The present invention relates to a game and a court for playing the game.

The game is a version of baseball which may be played indoors.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a court for playing a ball game comprising: barrier means which substantially delimits said court; a. substantially planar floor surface; and a running path delimited by a plurality of bases; wherein said running path may be traversed by a player of said game to generate a first score and said barrier means includes a receiving portion adapted to receive a ball such that a second score is generated when said portion receives a ball as a result of an action of said player.

Preferably said receiving portion protrudes from said barrier means into said court.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a first preferred embodiment of a court in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation of a part of the net of a court in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the part of the net shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a racquet and a ball used to play the game;

Figure 5 is an elevation of an umpires chair and area used during the game;

Figure 6 is a plan view of a second preferred embodiment of a court in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a third preferred embodiment of a court in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 8 is a plan view of a fourth preferred embodiment of a court in accordance with the present invention.

A court 2 for playing the game, as shown in Figure 1, is delimited by a net 4. The court 2 has a substantially planar floor surface 12 and comprises a plurality of bases, a home base 6, a first base 8 and a second base 10. The bases 6, 8 and 10 define a running path which players of the game must travel in order to complete a run. A player completes a run by travelling from the home base 6 to the first base 8 to the second base 10 and back to the home base 6. The boundary net 4 includes a receiving portion 20 which is adapted to receive balls. The receiving portion 20

is defined by a canvas or net 22 aligned with the remainder of the boundary net 4 and a protruding net 24 which extends into the court 2. The court also includes an area 30, usually designated by a circle or mound, from which a pitcher is allowed to pitch a ball. The boundary net 4 also comprises passage means 32 by which the players of the game may exist or enter the court 2. The passage means 32 may comprise doors, gates or zips in the net 4. The court 2 also includes a scoreboard 40 which is placed adjacent the net 4. ~ The receiving portion 20 is usually positioned at an opposite end of the court 12 from the end where the home base 6 is positioned. A chair 50 is provided for an umpire of the game and is placed outside of the court 2 and positioned so as to be aligned with the pitching area 30 and the home base 6.

As shown in figure 2, the boundary net 4 extends from the surface 12 to a certain height above the surface 12 which is significantly greater than the average height of a man and is preferably about 4.8m. The canvas 22 of the receiving portion 20 is of substantially the same height as the remainder of the boundary net 4 and the protruding net 24 is of a lower height than the remainder of the boundary net 4 and preferably has a height of about 3.6m. The protruding net 24 is attached to the ends 26 and 28, respectively, of the canvas 22 and extends into the court 2 in order to define the receiving portion 20. At least one support pole 29 may be used to determine the shape of and position of the protruding net 24 within the court 2.

A ball 60 and bat 62, as shown in figure 4, are used to play the game. The ball 60 has a diameter of approximately 10 cm and is made of rubber so that it is soft and capable of bouncing. The bat 62 comprises a handle 64 attached to an elliptical aluminium frame 66. A mesh of cord or catgut is stretched across the elliptical frame 66 in order to form a head 68 of the bat 62. The handle 64 and head 68 are elongated so that the bat 62 may be used in a similar fashion to a baseball bat. The handle 64 may be gripped by both hands of the player and placed behind the player's shoulder when the player is waiting for the ball 60 to be pitched towards him. The player may attempt to strike a pitched ball with the head 68 by swinging the head 68 from behind his shoulder down past his body. The bat 62 is used in the same manner as a baseball bat when striking a pitched ball.

The game is played by preferably two teams of 7, 8 or 9 players and one team fields whilst the other team bats. An innings is completed once each player for the batting team has had a bat. Both teams should have at least two innings. During an innings, a player who comes into bat stands at the home base 6 and waits for the pitcher standing in the area 30 to pitch the ball. The fielding team, at any given time, must position a pitcher to pitch the ball and have fielders positioned at each of the bases. The remaining players in the fielding team are positioned within the court, usually at the discretion of the captain of the fielding team. The players of the fielding team all have a turn at pitching and each

member of the fielding team pitches to a particular member of the batting team, as selected by the captain of the fielding team. The ball 60 must be pitched by a pitcher from within the pitching area 30 and the ball 60 must be pitched between a batter's knee and shoulder and within four feet from the batter and not closer than one foot from the batter. Any pitch delivered outside this restricted area is deemed a foul pitch. The ball 60 on being pitched may bounce, but not more than twice, before reaching the batter. A batter receives three pitches and on at least one of those pitches the batter must attempt to strike the ball and run to the first base 8 without being given out. A batter is given out if one of the members of the fielding team performs one of the following:

1. Catches on the full a ball struck by the batter.

2. Tags the batter with the ball before the batter reaches one of the bases.

3. Receives the ball and touches one of the bases before the batter reaches that base.

The fielding team scores points when a batter is given out.

The batting team scores points each time a member of the batting team completes a run. A run is completed if a player on the batting side manages to travel the running path delimited by the bases, within an innings. To complete a run a player must leave the home base and touch each of the other bases in order before returning to the home base without being given out. If a batter strikes or hits a ball into the

receiving portion 20 the batter achieves a "homer". On achieving a "homer" the batter is granted a run and is allowed to travel the bases before the next player comes in to bat. When a homer is hit any players already standing on the bases are also allowed to return to the home base to score a run. Members of the batting team which are traversing the bases are not allowed to pass one another and must travel the bases in order. Only one member of the batting team is allowed to stand on a base at any given time.

The batting team scores extra points each time a team member hits a "homer" and also scores points if a foul pitch is delivered to a team member.

The game is refereed or umpired by an umpire who sits in a raised chair 50 outside of the court 2 as shown in figures 1 and 5. The umpire may award points against a player's team for any one of the following:

1. Pushing or any dangerous play.

2. Kicking the ball.

3. Any unsportsman-like or disallowed conduct.

A score board 40 may be attached to the umpire's chair.

The embodiments of the court 2 illustrated in figures 6, 7 and 8 indicate that the court 2 may take a variety of shapes and that any number of bases may be included, together with any number of receiving portions 20. The shape and positioning of the receiving portions 20 may also be varied. The reference numbers used in figure 1 to refer to specific features of the court 2 are also used to

refer to the same features in the courts 2 illustrated in figures 6 to 8 with the addition of reference numerals 112, 114, 116, 118 and 120 referring to the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh bases, respectively.

Many modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings.