US2802667A - Baseball game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

13, 1957 R. G. BERTLEY BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Filed Jul 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ROBERT G. BERTLEY 42 g ye 'ATroRlVY Aug. 13, 1957 R. G. BERTLEY BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 8, 1954 INVENTOR. 'ROBERT G. BERTLEY 2,802,667 4 BASEBALL GAME APPARATUS Robert G. Bertley, Queens Village, N. Y. Application my 8, 1954, Serial No. 442,144

Claims. (Cl. 273-89) 'This invention relates to game apparatus. It has for its general object to provide novel and improved 'appa-' ratus for simulating the game of baseball, and it is of such a nature as to permit indoor or house playing thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide game apparatus for simulating the game of baseball in a realistic manner, providing ample opportunity to the opposing players to exercise their skill and alertness.

The game apparatus of the present invention includes a board of suitable size for indoor or lawn use and simulating a baseball field. It is arranged with various devices simulating players and with other accessories whereby a baseball game, though not the real thing yet having all the characteristics of the real game, may be played. The apparatus is such that it lends itself to playingthe game with scarcely any sacrifice of realism and having all the fascination and enthusiasm of the real game. The arrangement of the board and associated elements is such that the game leaves little to chance and permits full exercise of the skill and alertness of the opposing players.

.A feature of the apparatus is the nature of the playing boardwhich is foldable from full size to quarter size. This provides the desirable advantage of portability and convenience of storage, and a long field to accommodate long hits.

.Another feature is found in the characteristics of a manikin simulating a pitcher which is provided with a spring arm for pitching purposes. The arm is adjustable whereby the ball may be pitched from various angles and at speeds dependent upon the. skill of the manipulator.

Other features and advantages are found in a device representing a combined backstop and catcher, in devices representing the players, and in-the general arrangemen and use of these items in the game. a

The invention further lies in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of the various elements of the game as shown and described herein and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of-the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description, and are .not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a baseball game apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail of a manikin representing the pitcher;

Fig. 3 is a detail of a structure representing a field player;

' Fig. 4 is a detail of the catchers end of the board;

Fig. 5 is a detail of a base runner;

Fig. 6 is a detail of the ball used; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail illustrating the manner in which the manikin representing the tothe game board. q H.

pitcher is attached United States Patent Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed description of the invention, there is shown (Fig. *1) a rectangular board 1 on which the game is played and the players are arranged. It is of suitable size for indoor or lawn use, and is desirably about five by six feet in size.

Theboard is designed so that it may be conveniently folded up to one-quarter size, whereby convenience of storage and transportation of the board is provided. Tothis end, the board is divided into four rectangular sections 2, 3, 4, and 5 of equal size as indicated by the cen-- ter lines A'B and CD. Sections 2, 3, and 4 are of identical construction, each having a rigid, rectangular board member 6, along the edges of the underside of which slats 7 are secured fast in suitable mannner, such as by glue, nails, or the like.

by the four abutting sections is covered over by suitable fabric material, such as green felt or the like. This material is glued fast to the surface of the boards Whereby the four sections are held together as a unit. By this design the board 1 as a unit may be folded first in half and, after removing the slat 8 may be folded. inhalf again to one-quarter the full size.

Along the rear edge and the adjacent right edge of the board are upstanding walls 9. These correspond to, and are intended to simulate the fence about one of the popular ball parks. Figures to indicate the distance of long ball drives may, if desired, be shown on the fence.

The fences are separated from one another at the center" lines of the board. The fences are hinged to the board in suitable manner so that they may be folded over flat upon the face of the board and then subsequently folded up with the board itself. Here, the edges of the surface covering cloth 11 are extended slightly as at 12 to overlap the marginal bottom portions of the fences and are glued thereto,v whereby'hinges are provided for the fences. The fences are held in erect position by a plural ity of clamp elements 14 which span the back of the fence and hook at one end over the top edge of the fence and at the other end hook beneath the board. A miniature baseball diamond 15 is painted or marked off on the surface of the board at a corner thereof. Foul lines 16 extend to the fences, and each foul line is provided with a foul line pole 17 at the fence end thereof. Elastic elements 18 looped about the poles hold them in erect position against the fences.

