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BEAN BAG (SANDBAG) BASEBALL

Principle of Game
The game is played on a board stand (see diagram) with beanbags.
Rules are similar to real baseball -- person throwing continues until he gets 3 strikes.
An inning is over when each team has 3 outs.

Team Play
5 to 12 players are required for each team. Desirable to have 9 players per team.
Keep teams even numbered for competition.  
Each team nominates a captain and may choose a name.
Have a baseball play-off chart showing progression of winners and the team names.

Players Distance
21 ft from Home Plate to rear of Game Board -- about 17 ft from front leg.
Distance may be changed for children when they throw so they can hit the board.

Positioning of the players and the stand
2nd Base chair to be placed behind Game board;
1st base chair to the right and
3rd base to the left of the Game Board.
Must be reasonable distance between them

Line on ground to clearly indicate where thrower will stand.  If heel goes ahead of
line, thrower is out; may touch line with his foot but without going ahead of it.  
Suggest a small rope held by two nails.

Players' chairs placed so as not to obstruct thrower's view.
It is important that each player retains the same chair,
in the same team, for the entire game.

How to score
Each player allowed to throw bean bags until he has a base hit
or makes 3 strikes or makes an out.

When a player has thrown a bean bag into a hole,
he then does what is written under the hole.
For example, if the beanbag enters the 1st base hole,
player drops other 2 bags and goes to sit on the 1st base chair.  
He waits there for next player to throw.
He cannot leave until next player successfully throws a beanbag
or the team scores 3 outs.

If the next player throws beanbag into the 2nd base hole,
the player at 1st base goes, touches 2nd base and continues to 3rd base chair.
At same time, the player who has just thrown the bag goes and touches 1st base
chair, continues on and sits on 2nd base.

If next player throws a beanbag into the 1st base hole,
he goes and sits in the 1st base chair.  
Player at 3rd cannot go home and score.  He has to be forced to go Home.

When 3 bases are loaded, if next player throws into the 1st base hole,
all players advance one chair, but only player on 3rd base gets to score.
If that player had thrown in the 2nd base hole, 2 players would score;
and if he had thrown into the 3rd base hole, 3 players would have scored.
A home run makes all players on the bases score
including the player who threw the beanbag.

Each bag thrown and not entering a hole is considered a strike.
If the 1st or 2nd bag enters a FOUL hole, it is also considered a strike.

A player is OUT when he has 3 strikes or if he throws a bag into the hole marked OUT.
If the 3rd bag enters the FOUL hole,
player is allowed to throw another beanbag until a base hit, or a strike, or an OUT is
made.

The scorekeeper will keep track of the OUTs and strikes,
and call them out to the players as they are made.
The inning ends when each team scores 3 OUTs.

When a team has 3 OUTS,
the player following the one who had the last OUT will start the next inning.

A flip of a coin will determine which team captain will start throwing.  
The winner has the choice to start first or let the other team start.

If a beanbag is only half entered into a hole, it does not count.  
If a following beanbag thrown by the same player pushes it in
and enters the same hole or another hole, only the first bag counts.

You must throw the beanbag underhand.

A game is complete after 9 innings.  Short innings may be scheduled.
6 runs in any 1 inning by a team is the maximum.  
When a team has scored 6 runs in an inning, it is considered as if they have 3 outs.

It is preferable to have a referee who is not a player.
His role is to watch the board to see which hole is entered
and that the player stays behind the line.
Also, to make sure that all runners touch or sit in all the chairs
as they pass the bases and touch home, or the run can be cancelled.

A scorekeeper is required to keep score on the 2 teams
and to call out the names as they come up to throw.  
He will also call out the strikes and OUTs like a real umpire.

How to fill in the score sheet
- Each team uses a separate score sheet.
- Fill in the team name at the top and the names of players on the left column.
- If teams have more than 10 players each, use a second score sheet.
- If a player throws a beanbag in the hole indicating 1 Base, circle 1B;
the same for 2B. 3B or HR.
- When a run is made, fill in the little box above the letters HR on the score sheet for
the person making the run.  These solid boxes are how to keep track of the runs.
- When a player throws into the Home Run hole, circle the HR and fill in the little box
for his run.  If he drives in runs from any who were sitting on Base chairs,
fill in the boxes under their names.
- When a player is   OUT, insert an X in the box.
- An inning is over when you have 3 boxes with an X.
- Draw a line under the square of the player who makes the 3rd OUT
so the next inning can start with the following player.
- Do not shift to the next inning column each time,
keep track of the innings by these lines.  
-The whole team may have to play before having 3 outs or 6 runs,
and you may run out of columns.
- Using the line method, you may only need 5 columns during the 9 innings,
but they are there if needed.
-The bottom line on the score sheet is for reporting the runs.
- Each inning column has 2 triangles.
- The 1st triangle is for the runs made by the first 10 players.  
- The 2nd triangle is the running total of the game.  
- Count the filled-in boxes in the column to give you the runs made for the 1st
triangle.
The board should be
24" by 36".  All openings
are 4" in diameter

Center base holes are as
follows: center of top hole
(3rd base) is 5" from top of
board and 12" from either
side. Next hole (HOME) has
center 8" below this.
Another (3rd base) is
centered 8" below this.

Matching holes on the left
and right are placed as
follows: Center of (OUT)
holes are 9" down and 7"
from side. (2nd base) hole
has center 8" below this
and 7" from side. (1st base)
hole is 8" below this and 7"
from side.

Slot is 5" high and 18" wide
and is cut out 1 1/2" from
bottom.
 
BOARD DIAGRAM AND
DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING IT --
ALSO DIRECTIONS FOR
BEANBAGS.
Attach game
board to an
upright support at
a 45 degree angle.

Throwing line
marker is placed
21" from the back
upright support.


Beanbags - Each
bag is 3 1/2"
square and is
filled with 4 oz of
navy beans.