Baseball Baseball Inc

Bill (Hookalakah2U, on the Ball Park Delphi Forum) recently sent me two old Ball Park Baseball brochures. I'm not sure when these were originally released, but both of them appear to be from the 1970's.

I love reading these over and I've probably read them, front to back, at least 30 times.

Bill sent me photocopies of the documents that he had and I'm sure he got his copies the same way. The photocopies are black and white and were in pretty good shape for the most part. Rather than post images of these documents here, I decided to re-do them completely. I've tried to replicate these brochures, as close to their original format, as possible, so that they will project precisely what Professor Sidman wanted them to project.

There are only two places where my efforts differ from the documents that Bill sent me. The first difference is at the very top of the first brochure. The banner is actually in black and white, but I added a little bit of color to it. The second difference deals with some minor formatting of columns in the second brochure, where action symbols are described. Because of the tables I used in creating this page, I aligned these columns differently than Professor Sidman had them, but they still contain the same exact text.

I think you'll get a lot of enjoyment in reading these brochures. If you're already familiar with the present day game, you will immediately pick up on the area's where the game has evolved (i.e., runners on/runners off - splits not on the cards, etc.).

If you have yet to purchase the game, there will be some area's (such as the injury system) that were significantly different, then, as compared to now (2007). The present day game does not have an injury system.

BROCHURE # 1

Return to Home Page

Let us introduce you to the most realistic, exciting, and historically accurate baseball game ever -- BALL PARK BASEBALL. We call it "ball park" because its play is so realistic that you experience the excitement and the thrills of actually being in a major league stadium. You manage real World Series teams, complete with all their strengths and weaknesses. Each player performs for you as he did on the field that year. Each batter approximates his own batting average and power. Fielders show their range and surehandedness. Pitchers allow their approximate number of hits per inning, walks, strikeouts, and most importantly, their actual earned run average. In short, BALL PARK BASEBALL is

As manager you participate with your team. You decide who to pitch, what batting order to use, when to steal, sacrifice, or hit and run, when and how to defense against the bunt, whether to intentionally walk the opposition's star hitter, whether to use a relief pitcher -- all the decisions an actual manager must make. Of course, your decisions may not win every game (sometimes they may completely backfire). But good management can significantly improve the performance of your team.

You can replay any World Series from 1919 through 1971 to see if the better team really won (Were the Mets just lucky in '69?). You can match outstanding teams from different eras to see which prevail (Were the '27 Yankees the best team of all time?). You can experience why Babe Ruth was so feared, why Whitey Ford pitched 32 consecutive scoreless innings in World Series play, why Brooks Robinson is considered a super fielder. You can learn the strengths and weaknesses of each World Series team.

Even if you have only a passing interest in baseball, you will enjoy playing BALL PARK BASEBALL. It is a magnificent game of strategy and skill -- a game in which you match wits with your opposing manager. It is subtle, yet easily played. Each game takes about one-half hour, but the variations which can occur with a single game are endless.

BALL PARK BASEBALL can be played at two levels. Level 1 is designed for players just becoming acquainted with the game. You can play Level 1 with just a few minutes of reading and instruction. Once you have played several games at Level 1, you can begin playing at Level 2 with little additional help. It is at Level 2 that all the realism of BALL PARK BASEBALL is most apparent.

There are other baseball games available. Check the features that make BALL PARK BASEBALL unique.

**	Unusual features of each major league stadium are reflected in the play of the teams.

**	Pitchers are rated according to their ability to hold runners on base, whether they are fly ball or ground ball pitchers, whether they pitch better or worse with runners on base. Their effectiveness is based not only on their win-loss record and their earned run average, but also on how their win-loss record compares with their team's win-loss record.

**	Each fielder is rated individually, and individual fielder ratings are crucial on most plays. You can move your infielders half-way or all-the-way in when you want to try for a play at the plate. Outfielders too can be moved in for those crucial moments when you must protect against the winning run.

**	Catchers are rated for their fielding ability, their throwing ability, and their ability to handle pitchers.

**	Virtually every play that has ever taken place in major league baseball can occur in BALL PARK BASEBALL. The hidden ball trick, runners missing bases, outfielders crashing into walls, pitchers picking runners off base or balking, fielders ejected from the game for protesting, and many more.

Formulas for BALL PARK BASEBALL have been devised by four professors at a major state university, each of whom has has a life-long interest in baseball. We were assisted by a baseball historian and an expert in computer science. We have tested the game for over fifteen years, constantly improving it, before we decided it was ready to market nationally.

We want you to become acquainted with and enjoy playing BALL PARK BASEBALL. For this reason we are offering BALL PARK BASEBALL basic sets at a special price from now until December 25 (Give yourself a Christmas present). Each set includes two World Series teams (your choice), the two appropriate baseball stadiums, one copy each of your "Level 1" and "Level 2" playbooks, instruction booklets, scoresheets, and 1,000 computer-produced random numbers. With this set you can play and replay any World Series several times. If bought separately these items would cost $12.50. However, until December 25 you can purchase them as a set for only $9.95. If you want either extra stadiums or additional teams, these are available too. Please note that if your order totals $25.00 or more, we will give you a 10% discount.

Order now!!! The sooner you order, the sooner you can become your own big league manager, BALL PARK BASEBALL style.

Return to Home Page

Whether you play baseball yourself, manage a little league team each summer, or just enjoy the "Great American Pastime" from the sidelines, BALL PARK BASEBALL is the only table-top baseball game good enough for you. It has features found in no other baseball game - features that make it much more realistic, believable, and exciting. Spend the next few minutes with us, and let us explain why.

In the fall, 1978, playoff game between the Red Sox and the Yankees, Bucky Dent launched a routine-looking fly ball to left field -- well, it would have been routine except that Fenway Park's "green monster" swallowed it up for the home run that sent the Yankees to the championship series. That green monster has been enticing right-handed hitters and plaguing left-handed pitchers for years. However, only with BALL PARK BASEBALL can you appreciate the joy and the frustration it brings. Other parks have peculiarities too, Yankee Stadium has its short right field fence. The Phillies' Veterans Stadium and Kansas City's Royals' Stadium both have lightning-fast artificial turfs. Old Sportsman's Park in St. Louis had a rock-hard, rough infield. Each of these features affected how players and teams reacted to different parks. Remember when the Cincinnati Reds moved from Crosley Field to Riverfront Stadium, and recall how the team's home run power suddenly vanished?

The park makes a big difference, and only BALL PARK BASEBALL recreates each feature of each park with statistical accuracy, telling you how infielders and outfielders make different kinds of plays. After you play BALL PARK BASEBALL, playing any other baseball game will make you think that you are playing on a sandlot.

Frankly, fielding is the most overlooked aspect of baseball - but not in BALL PARK BASEBALL. In our game each player is rated at the positions he played according to his range and his surehandedness. These two ratings are then combined to determine his overall fielding ability (Outfielders' and catchers' arms are rated also). Now, most importantly, when complicated plays occur, the outcomes depend upon the fielding abilities of all players involved. A "routine" double play, for example, actually takes place only if three fielders respond skillfully. A poor-fielding pivot man or first baseman can spoil a double play try for the best fielding pitcher or third baseman. Or, it doesn't matter how strong and accurate an outfielder's arm is if the catcher drops the ball. BALL PARK BASEBALL makes these facts quite clear. And, poor fielders play even worse on different fields. The parks make a difference in many ways.

The game is played according to the rules of baseball. The action of the game is based upon random numbers between 1 and 50. Numbers 1 through 25 are governed by the strength of the batter; numbers 26 through 50 provide the capability of the pitcher. Once you have selected your team, study your player's cards.