To the rear of home plate 19 a structure 21 is provided which is intended to perform the functions of both catcher and backstop. Structure. 21 comprises a pair of 6 formed elements 22 having their free ends pivoted to one another as at 23 so that the one may be folded over upon the other. Elements 22 provide a frame for the backstop, and they are spread out at right-angles and located in erect position with the pivoted corners 23 to the rear .of the catchers position. The frame is held erect by pairs of opposed blocks 24 fixed to the surface of the board 1. Blocks 24 provide channelsin whichthe adjacent lower rails of the backstop frame are fricti-onally received. The elements 22 are covered over with netting "of thread 25. Across the upper outer corners of the frame is stretched a cord 26, which together with the upper rails of the frame support a top covering of thread netting 27. Thus, a backstop for the diamond is provided. The catcher is provided .by a box 28 C6119 Section 5 is similarly formed, but with the exception that a slat 8 along an intrally of the backstop and formed of similar netting. The box is open in the end facing the field. The box opening is strengthened and supported by parallel cords 29 at the outer vertical edges, which cords are connected to the cross cord 26 at the upper end and to a similar cross cord 31 at the lower end. The ceiling of the box is provided by the upper netting 27 towhich the side and back walls of the catchers box are secured. It is. clear from the pivotal nature of the backstop and the netted structure of the box portion that when the game board is to be folded up, the combined backstop and catcher structure 21 may be removed from the block elements 24 and folded in two.

The infield players and the outfield players are represented by a plurality of cages of similar construction, of which each small cage 32 represents an infield player, and each large cage 33 represents an outfield player. The several cages are spread about the game board at strategic positions, much the same as players in the real game might be positioned.

To provide for compactness, ease of assembly, and to avoid loss of parts, the player cages are attached to the board as unitary parts thereof. As previously mentioned, the board is foldable. The player cages are formed and attached to the board in such manner that they may be folded flat upon the surface of the board, and thereby folded up with the board itself.

Since each player cage is of identical construction, it will suffice to describe but one. See Fig. 3 where a detail of a field player or cage is illustrated. It comprises a rectangular frame 34, the free ends 35 of which provide feet which are secured for pivotal movement of the frame by staples 36 to the surface of the board. The frame is held erect in a slightly rearwardly tilted position by means of a pair of cord lines 37. The latter are attached at opposite ends of the top rail 38 of the frame. The free ends of the cords are carried down angularly to the face of the board and passed through holes 39 to the underside of the board where they are knotted as at 41 to prevent escape of the cords from the board holes. The cage frame 34 is prevented from pivoting over upon the board surface by the knotted cord lines 37 and by a slightly rearward tilted position of the frame. A line 42 preferably of cord is secured across lines 37 near the board surface. A similar line 43 across lines 37 is secured further up, preferably about one-third of the way up lines 37. Netting 44 of thread is secured across the framing provided by side lines 37, cross line 42, and the upper rail of frame 34. The netting 44 is draped over the intermediate cross line 43; it is sufficiently large enough so that it sags on opposite sides of line 43, whereby a small rectangular pocket is provided below the line 43 and a larger rectangular pocket is provided above the line. The structure is further supported against sagging of the side lines 37 under the weight of the netting 44 by a line 45 preferably of elastic, disposed angularly from the upper rail of frame 34 to the board surface and removably attached to a hook in the board surface. The pockets 46 and 47 serve to catch a ball batted during the game. The netting, being of thread, is adapted to yield so as to draw back slightly under the impact of a batted ball, whereby the ball is, as it were caught in a glove.

