US2237351A - Baseball game - Google Patents

Description

BASEBALL GAME INVENTOR. Har/v5 0/2/15 of) BYM Patented pr. 8, 194i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BASEBALL GAME Harris Johnson, Brookfield, Ill., assigner to Ralph E. Foster, Brookfield, Ill.

3 Claims.

rIhis invention relates to a baseball game in which a real ball and bat are used.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide a baseball game adapted to be played at home on a table, or in any convenient place on a level surface. My game is realistic in that an actual bat and ball are used, with means usable by the player to direct his hits to the best advantage. My game has ball catching members properly positioned to catch balls hit directly at them. The batting mechanism is so constructed as to permit the ball to be hit to receive sharp blows and to rock to strike and send out on the playing iield another ball at a correspondingly reduced speed. My game contemplates such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have shown in the accompanying drawing a preferred form of my invention, yet I Wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modioation and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, Fig. l is a stop perspective View of a baseball game; Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the batting mechanism with the ball; Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the catching member; Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective View of the turntable; Fig. 5 is a detailed perspective view of the ball carrier support; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the flat member, and Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical view of a bat about to be applied to the upper ball.

The embodiment selected to illustrate my invention comprises a board I Il preferably substan- Y tially square in shape with the outer corner removed on a diagonal line I I.

Positioned at the inner corner I2 is a batting mechanism I3 which will be described later in detail. A baseball playing eld I4 is marked on the board IIJ, with the home plate directly in front of the batting mechanism I3, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. A plurality of spaced ball catching members I5 are attached to the board I0 and positionedto represent the rst, second and third basemen, the shortstop and the outelders of a baseball team in the field. These ball catching members are each preferably formed of a single piece of metal with a ilat base portion I6, an integral upwardly and forwardly inclined portion I'I and an integral top portion I8, extending forwardly, said top portion IB being of slightly less height than the diameter of the ball 25 to be played with. When the forward portion oi' the ball strikes the top portion I8, it raises the same slightly and the ball strikes against the forwardly inclined portion I'I, causing the top portion to hold on to the ball. A fastening member I3 attaches the base portion I6 to the board I0. Balls caught by the catching members are indicated as Outs on the board I0.

A plurality of spaced holes 23 are cut in the board IU adjacent the outer portions at the further edges of the playing field. These holes each bear indicia to indicate the value of a ball received by said holes, such as hits of one, two, three bases and home runs, and strikes.

A plurality of rails 2| are attached to the board I0 just beyond the holes 2li to prevent a ball from rolling ofi the boar-d.

On the board IIJ between the front lines of the playing eld and the sides of the boards are indicia for the dugouts of the home and visiting teams and indicia for strikes, balls, outs and runs with indicators 22 rotatably attached to the board Ill.

The batting mechanism I3 heretofore referred to comprises a turntable 23 rotatably attached to the inner corner portion I2 of board I il. The turntable 23 has a socket 24 adapted to receive a ball 25. The batting mechanism also comprises a ball carrier 26 which has a support 21 with its spaced feet 28 attached to the board I0 on opposite sides of the turntable 23, and spaced upstanding portions 29 joined at their tops by an integral right angle connecting portion 30 extending above and across the turntable 23.

The connecting portion 3D has an opening 3I Vthrough which extends the lower portion of rod 32. To the upper portion of rod 32 is attached a ball 33 of rubber or other ysuitable material, the rod 32 extending through the ball 33 substantially at its center. Attached to and surrounding said rod 32 just above connecting portion 3|] of support 2l is a rocking member 34 having attached to its bottom a washer 35 normally resting on top of connecting portion 30 surrounding opening 3|.

A spring 36 is attached at its upper portion to the under part of connecting portion 30 and is mounted on and surrounds rod 32. The spring 35 is preferably tapered. A washer 3l on rod 32 separates the smaller lower portion of spring 36 from an enlarged lower end or striking portion 38 of rod 32.

In use a player places the ball 25 in the socket 24 The turntable 23 is turned to suit the direction in which the player desires to aim the ball. The player then strikes ball 33 with bat 39, causing the rod 32 to rock so that the `striking portion 38 hits ball 25 and knocks it out on to the playing eld. If the ball 25 is caught by one of the catching members I5, it is scored as an out, If the ball rolls into one of the holes 20 it is scored as a single, double, triple, home run or strike as the indicia for the hole indicates. If the ball is not caught by a `catching member l5 or does not drop into a hole 20, it is scored, unless foul, as a ball. When base hits are obtained, counters 40 in the shape of at members are placed on the appropriate base on the playing field. The indicators for balls, strikes, outs and runs are used to record the play. The game continues to be played in accordance with the Well known rules of baseball.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A baseball game comprising a board with a baseball playing eld marked thereon, a plurality of upstanding ball catching devices attached to said board and spaced at positions occupied by inelders and outlelders of a baseball team in the eld `and having indicia to indicate outs, a plurality of spaced holes at the outer por-tions of the board having indicia to indicate different hits and strikes, a turntable rotatably attached to said board, and having a socket to receive a small ball, a support attached to said board and having a portion extending above said turntable, said portion having an opening, a rod extending through said opening in said portion, and downwardly to a point adjacent said socket on said turntable, a spring attached to said support and surrounding said rod, a large ball attached to the upper portion of said rod, a rocking member attached to said rod and resting on said support so that upon said large ball being struck with a bat, said rocking member will rock on said support and the lower portion of said rod will strike the small ball out from the turntable onto the playing field.

2. In a baseball game a board having means to hold a ball and a playing field beyond said means, and a batting mechanism comprising a support attached to the board and having a portion extending above said ball holding means, a

rod extending through said support and down to and adjacent said ball holding means, a spring attached to said support and surrounding said rod, a larger ball attached to the upper portion of said rod, a rocking member resting on said support and mounted on said rod, so that upon said larger ball being struck with a bat, said rocking member will rock on said support and the lower end of said rod Will strike the rst mentioned ball onto the playing field.

3. A baseball game comprising a substantially square board with a baseball playing field marked thereon, a plurality of resilient upstanding ball catching members attached to said board and spaced at desired positions, said members marked to indicate outs, a plurality of spaced holes at the outer lportions of the board having indicia to indicate hits and strikes, a turntable rotatably attached to said board at one of Ithe corners thereof, said turntable having a socket to receive a ball, a support having spaced feet attached to said board, said support having spaced upstanding portions and a connecting portion joining said upstanding portions, said connecting portion extending above and across said turntable, said connecting portion having an opening, a rod extending through said opening and downwardly with an enlarged bottom portion to and adjacent the socket on said turntable, a larger ball attached to the upper portion of said rod, a spring attached to the connecting portion of the support and surrounding and mounted on said rod, a Washer normally resting on top of said connecting portion adjacent the opening therein, a rocking member attached to said rod and to said Washer, said washer and rocking member adapted upon said larger ball being struck with a bat to rock on said connecting member and cause the enlarged bottom portion of said rod .to strike the rst mentioned ball onto the playing field, and a plurality of rails attached to said board at its outer edges to prevent the ball from rolling oil the board.

HARRIS JOHNSON.

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