The top of the card gives you vital information: the player's team and the year the card represents, his name and batting average for that year, how he bats (left-handed, right-handed, or both), the strength of his throwing arm if he is an outfielder or catcher (1 represents an excellent throwing arm, 3 is average, 6 is extremely poor), if he is a good bunter (in 1936, DiMaggio was just average), what position(s) he fields and how well he fields them, and how fast he runs (a 1 runner is extremely fast, 5 is average, and 8 is extremely slow).

Each player's fielding ability is rated between 1 and 9 according to his range and his tendency to make errors. A 1 fielder has exceptional range and makes few errors. 2 and 4 fielders match the 1 fielder's range, but the 2 fielder makes an average number of errors while the 4 fielder is quite error-prone. 3 and 7 fielders make as few errors as the 1 fielder, but the 3 fielder has only average range, while the 7 has little range. The 5 fielder is average in both range and error-proneness while the 6 fielder has average range but is quite error-prone. The 8 fielder exhibits little range and makes numerous errors, and the 9 fielder is a fielder not playing his normal position, or one who is just not of major league caliber. Note that fielders may be designated as playing more than one position, and their fielding ability may vary from position to position.

Catchers' cards have one other piece of information, their "Handling" ability. This information has no significance for play at Level 1.

Each card has two vertical columns of numbers from 1 to 25. These numbers indicate the action of the play whenever you draw between 1 and 25 with this player batting. On each side of the vertical columns of numbers are action symbols. The column on the left is used when a left-hander is pitching; the column on the right is used whenever a right-hander is on the mound.

All play in BALL PARK BASEBALL is generated by drawing numbers from the random number selector. Let's assume that Joe DiMaggio is batting, you have drawn number 11, and that your opponent's pitcher is right-handed. You find number 11 on his card. Since the pitcher is right-handed, you refer to the right-hand column and see the symbol "HR" - DiMaggio has just hit a home run. The following chart will help you understand the action symbols found on the cards.

K =	Strike out.	L =	Liner - A very sharply hit ball. Difficult to catch. If it gets high enough, it will go for a home run.
PO =	Pop out - A short, very easy fly ball.	W =	Walk.
PU =	Pop up - This is also considered a Pop out in Level 1 play.	SS =	Sharp Single - A sharply hit ball that goes for a base hit, but goes directly to an outfielder.
GB =	Ground ball - A sharply hit bouncer directly to the fielder. It is an easy fielding play and a good double play ball.	TL =	Texas leaguer - A looping fly ball that is almost caught, but drops in for a single.
DG =	Deep grounder - A ground ball hit to the side of the fielder, thus increasing the time needed to make a play.	1B =	Single.
T =	Tap - A squibber. The infielder has to charge in to make the play.	2B =	Double.
SM =	Smash - A hard hit ball, hit to the side of the fielder. He must move to the ball to make the play, and his range plays a large factor in determining whether he makes it.	3B =	Triple.
H =	Hard one - An extremely hard hit ball hit directly to a fielder. He is likely either to err or let the ball get by him for a hit.	HR =	Home Run.
MF =	Medium fly - Always out. A fly ball hit almost directly to the outfielder.	WP =	Wild pitch.
DF =	Deep fly - Always out. A fly ball hit near the outfield fence.	PB =	Passed ball.
SF =	Short fly - A fly ball hit shallow in the outfield. The outfielder must run in and his range makes a difference.	HB =	Hit batsman.
D =	Drive - A long, high fly ball. The outfielder must run back and his range makes a difference.	IH =	Infield hit.

The number adjacent to the action symbol - GB6 or SF9 - indicates to what area of the diamond the ball was hit, using the standard scoring code of baseball.

From time to time, the base hits - 1B, 2B and 3B - will have an asterisk behind them. This asterisk has no special significance when playing at Level 1.

