US1522859A - Playing cards - Google Patents

Description

J 13,1925. mzms L. F. BLUME PLAYING CARD Filed May 18. 1921 Fly.

lnverfifor. Louis E Binnie? Patented Jan. 13, 1925.

are tars PLAYING CARDS.

Application filed May .18,

To all who m may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS F. BLUME, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Play ing Cards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to playing cards; more particularly my invention relates to cards adapted for games simulating base ball. I

The object of my invention is to provide a deck of cards with which games may be played having more of the chances and hazards of genuine base ball, than has heretofore been possible.

Prior to my invention, in devising decks of cards adapted for games intended to simulate base ball, some standard card or other game was not infrequently taken as a pattern, and a base ball nomenclature applied as far as possible, prticularly to the cardinal plays; the deck devised being marked and otherwise arranged to suggest the new nomenclature.

The fact that another game was taken as a pattern generally introduced so many foreign elements into the card game intended to simulate base ball that in essentials it was not base ball and could not win devotees in spite of its base ball nomenclature.

Still other card games have been proposed intended to simulate base ball without particularly patterning after any standard game. The cards for these games while introducing a base ball nomenclature as played, still were not adapted for playing without some rule or rules introducing an element distinctly foreign to base ball; accordingly they have failed to acquire any marked following among gamesters.

The playing cards of my invention, on the other hand, have been devised with special reference to standard base ball as played by the big leagues with reference to the sides or nines which play, to the infield, the outfield. the base runners, and to the plays themselves which constitute the game. With my deck ofcards, games may be played which simulate in every respect the minutia of each play affording records of errors, batting averages and the like in the course of the game. The base ball nomenclature therefore naturally applies as 1921. Serial No. 470,625.

a matter of course. My deck accordingly yields a game of great interest and affords much amusement.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of my invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figs. 1 to 9 show cards typical of the various suits of which a deck is composed in accordance with my invention.

Asindicated in the drawing, the deck of cards of my invention, which is adapted for playing games simulating base ball, is composed of nine suits, each of the suits representing one of the nine players on a side; such suits being designated both by suitable design and insignia.

Fig. 1 shows a card designed to represent the left fielders suit. The salient feature of its design is a diamond on its face. The insignia LF is applied to the usual upper left-hand and lower right-hand corners to designate this suit; the card preferably bearing other insignia further to suggest this suit, as for instance by coloring the upper left-hand and lower right-hand corners as indicated. 7

Fig. 2 similarly shows a card designed to represent the center fielders suit. It is characterized by a diamond design on its face, and has designating insignia on its corners comprising CF on the upper lefthand and lower right-hand corners. All four corners are also preferably colored as indicated further to make this suit readily distinguishable to the eye.

Fig. 3 shows a card designed for the right fielders suit, bearing again a diamond design on its face and having suitable insignia on its corners comprising the letters RF on the upper left-hand and lower righthand ones respectively. The upper righthand and lower left-hand corners also preferably bear other insignia as by having them colored as indicated.

In order to apportion properly the result of certain plays, as for instance to determine the number of bases stolen by a base runner on a play simulating the failure of a baseman to catch the ball coming to him. I find it desirable to assign to certain suits or groups of suits. different group playing values. This is best accomplished for playing purposes by like colorings on all suits belonging to the same group,

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I'have selected the fielders suit to com- I prise one group and visually indicate this design, these suits are also characterized by the use of diamonds on their faces as shown.

A card of the pitchers suit is shown in Fig.v 5,.Wl1lCll, in addition, bears Ps as ClS! I1&lL-'

ing insignia on its corners. J\ card or the catchers suit is shown in Fig. 6 and'bears Cs as the'designating insignia on its corners. A card o'i the short stops suit is shown {in Fig. 7 and bears SSs as the designating insigniaflon its corners.

The third and last group of suits comprises the basemens suits for designating which I prefer red coloringdenoted by the vertical hatching on the cards shown in *Figs. 7,8 and Iii-design these suits are again characterized by diamond designs on their faces; A

card of the third baseinans' suit is shown in Fig. 7 which'bears three diamonds one within the other on its face;' such card also having designated insignia 'on its corners comprising theletters BBB on its upper.

left-hand and lower right-hand corners.

