Ball Tossing Skills Game and Methods of Playing Same

Abstract

A method of playing a ball tossing or throwing game for multiple players comprises providing at least one receptacle into which each player attempts to toss or throw a ball, and positioning at least one band configured and sized to define a perimeter of an enclosed playing area along a playing surface into which each player attempts to toss or throw a ball and within which the receptacle is located. The method includes determining a total number of points as a winning score of the game and assigning each player a predetermined number of ball tosses or throws in a game set. Each game set allows each player or team of multiple players to earn a game set score of zero or more points the player or team earns as a result of sinking balls in the receptacle or placing balls in the playing area from the player's or team's position at a defined distance from the receptacle and the playing area. The method also includes totaling points each player or team earns from the predetermined number of ball tosses or throws made in the game set, and scoring each game set by subtracting points the lower scoring player or team earns in a game set from the points the higher scoring player or team earns in the game set to determine the game set score. The player or team who earns the total number of points of the winning score first wins the game.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of playing a ball tossing or throwing game for multiple players, the method comprising:
 providing at least one open receptacle into which each player attempts to toss or throw a ball;   positioning at least one band configured and sized to define a perimeter of an enclosed playing area along a playing surface into which each player attempts to toss or throw a ball and within which the receptacle is located and;   determining a total number of points as a winning score of the game;   assigning each player a predetermined number of ball tosses or throws in a game set, wherein each game set allows each player to earn a game set score of zero or more points when the player sinks one or more balls in the receptacle or places one or more balls in the playing area from a distance from the receptacle;   totaling points each player earns from the results of the predetermined number of ball tosses or throws the player makes in the game set; and   scoring each game set by subtracting points the lower scoring player earns in a game set from the points the higher scoring player earns in the game set to determine the winning score of the game set,   wherein a player who earns the total number of points of the winning score first wins the game.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein scoring includes assigning a first given number of points for sinking a ball in the receptacle and assigning a second given number of points for placing a ball in the playing area. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first given number of points is greater than the second given number of points. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein scoring includes totaling points earned by each player of a team of multiple players to calculate a game set score of the one team and totaling points earned by each player of an other opposing team of multiple players to calculate a game set score of the other team, and subtracting points the lower scoring team earns from the points the higher scoring team earns to determine the winning score of the game set. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the team that earns the total number of points of the winning score first wins the game. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein scoring includes awarding a given number of extra points in a game set to an individual player or to the team of multiple players where the individual player sinks or a given number of team players sink a predetermined number of balls into the receptacle in the game set. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein scoring includes awarding the given number of extra points in the game set to the individual player or the team of multiple players only if an opposing player or an opposing team has not scored in the game set. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein scoring includes awarding the given number of extra points in the game set to the individual player or the team of multiple players only if the individual player or a given number of team players sink consecutively a predetermined number of balls. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4  wherein scoring includes awarding a given number of extra points in a game set to an individual player or to the team of multiple players where the individual player catches or a given number of team players catch a ball tossed or thrown by an opposing player or an opposing team that bounces from a rim of one of the receptacle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4  wherein scoring includes awarding a given number of extra points in a game set to the team of multiple players where a given number of team players catch a ball tossed or thrown by another team player that bounces from a rim of the receptacle. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 4  wherein scoring includes awarding a given number of extra points in a game set to an individual player or to the team of multiple players where the individual player tips or a given number of team players tip into the receptacle a ball tossed or thrown by an opposing player or an opposing team that bounces from a rim of the receptacle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4  including:
 providing a second open receptacle into which each player attempts to toss or throw a ball and positioning the second receptacle at a predetermined distance or length from the one receptacle; and 
 positioning a second band configured and sized to define a perimeter of a second enclosed playing area along the playing surface into which each player attempts to toss or throw a ball and within which the second receptacle is located, 
 wherein each player alters his/her position from one game set to the next game set relative to the one receptacle and the second receptacle. 
 
     
     
         13 . A method of playing a ball tossing or throwing skills game, the method comprising:
 tossing or throwing a predetermined number of balls into a playing surface from a predetermined distance from the playing surface, the playing surface including:
 (a) at least one open receptacle having an interior volume sufficient to receive a ball; 
 (b) at least one band configured to define a playing area within its perimeter and within which the receptacle is disposed; 
 (c) wherein the predetermined distance from the playing surface includes the length from each player's position, from which each player tosses or throws the predetermined number of balls, to a rim of the receptacle or to an edge of the band; 
   accumulating scoring points toward a predetermined game winning score by:
 (a) earning a first given number of points for each ball deposited in the receptacle; 
 (b) earning a second given number of points for each ball deposited in the playing area; and 
 (c) winning a plurality of game sets; 
   scoring each game set to determine a winner of the game set, wherein each game set includes each player performing a given number of ball tosses or throws, by:
 (a) subtracting, for a pair of opposing players, the number of points the lower scoring player earns in a game set from the number of points the higher scoring player earns in the game set to determine the winner of the game set; or 
 (b) for a pair of opposing teams of multiple players, totaling the number of points each player of a team earns to determine the number of points each team earns in a game set, and subtracting the number of points the lower scoring team earns in the game set from the number of points the higher scoring team earns in the game set to determine the winner of the game set; 
   wherein the first player or the first team to earn a predetermined number of points in a predetermined number of game sets wins the game.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein accumulating scoring points includes awarding a given number of extra points in a game set to an individual player or to the team of multiple players where the individual player sinks or a given number of team players sink a predetermined number of balls into the receptacle in the game set. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein awarding the given number of extra points in the game set to the individual player or the team of players only if an opposing player(s) or an opposing team have not scored in the game set. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein awarding the given number of extra points in the game set to the individual player or the team of multiple players only if the individual player or a given number of team players sink consecutively the predetermined number of balls. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein accumulating scoring points includes awarding the given number of extra points in a game set to an individual player or to a team of players where the individual player catches or a given number of team players catch a ball tossed or thrown by an opposing player or an opposing team that bounces from a rim of one of the receptacles. 
     
     
         18 . A ball tossing or throwing skills game comprising:
 at least two open receptacles, each receptacle having an interior volume sufficient to receive a ball and sufficient to receive the other receptacle so that the receptacles may be stacked when not in use;   at least two bands, each band configured to define a playing area within its perimeter, the playing area having a size and area so that when each receptacle is positioned within the band perimeter for gameplay, the playing area is sufficient to receive a ball;   each band including multiple detachably connected segments, each segment being designed and constructed at each terminal end to detachably connect to a terminal end of another segment, wherein a given number of segments when connected define the playing area with a given shape and a given size; and   a plurality of balls configured for tossing or throwing into the receptacles and the playing areas.   
     
     
         19 . The game of  claim 18  including a rim defined around an opening of each receptacle, the rim defining opposing holes sufficient to receive a person's hand for carrying the receptacle and sufficient to receive a strap configured to connect to one or both of the receptacles. 
     
     
         20 . The game of  claim 19  including a lid configured to attach to the rim of each receptacle and, when the receptacles are stacked and the lid is attached to one receptacle, the lid and receptacles define an enclosed container, the lid further defining opposing holes that align with the opposing holes the rim defines when the lid is attached to one of the receptacles so that the holes receive the strap to connect to one of the receptacles, wherein the combination of the stacked receptacles with the lid attached to one receptacle and the strap connected to another receptacle defines a compact and portable game.