backyard with friends and family. The problem was that traditional plastic balls could hurt, and they wanted something that could be thrown hard, move through the air and still be safe enough to use indoors. So they created their own.
The Henry Ball combines the classic look of a baseball with lightweight foam construction. Its signature hexagon pattern helps create movement when thrown. “The Henry Ball is named after my pops, who spent long days in construction but never came home too tired to play catch with me,” Tanner says.
That memory helped shape the purpose behind the product. “After years of trying foam and plastic balls that never quite hit the mark, we decided to create our own: safe, simple, and designed to make every throw more fun,” Tanner says.
The company is currently going through the patent process and has landed its first retail partnership at Fast Eddy’s in Meridian, with additional opportunities in development.
“Our biggest goal is to be an Idaho-based company that people recognize,” Lauren says. “We want to grow it local. The sales are nationwide. We’d like to see it in Idaho and have it in local stores.”
More Than Viral Videos
Sports have always been part of the Henry family’s story. Lauren played collegiate softball at the University of Michigan before competing professionally, while Tanner played wide receiver in college and ran the 400 hurdles. The couple also spent nearly a decade teaching and coaching before stepping away from the classroom to build businesses and raise their two boys in Idaho.
“We’re a family that grew up playing outside from sunup to sundown—siblings, cousins, and now my wife and kids,” Tanner says. That same spirit comes through in their videos. They’re not elaborate productions; they’re genuine moments with family and friends that happen to resonate with millions.
Birdies Fore Kids
Years before Sports Fore Days, Tanner and Lauren founded Birdies Fore Kids, a nonprofit inspired by their years in education. Lauren’s father taught at a Title I school, where Tanner also completed his student teaching. Seeing children and families without basic necessities made Tanner want to find a tangible way to help. The concept became simple: make a birdie, donate $5. Since then, Birdies Fore Kids has provided backpacks, school supplies, Christmas gifts, meals, sports equipment and educational opportunities for children in need.
One particularly meaningful moment came when the nonprofit paid for a student’s class trip to Washington, D.C., after his father passed away and his family could no longer afford to send him. “The mom was in tears,” Lauren remembers.
“She couldn’t believe someone would do that for her son.”
The nonprofit and Sports Fore Days now naturally intersect, including through the Birdies Fore Kids golf tournament and a free Home Run Derby where the first 100 children receive backpacks filled with school supplies through a partnership with Scheels.
For the Henrys, it’s all connected—sports, family, community and giving kids more opportunities to simply be kids. As Tanner puts it, “Our mission is simple—get people outside, laughing, moving, and making memories together.” With millions already following along, that message is traveling far beyond Idaho.
Follow Sports Fore Days at @sportsforedays and Lauren a local favorite @treasurevalley_treatsandeats, where her connection to the Treasure Valley brings their community-focused brands home to Idaho.