Fig. 8 similarlyshows a card or the second basen ans suit having two diamonds one with n the other on its face with designating insignia comprising letters BB on its upper left-hand and lower hight-hand corners,

while I ig; 9 shows a card of the firstbase- 1 mans suit, hearing but a single diamond on its fac'e'and havingletters B as designating insignia on-its corners.

In my deck ofnine suits there are six cards to the suit, or fitfty four cards in the whole deel The'cards of a suit are distinguished "serially from each other prefera'blyby immerals 1 to 6 inclusive as illustrated" in'the drawing. These fnumerals should beapplied botlrto the corners and to the face of the cardas shown in orderto facilitateplaying.

Games'simul'ating base ball can be played with the deck which I have described by observing the following general playing rules;

- parties.

the use of a playing board bearing therepresentation of a base ball diamond when playing greatlyadding to the realism oithe game.

Two or more parties 'inay 'play, four parties making the best game; accordingly I Will. describe the'game as played by four To play, the cards are'shufiled' anddealtamong the four players, partners sitting opposite each other. Theside which deals are preferably at'the bat, while the others are in the field. I It adds interest to the gamete give the side in the field materimarked BIB-6, this In dealing, I prefer to give each of the partally more cards than the side at the bat.

11ers in thefield fifteen cards while the 7 partners at the bat receive only twelve each. The side in the field (generally the. player to the left of the dealer) leads oh by playing play is styled a'ball.

has been delivered by the pitcher, the nature of the play .is'deteri'nined' by the 'cardfwhich the batter plays. In the event that the hen a fair throw, as above described,

a one base hit it his card is One point higher;

theplate. In general, it is preferable: to

pitchers suit is fol-lowed'with'anumerically' high card, the batter prov1s1onally-sc0res a' two base hit if'his card is two points I higher; a three base hit it his card is three points higher; and a home run if his: card is four points higher. In the event that the pitcher's card i'si'ollowed with a;n-umer- 1 i'cally lower card'he scores a foul strike or a foul ball after the 2nd strike. Should,

however, thebatter *play a card 'ot" a different suit, he makes a strike. In the event that the pitcher has played a card marked 1-, thebattercannot play unless he has a card marked '2 of the same suit, which when played indicates in accordance with this game that he hasbeen hit by the ball and he takes first base. Lacking such card the batter does not play, and should say Play ball to indicate that the pitcher should play another card. I

When the batter makes a provisional l ase hit, as described above, the fielder by playing the proper card, puts the batter out at' his base. fThis is effected by pla ing the card numerically equal to-the card played by thebatter fofthe suit corresponding to the base to which the batter is running. For

example,- assume that the pitcher has'playe-d as his pitched ball, the card marked T1 4; andthat the batter next in order played the card marked-LF fi This card is two points higher than the pitched card and of the same suit sojthata'provisional two basehit results. It now the fielder. play a card equal to the batters cardand corresponds in' suit of the base to which the batter. is running. The fielderthus puts therunner out. In the event the fielder cannot make such a,

card is numerically play he should say sea and place the batters card on the base earned;

When the batter has made a foul strike or a foul ball, the fielder can catch the foul ball (foul out) by playing a card numerically equal to the batters card in either of the suits marked B, BBB or C. If'he cannot do this, he should say Play ball.

All base runners in this game are advanced as many bases as are earned by the batter. Thus, if there is a base runner on 2nd base and a one base hit is scored, the base runner advances to 3rd base; if a two base hit is scored, he comes home. All base runners may be put out at the base they are approaching by the fielder playing the base card equal in number to the base rnnners card. Thus, for example, if the base runner is a card marked 5 and he is advancing to 3rd base, he may be put out at 3rd base by the fielder playing the BBB 5. If the base runner is advancing to home plate, he can be put out by the fielder playing 0-5.

