An apparatus for playing and a method of playing the ball type game called "Buntball" is disclosed. The game is characterized as being suitable for play by persons of differing skill, gender, or age and of being safe to play indoors or outdoors. The apparatus comprises a rectangular playing field without walls or ceiling, a homeplate in front of the playing field, a bat, and a ball. The playing field includes four subareas, and is preferably sixteen feet wide and twenty-four feet deep. Homeplate is preferably twelve feet away from the playing field. The bat and ball are preferably hollow and the ball is preferably perforated with small openings. The players are equally partitioned into two teams, each having at least one player. One team is positioned on the playing field with the goal of catching balls bunted thereto by a batter on the other team. The members of the team not on the playing field, attempt, one at a time, to bunt balls pitched by a member of the team on the playing field with the goal of bunting a ball onto the playing field without having it caught. If a ball is bunted onto the playing field without being caught, the subarea where the ball lands determines the number of imaginary bases that are advanced by an imaginary runner. Rules for playing Buntball are disclosed.
Bats that aid in bunting are disclosed herein. The bats generally include a rounded elongate shaft having a handle end and a contact end, and the handle end may have a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the contact end. In an embodiment, at least one indicator is between the handle and contact ends to designate where and how a user should hold the bat while bunting. In an embodiment, first and second indentations are in a surface of the shaft between the handle and contact ends to designate where a user should hold the bat while bunting. In an embodiment, at least one indicator selected from the group consisting of an indentation, a marking, and a bump is between the handle and contact ends to designate where and how a user should hold the bat while bunting.
A batter training and protection system and method are shown. A protector for protecting an infield area is provided with a plurality of indicia situated thereon or integrally formed therein to define a plurality of target areas, respectively. The indicia may comprise a plurality of material segments, a plurality of colors, patterns, graphics or the like in order to define the plurality of target areas at which a player may practice bunting a baseball.
A batter training and protection system is shown. A protector for protecting an infield area is provided with a plurality of indicia situated thereon or integrally formed therein to define a plurality of target areas, respectively. The indicia may comprise a plurality of material segments, a plurality of colors, patterns, graphics or the like in order to define the plurality of target areas at which a player may practice bunting a baseball.