A manikin 48 designed to simulate a pitcher is provided. The pitcher comprises a plate of rigid metal formed to simulate the head and body of a man, and

provided at its bottom is a rearwardly extending flange or foot portion 49 serving to support the manikin in standing position on the surface of the game board. The foot portion 49 is provided with a hole 50 containing bolt and nut means 51 engaging the game board, whereby the manikin is secured in erect position to the surface of the latter. In this respect the foot portion 49 rests upon the surface of the game board, the shank of the bolt element 65 passes through hole 50 of the foot portion and through a complementary hole of the game 4 board. The nut element 66 is threaded upon the projecting shank of the bolt and is drawn up tight against the underside of the game board, as appears in Fig. 7. An elongated thin strip of spring steel serves as the pitchers arm 52. The strip is attached to the pitchers body by means of an elongated vertical slot 53 in the strip and by bolt and nut means 54 engaging the strip through a hole in the body of the pitcher. The arm 52 is adjustable to a plurality of pitching positions. It may be lengthened or shortened relative to the body portion, or moved from left to right, by sliding the slotted arm over the shank of the bolt means 54 or by pivoting the arm about the bolt shank. The adjusted position of the arm is made secure by tightening the bolt means 54. A hand for the pitchers arm is simulated by a covering of soft material 55 over the upper face end of the arm. Padding the edges of the underside of the covering provides a convexed central area 56 in which the ball to be pitched may be positioned.

It is clear that by means of the steel spring arm 52 a ball may be pitched toward the catcher. This is done by holding the ball in the hand of the pitching arm by means of the thumb and forefinger, flexing the arm rearwardly and then letting go. The ball will be propelled forwardly by the restoring spring action of the arm. The height and position of the arm may be adjusted through the slot and bolt means so that the pitched ball will pass over home plate and will pass through the open end of the catchers box to land therein. Balls missing the catchers box will be stopped by the backstop structure.

A left-handed pitcher may be provided by securing the pitching arm in the hole 57 at the left side of the pitchers body.

A ball 58 is provided for the game. It is about fiveeighths of an inch in diameter and adapted to be held in the hand of the pitching arm 52. It is formed of lightweight material, such as, balsa wood, plastic, moulded material, or the like.

A bat 59 of suitable size is provided, taking into consideration the miniature nature of the game and the size of the ball. The bat is preferably about seven inches in length, tapering from an inch at the wide end to a half inch at the handle. The bat is swung by a player holding it in his hands over home plate. The opposing player pitches the ball through the pitching arm 52.

To further make the game realistic, base runners 56 are provided. The runner is provided with a wheeled base 61 whereby it may be quickly moved across the board from base to base by aplayer during the game.

The board 1 may be supported for playing purposes upon a suitable table, or it may be supported on a plurality of legs 62 positioned about the board at short distances from one another. Legs 62 comprise an elongated dowel 63 for a leg and a block 64 positionable under the game board for supporting the latter.

In disassembling the game apparatus, the pitcher is unbolted and removed from the board and the combined backstop and catcher structure is removed from the supporting blocks. The fencesv are'folded over fiat upon the board surface, and the several player cages are pivoted down upon the face of the board. Next the board itself is folded in half along the center line AB and, after removing the slat 8 the board is folded in quarter along the line CD.

While various rules might be devised in playing the game, I find the following method appropriate for giving to the game a sense of realism in which the players take a competitive and active part.

The pitcher tries to fool the batter by varying the angle of the pitch and the speed thereof.

When the batter hits the ball in the infield, he wheels the runner to first base as rapidly as he can, unless the ball has been caught on the fly by one of the player cages or manually by an opposing participant. Grounders are picked up by a defensive participant and tossed to the player cage at first base, making the out if the ball reaches there before the runner.

Double plays are made by making the throw to the player cage at the most advanced base to which a runner is forced and then to any other base before a runner reaches it. A runner who is not forced to a base must be tagged with the ball in the participants hand after a throw is made to that base.

Base hits are valued according to where the ball lands on the field. Grounders and line drives on one or more hops stopped by an outfielder player cage are singles. Drives reaching the fences are doubles Hits over center fielder and into the fence are triples. Fair balls over the fence on a fly are home runs.

The above method of scoring hits is preferable where there is only one participant for each team. Where there is more than one participant per team the outfielder throws the ball in to the infielder participant or player cage to curtail the extent of the hit, the runner advancing in the meanwhile as far as possible.

The infield fly rule and wherever possible all other rules of the regular game of baseball apply. A pitched ball entering the catchers box is a strike, otherwise a ball.

The particular dimensions selected for the game board relatively comparable to the proportions of the average popular ball park, whereby further realism is added to the game.

