The Game - played with the WIFFLE  perforated plastic ball

The WIFFLE ball was designed for use in congested areas. Because the ball will not travel far when solidly hit, ball chasing and base running have been eliminated. An ordinary broom handle can be used if a WIFFLE bat is not available. The size of the playing field is optional, but we recommend a minimum dimension of 20 feet in width at the home run markers (approx. 8 paces) by about 60 feet long (approx. 23 paces) from home plate to each home run marker. The field is laid out with foul lines and markers for singles, doubles triples and home run areas. See sketch of suggested playing field.

The minimum number of players required to play a game with the WIFFLE ball is two, the pitcher and batter, one player per side. The maximum number of players that can complete are ten, five players to a side. If a full team is playing, each side will consist of a catcher, pitcher, double area fielder, triple area fielder and home run area fielder. Fielders cannot move from one area to another when a full team is playing. When more than two players are playing, captains for each side are picked and they choose their respective teams alternately. As in baseball, the game is played with one team at bat and one team in the field. The batting order of the team at bat shall be Pitcher, Catcher, Double Area player, Triple Area player and finally Home Run area player. The rules of play are similar to baseball, however there is no base running. Three outs to retire a side, per inning, nine innings per game. In case of a tie, additional innings are played. For a complete inning, both sides must bat.

An out for the batter can be made in three ways:

1. The batter can strike out only if he/she swings at a pitched ball and does not foul tip the third strike. Foul tips count as a strike for the first two strikes only. A foul tip caught in back of the batters box does not count as an out.
2. Fly balls caught in fair or foul territory
3. Ground balls caught while the ball is in motion, in fair territory. Bunting is not allowed and the batter cannot obtain a base on balls.

Scoring -

Single markers are placed approximately 24 feet from home plate on the foul line. A ball hit in the single area (i.e. the area between batters box and single markers and not caught, constitutes a single. Double markers are placed approximately 20 feet in back of the single markers on the foul line. A ball hit in the double area (between the single marker and the double marker) and not caught constitutes a double. Triple markers are placed on foul lines 20 feet back of the double markers. Balls hit in the triple area (between the double markers and triple markers) and not caught, constitute a triple. Balls hit past the triple markers, and not caught, constitute a home run.

The baseball rules of scoring apply:

Example: A player hits a single, his/her team has a man on first base (imaginary runners). The next player hits a single, the team now has a man of first and second. Third batter hits a home run, three runs score! (The imaginary runners on first and second, plus the home run.)

• A batter earns 1 imaginary base on a single, 2 imaginary bases on a double and 3 imaginary bases on a triple.

• A runner on 1st advances one base on a single, 2 bases on a double and scores on a triple

• A runner on 2^nd base scores on a single, double, or triple.

• A runner on 3^rd base scores on any hit.

Copyright 1954, 1982, 1999 The Wiffle Ball, Inc