By the observance solely of the above simple rules an excellent game simulating base ball may be played, but in order to make the game more completely resemble the game of base ball, the following additional rules should be observed.

lVith a man on base, a steal may be simulated as follows :-The ball having been pitched, the batter plays the same suit as the card representing base runner. The steal ard is placed above the base runners card and both are advanced to the next base. The batter is credited with a strike or a ball depending upon the pitchers card. The fielder effects the putting out of the card stealing to a base by playing a card in the suit representing the base gained and which corresponds .in value to or is greater than that of the steal card. If the fielder cannot play such card, the steal card should be declared safe.

A. fair throw having been delivered by the pitcher, the batter can simulate a fly ball or bunt by playing a card of the same number and same color as the pitchers card. The nature of the fly is determined by the color of the cards. Thus, an outfield fly results by playing green cards, an infield fly by playing red cards. and a hunt by playing black cards.

A fly or bunt having been made by the l'iatter, the fielder puts the batter out by playing any card of the batters suit. In the case of a fly. this means that the ball has been caught, and in the case of a bunt, it means that the batter was not able to reach 1st base. In the event that the fielder fails to put the batter out according to this rule, the batter earns 1st base. If the fielder fails to catch the fly ball in accordance with this procedure, he determines the base earned by the batter by discarding a base suit of any number, the suit marked B giving the batter first base; the suit marked BB giving the batter second base; and the suit marked BBB giving the batter third base.

In the event that the fielder cannot catch the outfield fly, nor can play a base suit, the batter comes home.

\Vhen a hunt is made, all base runners advance one base even though the batter is put out. In no case, however, can a runner on third base come home when a bunt is made unless forced. lVhen an infield or outfield fly is made, base runners advance only when the fly is not caught. Base runners advance as many bases as are earned by the batter. An exception to this rule is the sacrifice fly, which is an outfield fly with a man on third base. In this case, the man on third base comes home, regardless of whether the fly is caught out by a fielder. Moreover, the base runner cannot be put out at home plate. With the exception of a sacrifice fly, base runners can be put out at the bases they are approaching by playing thereon a card equal in value of a suit corresponding to the base approached.

These rules, of course, may be still further elaborated upon to simulate every minutia in a play in the game of base ball as played by the big leagues; or they be further simplified as the case may be at the convenience of the players when desired.

Having now described an embodiment of my invention which is at present the best means known to me for carrying the same into efl'ect, I would have it understood that this is merely illustrative and that I do not mean to be limited thereby to the precise details shown, nor restricted in the choice of recognized equivalents except as defined in my claims hereunto annexed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A deck of playing cards divided into nine suits having designating insignia corresponding to a player on a base ball nine, each card bearing a diamond design; the suits being similarly cross divided and grouped by threes, each group having a distinguishing color.

2. A deck of playing cards divided into nine suits having designating insignia cor responding to a player on a base ball nine. each card bearing a diamond design; each suit having six cards, the suits being similarly cross divided and grouped by threes and having a group distinguishing color.

3. A deck of playing cards divided into nine suits having designating insignia corresponding to a player on a base ball nine,

' there being in all fifty-four cards each of which bears a diamond design on its face; the suits corresponding to left field, center field, and right field, being grouped together and distinguished by the use of green coloring, the first basemans, second basemans and third basemans suits forming a second group distinguished by the use of red coloring, the pitchers, catchers and short stops suits forming a third group distinguished by the use of black coloring.

4. A deck of playing cards divided into nine suits having designating insignia corresponding to theplayers on a base ball nine,

said suits having additional common designating insignia for similarly cross-dividing thesuits into a plurality of similar ranks, whereby plays may be simulated correspond ing to the qualityof the ball pitched.

5. A .deck of'playing cards comprising fifty four cards divided into nine suits havmg designating insign a corresponding to the players on a base ball nine, the suits be ing similarly cross divided intoa plurality of ranks each having identical designating numerals whereby plays may be simulated corresponding to the quality of the ball pitched; the suits being further divided into groups distinguished by colors, each group containing cards of all the ranks designated by the cross divlsion.

In testimony whereof I have aiiiXed my signature thisr9thjday of May, 1921.

LOUIS F. BLUME.

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