Baseball is all about skill and strategy, and that combination is what makes this tabletop baseball game so much fun for all who play it.
The Ballpark Classics game is baseball's answer to foosball and air hockey, but requires a lot less space. Just like in real baseball, the tabletop version of the game boils down to the pitcher vs. batter match-up. To play, the pitcher releases a steel ball from the pitcher's pipe that the batter, using a pinball-like wood bat, tries to hit through holes in the outfield fence for a single, double or triple. Hitting the ball back up the pipe from which it came is a home run. But hitting the ball is no sure thing, as the pitcher can "throw" a variety of pitches by squeezing the ball prior to its release.
A nine inning game takes 20 to 30 minutes to play, and the all-ages game can accommodate 1 to 4 players. Score is kept on boards near the foul poles and the game board itself is a scaled down replica of a real ballpark that's made with solid wood and a turf-like felt that covers the playing field. The game requires no electricity, as it operates on the simple principles of friction and gravity.
The Ballpark Classics Tabletop Baseball Game comes with...
A set of rules and special scorecard
10 steel (marble-sized) balls
Self-adhesive felt logo pennants for each Major League team plus nostalgic billboard stickers that can be placed on the outfield wall |
and is...
Made in the USA
34" wide x 30" deep x 7" high
26 pounds
Licensed by MLB |
Only $249
Learn More About the Game
Ballpark Classics is a new game that was many years in the making. Designed and enhanced by a lifelong baseball fan over three decades, it's built in and ships to you from South Dakota.
Breaking the mold of any type of baseball game that came before it, the Ballpark Classics is compact and lightweight, as it measures 34" x 30" x 7" and weighs just 26 pounds. So unlike ping pong, pinball machines, foosball, and other game room classics, this baseball tabletop game doesn't take up much space and is something you can easily take with you on the road.
The game board is designed to mimic a real Major League ballpark, with the playing field a one-inch-to-eighteen-feet scale model of the real thing. The outfield fences, made from a durable plastic, are one-inch-to-ten-feet in scale. The fence can be adorned with logos from any Major League team, as self-adhesive mini logo pennants are included for all 30 teams. Additionally, an American and National League pennant is included, as are billboard ad stickers. So personalizing your Ballparks Classics model is easy to do.
Every game comes with a complete set of easy-to-follow rules plus a special scorecard. Designed for ages 3 & up, Ballpark Classics simulates the real baseball experience for hours of fun and interactivity. You can play it solo, head to head, or in two-person teams.
How to Play
The game is simple to play, but takes some skill to master and, just like in real baseball, good pitching is the key to winning.
To pitch, you squeeze the ball at the top of the pitching pipe in different ways to make it move. Since the inside of the pipe is slick (like a bowling alley) but the felt turf of the playing field isn't, the friction allows you to throw fastballs, curves, change-ups, and sliders by changing your finger placement and adjusting the force you place on the ball when releasing it. Over time, a pitcher will learn to control the ball's speed, spin, and location just like the pros.
To hit the marble-sized ball, the batter pulls a lever that controls a bat made from hard rock maple. By hitting the ball through gates in the fence, the batter can rack up singles, doubles and triples. To hit a home run, smack the ball up the middle and the pitcher's pipe and over the fence. If the ball rolls back down the pipe then the end result of the play depends on where the ball comes to rest.
The game doesn't require any fielding. Outs are recorded by striking out a batter or when a batted ball stops on the field in fair territory. Batters can reach base by walking or getting a hit. Base runners are tracked by placing balls in the round trays that are behind home plate. Outs are tracked in a similar manner on the side of home plate opposite of the base runner tracker. The count (balls and strikes) is maintained by the pitcher, who has the final call over which pitches are balls and strikes.
From first pitch to final out, a game rarely takes more than a half-hour. Between 20 and 30 minutes is the norm. Score is kept on the field and the game can be played atop a table or on the floor.
To see how the game is played, watch the video below, which was shot at the 2010 All-Star Game FanFest in Anaheim, CA:
Some Final Facts About the Game
Some assembly is required. A screwdriver is the only tool needed.
The ball is the size of a marble and made of steel. Ten are included. If you lose them, they are readily available at any hardware store.
The bat is made from real American hard rock maple. A steel rod that runs through its center attaches the bat to the hitting lever.
The felt that covers the field is industrial strength and a sixteenth of an inch thick. It's the same stuff used in automotive and filtration systems. So it's made to last and actually gets better with age, feeling more like turf the more often you play.
The frame of the game is made from wood, specifically Baltic Birch, that is finished with a furniture-grade lacquer. The game's base is made from a solid block of three-quarter inch wood underlayment.
No power (batteries or electricity) is required. The game operates thanks to the simple physics principles of friction and gravity.
Easy to store when not in use.
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