Some batters almost never strike out, others almost never walk, and some may go the whole season without hitting a home run. Thus some of your batters will have action symbols in the rectangular box at the bottom of the card for numbers between 26 and 50, numbers normally reserved for pitchers. For example, in 1956 Roberto Clemente played in 147 games, batted .311, but drew only 13 walks. He thus has a minus walk factor for that year. This is indicated with an action symbol at the bottom of the card that replaces a walk on the pitcher's card for that number. In 1968, Matty Alou played in 146 games, hit .332, but failed to hit a single home run. Liners on pitchers' cards, which are home runs in some ball parks, will thus be converted to hard ones to infielders on Alou's card. For example, it may read "44 = H4" at the bottom of his card. In 1925, Joe Sewell played infield for Cleveland in 155 games and struck out only 4 times! Even Lefty Grove will find it tough to strike out Sewell, because Sewell's card will have a minus strike out factor on certain numbers between 26 and 50. Be sure to note these action symbols in the rectangular box at the bottom of your hitter's cards. These symbols denote something unusual about that batter and are essential to the validity of the game.

Pitchers' cards are quite similar to fielders' cards. Their batting ability is reflected on one side of the card with action symbols for numbers 1 through 25, just like the fielders' cards. Their pitching ability is on the other side of the card.

The top of the pitching side gives you additional information: the pitcher's win-loss record and his earned run average for the year, whether he pitches right-handed or left-handed, how well he holds runners on base to prevent stolen bases (A 1 indicates a good hold, 3 is average, and 6 is quite poor), if he was used primarily in relief, and how well he fields his position.

The pitcher's pitching ability is determined by the action symbols for numbers 26 to 50. Anytime a batter draws a number above 25 the resulting action will be found on the pitcher's card (with the few exceptions of plus and minus factors on the hitter's cards between 26 and 50 explained earlier). If a right-hand batter draws 35 against the pitcher's card above, he will hit a medium fly ball to center field. Note that just like the batter's cards there are two columns for the pitching numbers of 26 to 50, and which side you use depends upon how the batter bats. (Remember a batter who bats both ways bats right-handed against a left-handed pitcher and left-handed against a right-handed pitcher).

Some pitchers give up a lot of hits, yet have low earned run averages and an excellent win-loss record. They seem to pace themselves and bear down harder with runners on base. Dizzy Dean for example, was such a pitcher. In 1934 he won 30 games, yet he allowed almost 9 hits a game on average. Pitchers of this type will have the action symbols for high numbers followed by a plus sign (+). This means that anytime there is no one on base in any given inning and one of these numbers with a + is drawn the action changes to a one base hit. For example, if a right-hand batter drew number 49 against Bob Gibson in 1968 and there were no runners on base, the play would be a single instead of a pop out to center. However, whenever a runner reaches base these numbers are not singles, but the regular action indicated by the symbols.

Some pitchers are just the opposite from Bob Gibson and Dizzy Dean. They give up relatively few hits, yet have a high earned run average. In other words, they allow a lot of runs per base hits yielded. These pitchers will have some action symbols between 26 and 50 followed by a dagger symbol. When there are no runners on base these numbers should always be treated as pop outs to the second baseman for left-hand batters and pop outs to the shortstop for right-hand batters. But whenever these is a runner on base who got there by way of a base hit, these numbers should be treated as the kind of base hit the action symbol indicates.

For further information concerning pitchers, see the section in the Play Book dealing with "Pitchers."

Some players play the full season without missing a game, others play almost every day, and still others play only a small portion of the season. Part time players will thus have potential rest factors on their cards. Whenever an "x" is placed next to a number on the player's card, this means that if that number is drawn for that player's turn at bat a rest or injury factor becomes operative. For example, number 9 against right-hand pitchers on Joe DiMaggio's 1936 card is a medium fly to center with an "x 1" behind the action symbol. If this number were drawn for DiMaggio's regular turn at bat, the offensive manager would have to draw for a rest factor for DiMaggio. How this is done is explained fully in the Play Book under "Rest and Injury of Players."

