Baseball Bat and Ball and Method of Delivering Ball to Field of Play

Abstract

A kit for a recreational sport, comprising a substantially cylindrical bat including one or more positions between the first end and the second end for a ball stop located thereon, a ball with an outer surface defining a substantially cylindrical bore through the center of the ball, the bore having a diameter that is greater than the diameter of the bat and less than the diameter of the ball stop. The ball is slidingly engaged with the baseball bat such that the baseball bat hitting end is inserted into the bore of the ball. The present invention provides a method for a batter to position a ball for hitting or to deliver a ball directly to field of play and therefore provides a method for playing the game of baseball without a pitcher.

1 . A kit for a recreational sport, comprising: 
 a substantially cylindrical bat extending between a handle end and a hitting end, the bat including one or more positions between the handle end and the hitting end for a ball stop located thereon;    a substantially spherically shaped ball with an outer surface, the outer surface of the ball defining at least one substantially cylindrical bore through the center of the ball, the bore having a first diameter; and,    wherein the bat has a second diameter between the hitting end and the ball stop that is less than the first diameter of the bore.    
   
   
       2 . The kit for a recreational sport of  claim 1 , where the ball is slidingly engaged with the baseball bat such that the baseball bat hitting end is inserted into the bore of the ball.  
   
   
       3 . The kit for a recreational sport of  claim 1 , where the ball stop is integral to the baseball bat.  
   
   
       4 . The kit for a recreational sport of  claim 1 , where the ball stop is made of an elastic material.  
   
   
       5 . The kit for a recreational sport of  claim 1 , where the ball stop is a pin extending radially from the bat.  
   
   
       6 . The kit for a recreational sport of  claim 1 , where the outer surface of the ball defines two substantially cylindrical bores through the center of the ball, where the two bores extend through said ball in generally orthogonal relation to each other.  
   
   
       7 . The kit for a recreational sport of  claim 1 , where the first diameter of the bore is approximately 1.75 inches and the second diameter of the bat is approximately 1.625 inches.  
   
   
       8 . The kit for a recreational sport of  claim 1 , where the first diameter of the bore is approximately 1.75 inches and the second diameter of the bat is approximately 1.625 inches.  
   
   
       9 . A kit for a recreational sport, comprising: 
 a substantially cylindrical bat extending between a handle end and a hitting end, the bat including a first section proximate the handle end and a second section proximate the hitting end, the first and second sections meeting at a junction between the handle end and hitting end; wherein,    the first section tapers from a narrow first diameter at the hitting end to a wider second diameter at said junction;    a substantially spherically shaped ball with an outer surface, the outer surface of the ball defining at least one substantially cylindrical bore through the center of the ball, the bore having a third diameter, where the third diameter is greater than the bat first diameter and less than the bat second diameter.    
   
   
       10 . The kit for a recreational sport of  claim 9 , where the ball is slidingly engaged with the baseball bat such that the baseball bat hitting end is inserted into the bore of the ball.  
   
   
       11 . The kit for a recreational sport of  claim 9 , where the outer surface of the ball defines two substantially cylindrical bores through the center of the ball, where the two bores extend through said ball in generally orthogonal relation to each other.  
   
   
       12 . The kit for a recreational sport of  claim 9 , where the first diameter at the hitting end is approximately 1.675 inches, the second diameter at the junction is approximately 1.875 inches and the third diameter of the bore is approximately 1.75 inches.  
   
   
       13 . A method of delivering a ball into a field of play, comprising: 
 providing a bat having an outer surface defined between a handle end and a hitting end; the outer surface defining a first diameter near a ball stop positioned between the handle end and the hitting end of the bat;    providing a substantially spherical ball with an outer surface, the outer surface defining a bore therethrough having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter of the ball is greater than the first diameter of the bat;    placing the ball on the bat adjacent the ball stop such that the bore is in sliding engagement with the outer surface of the bat;    rotating the hitting end of the bat in an upward motion causing the ball to slide along the outer surface of the bat and to become separated from the bat; and    swinging the bat so that the bat strikes the ball and propels the ball into the field of play.    
   
   
       14 . A method of delivering a ball into a field of play, comprising: 
 providing a bat having an outer surface defined between a handle end and a hitting end; the outer surface defining a first diameter near a ball stop positioned between the handle end and the hitting end of the bat;    providing a substantially spherical ball with an outer surface, the outer surface defining a bore therethrough having a second diameter, wherein the second diameter of the ball is greater than the first diameter of the bat;    placing the ball on the bat adjacent the ball stop such that the bore is in sliding engagement with the outer surface of the bat;    rotating the hitting end of the bat toward a field of play causing the ball to slide along the outer surface of the bat and to become separated from the bat and to be propelled into the field of play.