Game equipment and method of play

This invention relates generally to toys and games and, more particularly, to a bat and ball type game in which one team of players attempts in turn to strike a ball into a fielding area occupied by another team of players. The fielding team of players attempts to either catch the ball or return it into a target area.

Outdoor games involving hitting, catching, and throwing a ball are popular because they are entertaining for both children and adults, promote exercise, and contribute to improved coordination and dexterity. More particularly, games such as baseball that involve hitting a ball into a fielding area have been very popular and entertaining pastimes for many years. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing games do not provide equipment or a methodology that allows the game to be played spontaneously in a limited playing space or that promotes new and challenging hitting and fielding requirements.

Therefore, it would be desirable to have game equipment and a methodology for playing a game that involves a bat and ball that may be used almost spontaneously by any number of players and in a relatively confined space. Further, it would be desirable to have game equipment and a methodology for playing a game that provides challenging starter ball positions on or relative to a batter\'s body prior to attempting to hit a ball. In addition, it would be desirable to have equipment and a methodology for a game in which a non-batting team may record an out by rolling a hit ball into a target area.

Accordingly, a kit of ball equipment and methodology for game play involving two teams includes a ball having a frusto-spherical configuration, a bat with which a user may strike the ball in mid-air, and a ground marker configured to indicate a target on a ground surface to which a ball is to be returned after the ball is struck mid-air. The ground marker, e.g. a chalk circle, is preferably sized to encircle the batter when attempting to hit a ball. The bat includes a generally spherical grip and a generally spherical distal end with the distal end having a diameter greater than a diameter of the grip end. The ball is generally spherical with a truncated feature, such as a flat side, which may cause the ball to stop rolling more quickly than a wholly spherical ball after being hit or thrown. This feature enables the present game to be played in spaces smaller than a traditional baseball field. In turn, each batter of the batting team positions a ball relative to or against his body, releases it therefrom, and then attempts to strike it with the bat. As one team is batting, the other team may be spread out about a predetermined field area. Outs may be recorded if a batter misses the ball while attempting to bat, if the fielding team catches a hit ball, or if the fielding team rolls a hit ball back to the ground marker. After a predetermined number of outs are recorded, the teams switch positions.

Therefore, a general object of this invention is to provide equipment and a methodology for a game in which teams alternate between batting and fielding positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide equipment and a methodology for a game, as aforesaid, that may be quickly set up and played by any number of players and in a relatively confined outdoor space.

A further object of this invention is to provide equipment and a methodology for a game, as aforesaid, in which a batter initiates a batting attempt with no action of the fielding team.

Still another object of this invention is to provide equipment and a methodology for a game, as aforesaid, in which a batter may initiate each batting attempt by first positioning a ball against his body and then releasing it.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide equipment and a methodology for a game, as aforesaid, in which a fielding team may record outs by catching a struck ball or rolling the ball back to a ground marker.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, embodiments of this invention.