Pitchers also have rest factors. Some pitchers start every fourth day on a consistent basis while others pitch less frequently. Ted Lyons, for example, at the end of his long career became known as a "Sunday" pitcher because he only pitched on Sunday. The pitcher's rest factor is placed entirely on the pitching numbers - 26-50. Bob Gibson's 1968 card has a "H4 x 1" for number 31 against right-hand batters. Thus every time a right-hand batter draws number 31 against Gibson that year extra rest will be added to the amount of time between this game and the next game Gibson pitches. For further amplification of this factor see "Rest and Injury of Players" -- on the Pitcher's Card -- in the Play Book.

Ballparks have different dimensions and different features that influence play. The right field fence directly down the foul line in Yankee Stadium is only 296 feet from home plate. The left field fence in Washington's old Griffith Stadium, by contrast, used to be 405 feet from home plate. It took quite a clout to hit a home run there in left field. Weather conditions also influence play in different parks. Sportsman's Park in St. Louis always was notorious for its hard infield. The hot St. Louis sun baked the ground hard. Ground balls behaved very differently there compared to what they did in Boston's Fenway Park. And certainly Cincinnati's artificial turf has a marked effect on ground balls today. Moreover, wind has frequently been a factor in the play of the outfield in Chicago and San Francisco. All these factors are reflected in the Park Charts.

Down the left-hand side of the Park Charts you see the different categories of plays, ranging from ground ball to liner. Pop outs, Medium flies and Deep flies are always outs. In some cases the results of the play will be influenced by the place on the diamond to which the ball is hit. Thus, liners, for example, are frequently divided in terms of the three different outfield positions. If there is no such breakdown given, the play will be the same regardless of position. The results of the play are given according to the fielding of the player to whom the ball is hit. If the player fielding the ball is listed as a 4 on his card, then the 4 column should be used for determining the play. The rectangular boxes in column 4 indicate the play for each type of hit to a 4 fielder.

GO =	Ground out. With runners on base you will be told directly below the GO if the runners advance.
DP =	Double Play. When playing Level 1, disregard "Pivot Man" whenever it is written under DP. A double play occurs whenever a DP is indicated.
FORCE =	Force out at the base indicated below. The batter is safe at first on a fielders choice and other base runners advance one base unless indicated otherwise. Note that occasionally force outs occur only when the ball is hit to specific fielders.
FC =	Fielder's choice. The fielder elects which runner to throw out at the next advance base. The batter is safe at first and other base runners advance one base unless indicated otherwise.
X =	Whenever an X appears, the play is determined by a special chart in the Play Book. An X indicates a possibility of an error.
Y =	Same as X, except that there is a possibility of a hit, an error, or in certain cases a hit plus an error.
Z =	Same as X, except there is a possibility only for a base hit.
OUT =	Ball caught in the air. Note that sometimes there will be special information given below the OUT, such as "Runner doubled off first."
1BE or 2BE =	Either a one base or a two base error.
IH + 1BE =	An infield hit plus a one base error on a bad throw. All base runners advance two bases unless indicated otherwise.

Finally, be sure to note that each Park Chart occurs in terms of base runners. If there is no one on base, the chart designated "None On" should be used. If there is a runner on first only, use the "Runner on First" chart; and so on.

The Play Book contains additional information about specific situations. It takes over where the Park Chart leaves off. Most plays will simply be resolved by the Park Charts, and in the case of clean base hits you need not look beyond the batter or pitcher's card. But the special plays, and all strategy plays, are found in the Play Book. Whenever the Play Book asks you to draw a number, this means a number in addition to the one drawn for the batter's turn at bat.

BALL PARK BASEBALL - Level 1 incorporates most of the offensive strategy calls of regular baseball. The offensive manager may call for a bunt, hit and run, or stolen base. He simply announces the strategy he is employing and then consults the Play Book under the appropriate category.

The defensive manager may issue an intentional walk to a batter at any time during the game.

BROCHURE # 1

Return to Home Page

Return to Home Page

Back to Top

Return to Home Page

Back to Top