Halfball
Encyclopedia
Halfball is a sport
that is a variant of baseball
.
The sport is typically played on a city street. There are two opposing teams, typically composed of two players each (a pitcher
and a catcher). The equipment for the sport consists of a bat
(normally a broomstick or bladeless hockey stick
) and a ball. The distinctive features of the ball give the sport its name: it is a half (hemisphere) of a hollow rubber ball (such as a pimpleball or a tennis ball).
Play consists of the pitcher throwing the ball to the catcher on his (the pitcher's) team, while a batter from the opposing team attempts to bat the ball, as in baseball.
Pitchers try to strike out
batters; one strike is an out
, BUT the missed halfball has to be caught by the catcher to make an out. If the catcher misses the pitch, the batter is not OUT and gets another chance. Obviously, a half of a ball can be made to sail — upshoot, left-curve, right-curve, drop balls, etc. — in countless directions, and some pitchers get to be extremely good. Batters, meanwhile, attempt to make contact. No baserunning is involved in the game; a grounder past the pitcher is a single. If the pitcher fields it before it gets past his position, it is an out. Fly balls past the pitcher, unless caught for outs, are doubles, and balls hit to a pre-designated distance are home runs. Triples can be agreed upon prior to games.
Another popular street game, at least in Philadelphia was "tire ball." Originally it was played with a cut-up balloon bicycle tire, usually about 4 inches in length. But bicycle tires were more often repaired, or their inner tubes were, because they were expensive. So "tire ball" was usually played with cut up rubber garden hoses. Unlike half ball, tire ball could not be played against a wall, or the end house in a row, because it was hard, and likely to break windows. It couldn't be played across a street because the hose ball would travel three times the distance of a half ball. So it was usually played lengthwise in a driveway.
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
that is a variant of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.
The sport is typically played on a city street. There are two opposing teams, typically composed of two players each (a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and a catcher). The equipment for the sport consists of a bat
Baseball bat
A baseball bat is a smooth wooden or metal club used in the game of baseball to hit the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. It is no more than 2.75 inches in diameter at the thickest part and no more than 42 inches in length. It typically weighs no more than 33 ounces , but it...
(normally a broomstick or bladeless hockey stick
Hockey stick
A hockey stick is a piece of equipment used in field hockey, ice hockey or roller hockey to move the ball or puck.- Field hockey :Field hockey sticks have an end which varies in shape, often depending on the players position...
) and a ball. The distinctive features of the ball give the sport its name: it is a half (hemisphere) of a hollow rubber ball (such as a pimpleball or a tennis ball).
Play consists of the pitcher throwing the ball to the catcher on his (the pitcher's) team, while a batter from the opposing team attempts to bat the ball, as in baseball.
Pitchers try to strike out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
batters; one strike is an out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
, BUT the missed halfball has to be caught by the catcher to make an out. If the catcher misses the pitch, the batter is not OUT and gets another chance. Obviously, a half of a ball can be made to sail — upshoot, left-curve, right-curve, drop balls, etc. — in countless directions, and some pitchers get to be extremely good. Batters, meanwhile, attempt to make contact. No baserunning is involved in the game; a grounder past the pitcher is a single. If the pitcher fields it before it gets past his position, it is an out. Fly balls past the pitcher, unless caught for outs, are doubles, and balls hit to a pre-designated distance are home runs. Triples can be agreed upon prior to games.
Another popular street game, at least in Philadelphia was "tire ball." Originally it was played with a cut-up balloon bicycle tire, usually about 4 inches in length. But bicycle tires were more often repaired, or their inner tubes were, because they were expensive. So "tire ball" was usually played with cut up rubber garden hoses. Unlike half ball, tire ball could not be played against a wall, or the end house in a row, because it was hard, and likely to break windows. It couldn't be played across a street because the hose ball would travel three times the distance of a half ball. So it was usually played lengthwise in a driveway.