US2980427A - Baseball game - Google Patents

Description

T. W. CRAGG BASEBALL GAME April 18, 1961 Filed Jan. 15, 1958 INVENTOR. THOMAS W. CRAGG MDZZWMM AT TORNEY United States Patent BASEBALL GAME Thomas W. Cragg, 403 E. Columbus Ave., Corry, Pa.

Filed Jan. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 709,018

3 Claims. (Cl. 27390) This invention relates to games and, more particularly, to a game having a playing field over which a projectile may be propelled to simulate a baseball game and in which a bordering fence is provided therearound with Openings therethrough and whereon means is provided to intercept the projectile at scoring positions.

In previous games of this nature, the device representing the ball or projectile has been projected by some mechanical device not controlled by the operator and the fielding of the ball has not been completely representative of the game of baseball which it is supposed to depict.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to provide an improved game which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and easy to play.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved game having a playing surface over which a flat disk shaped member may be propelled and a plurality of disk interceptors in a field in which either or both of the disk members and the interceptors may be 'directed to different portions of the field.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved game which may be made to simulate quite closely a regular baseball game in layout and in the manner of playing and which requires and develops strategy and skill in the playing thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved game in which the field is laid out to simulate a baseball field and in which the intercepting means are catching members to simulate players made up of connected diverging arms having, preferably, the model of a player supported thereon which may be located at positions in the field corresponding generally with regions of the playing field in which players are likely to position themselves during a ball game and wherein the simulated players can be moved about at the discretion and judgment of the persons playing the game.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a playing field according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of the bat used in the game;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged View of a disk which simulates a baseball showing the hand of the person or player holding the disk in position for making a pitch over the plate;

Fig. 4 shows an illustration of the players hand holding the bat;

Figs. 5 and 6 are views of the simulated baseball players; and

Fig. 7 is a View of the device representing the ball.

Now with more specific reference to the drawing, the table on which the game is played is made up of a bottom structure 10 which simulates a baseball field having a fense 11 disposed therearound. Side walls 12 are shown laid down to better illustrate them and end walls 13 are also shown laid down. The side walls 12 and the end walls 13 have counterparts in end walls 14 and side walls 15 and the walls 12, 13, 14, and 15 form a fence around the ball field.

The field itself is laid out with indicia thereon in the manner of a regular baseball field and generally follows a scale conforming to the scale to which a baseball field is laid out. A home plate is disposed as the apex of ' base lines 32 and 33 which continue from theirapexes at the home plate 30 on to the walls 12 and 13, respectively, and define between the base line 32 and 33 and the walls 14 and 15 foul zones 41 and 40.

A first base 34, a second base 36, and a third base 38 are arranged around the field in the manner of a conventional baseball field and lines 3? and 42 are provided on the ball field which may arbitrarily 'be drawn to indicate or define areas in which the ball may come to rest to indicate a double play or one out; however, the ball must be propelled by a defensive player using a hand to the base for a force out. The other defensive man is moved over to cover the base. The 'ball must hit the arms of the man covering the base to complete the v out.

The game may be played by two or more persons who will be opponents on two teams. The simulated ball players are, for example, shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and are made up of flat material arm portions 50 which have arms 51 and 52 which may be disposed at a right angle to each other and may be formed of a continuous flat sheet rectangular in cross section as shown and bent at a right angle to each other and having the image of a player 53 supported at the apex thereof. The player members 53 will be movable around on the playing field at the option of one of the persons participating in the game and the simulated ball players will constitute a catcher 61, a first baseman 62, a second baseman 63, a shortstop 65, a right fielder 66, a center fielder 67, a left fielder 68, and a third baseman 64. Any of the simulated player members 61 to 68 may be moved about on the field in a general area usually covered by the corresponding player in the real game at the discretion of the opponents.

A disk 69, shown particularly in Fig. 7, is preferably made of a fiat, relatively heavy material which is relatively thin and is preferably supported on a pitchers mound 72 by one of the opponents hands 73 while pitching.

A bat 75 is made of a round piece of material having a boss portion 76 thereon adjacent its distal end. The boss portion 76 has a fiat side 77 which slides over the surface of the table. The batter on the batting team comprising one of the opponents will grasp the bat 75 with his hand 79 as shown in Fig. 4 and he may hold the bat 75 in any position he desires adjacent to the plate 30 so that when the opponent pitcher pitches the ball, the other opponent will be in a position to swing the bat 75, sliding the side 77 preferably along the surface of the bottom 10 to hit the ball and to knock it into a position which he feels will escape one of the simulated players 61 to 68 and either try to knock it into an area between the line 39 and the base lines which might correspond to a two base hit or some other hit. If he is extremely skilled, the batter will attempt to knock the ball through one of the openings 80 whereby it would correspond to a home run. It will be noted that openings 81 and 82 are disposed just inside the line of the foul line so that if the ball goes through the openings 81 and 82, it will be conthus eliminating any arguments or discussions about this problem... a t W T (3' play thega-me, the 'opponentpitcher with the hand 73 will move'his forefinger with the disk 69 thereunder around ,in a circular motion indicated by an arrow 86 and'release the disk 69 so thatthe ball will slide on the table in the general direction of the plate between limiting markers 89 and, 90. If the disk 69 stays on either side of the markers 89 and 90 with out being hit'by the batr75, it would be considered a'strike. Outside this area, it is a ball. If the batter hits the disk or ball 69 with the bat 75, it will either be a fair ball or a foul'ball. If the ball 69 falls between the arms 51 and 52 of the players 53, itlwill be an out. The ball will stay between the arms or in front of the players because the frictionof the diskt69 on the table will not allow it toslide over the arms. If the disk 69 goes between the players, it would either be aone, two, or three base hit or a home run, depending upon the position on the board in which it landed. V

,Becauseof the manner in which the structure of the board is made, the bat 75 which cooperates therewith and the disk shape of the simulated ball 69, the game can be played very similar to the rules carried on .in a regular baseball game and great interest, education, and sportsmanship will be developed in the players thereof. This game is adapted to be played by young players or by older players and lends extreme interest in either case.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without-departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.f V

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 7

1. A simulated baseball game comprising a flat, generally rectangular table top, walls attached to the marginal edges of said table top and extending upwardly therefrom forming a fence, saidtable top being laid out with indict-a in the manner of'a regularbaseball field with a first, second, and third base and a home plate,

' simulated players, said simulated players comprising two arms connected together and-diverging, at an angle from each other and resting on said table top in positions corresponding to positions generally occupied by players in a baseball game, a flat disk shaped member simulating a baseball, and a bat, said bat having an elongated handle portion terminating in a boss portion having a side adapted to he slid along saidv table top adjacent its distal end and to engage said table top along a substantial portion parallel to said bat, said bat ad-apted to extend away from said table top when said boss portion engages said table top to allow -a player to grasp saidbat with his fingers spaced from said table top. V v

2. The game recited in claim 1 wherein said simulated players are made of a piece of flat material bent at the center thereof to form said two arms disposed generally at right angles to each other and a simulated baseball player attached to and standing on said arms.

3. The game recited in claim 1 wherein said indicia comprise two lines comprising extensions of first and third base lines projected to intersect said fence, and openings through said fence adjacentsaid lines through which said disk shaped member may pass to indicate a home run.

, References Cited in the file of this'patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Burgess July 14, 1953

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