While I have described and illustrated a preferred form of the invention, it is clear that some modification of form might be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, it is my intent, therefore, to claim the invention not only in the form presented, but also in all such forms as may be reasonably construed to be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a baseball game apparatus, a foldable board; simulated basemen, each baseman comprising a frame pivotable over upon the board, a net angularly supported by the frame and providing a pair of adjoining pockets adapted to catch a ball entering therein, and means for preventing the frame from pivoting over upon the board; a manikin pitcher removably attached to the surface of the board and having a flexible pitching arm adjustable to a plurality of pitching positions and adapted to propel a ball upon being flexed and released; and a combined catchers box and backstop comprising'a pair of rectangular netted frame members pivoted at right angles to one another, means on the surface of the board frictionally holding the pivoted frame members in erect position, a netting stretched across the top of the pivoted members, and a netted box element located between the frame members and depending from the underside of the net ting stretched across the top of the pivoted members and being open in an end facing the pitcher, the box element adapted to receive a ball pitched through the open end and to hold it, and the frame members adapted by the netting to stop a pitched ball not entering the box element.

2. In a baseball game apparatus including a playing board and a simulated pitcher mounted thereon, a combined catchers box and backstop comprising a foldable frame of rigid material including a pair of rectangular arm members pivotable to a position at right angles to one another and as pivoted being removably mountable in supporting blocks on the surface of the playing board, netting covering the arm members and netting stretched over the top of one arm to the other, whereby a backstop is provided to intercept a pitched ball, and a rectangular box of netting material located between the pivoted arm members, the box depending from the underside of the netting stretched over the top of the arms and the box being open in an end facing the pitcher, and the box adapted to catch a ball pitched therein through the open end.

3. In a baseball game apparatus of the character described, a rectangular rigid playing board, and a manikin pitcher blanked from sheet metal, the pitcher having a foot extension fastened to the surface of the board, a separate extended arm for the pitcher formed of flat spring steel, the arm having a slot therein, bolt and nut means in the body of the pitcher engaging the slot of the arm for supporting the arm to the pitcher, a sleeve simulating a hand covering the free end of the arm and having a slight recess in which might be positioned a miniature ball, the slot being vertically extended in the arm whereby the arm can be adjusted on the bolt and nut means to a plurality of vertical and angular positions for pitching the ball, and the arm being actuable to throw the ball upon manually flexing the arm while at the same time manually holding the ball in the recess and then simultaneously manually letting go of both the arm and the ball.

4. In a baseball game apparatus, a rectangular board, simulated basemen and fielders each having a rectangular frame of rigid wire pivoted to the boards surface, a pair of cord lines extending downward and angularly to the boards surface from opposite ends of the top rail of the frame, the free ends of the cord lines projecting through fine holes in the board and being knotted below the board so as to prevent upward escape of the cord lines from the holes, the frame being tilted slightly toward the boards surface in a direction opposed to the direction in which the cord lines extend whereby the knotted ends of said cord lines are drawn upwardly by the weight of the frame to limit against the underside of the board, a first cross line connected across the said cord lines near the surface of the board, a second cross line spaced upwards of the latter line and also connected across the said cord lines, and a lightweight netting secured to the cord lines, to the top rail of the frame and to the first cross line, the netting being draped over the second cross line and sagging between the top rail of the frame and the second cross line and also sagging between the latter line and the first cross line whereby a pair of pockets for catching a hit ball is provided, one to either side of the second cross line.

5. In a baseball game apparatus as in claim 4, wherein the board is foldable to half size and is divided into four equal rectangular sections, each section including slats bordering the marginal edges of the underside thereof, the slats of neighboring sections abutting one another in side by side relation along the longitudinal and lateral center lines of the board, a fabric covering adhered to the top surface of the several sections and holding them together as a unit, and the board as a unit being adapted to be folded in half along a selected one of the center lines of the board.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 921,366 Conolly May 11, 1909 1,153,719 Simmons Sept. 14, 1915 1,585,556 Markham et al May 18, 1926 1,591,753 Flaugh July 6, 1926 1,685,428 Lowry Sept. 25, 1928 2,145,840 Thompson et al. Jan. 31, 1939 2,412,714 Caesar Dec. 17, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 641,504 Great Britain Aug. 16, 1950

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