Football board game

A board game simulating football play is set forth, wherein a rigid planar board supports a playing field demarcated in representative one hundred yard simulation defining a first and second end zone at opposed first and second ends of the playing field, with spaced first and second side line borders including slots for receiving slidable yardage markers therewithin. Each player is provided a container including a matrix of compartments therewithin to receive plural pairs of dice. The dice include three pairs of dice, each of various numerations for use in simulating advance along the playing field by an offensive team, with further plural pairs of dice selectively utilized by an opposing player for simulating defensive yardage gains against an opponent. Further, plural pairs of dice are provided for use in simulating field goals, kick-offs, and punt returns. A timing mechanism is provided for simulating four quarters of a representative game, wherein a highest score attained by a player defines a winner in play of the game apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The field of invention relates to board games, and more paricularly 
pertains to a new and improved football board game wherein the same 
utilizes plural pairs of dice for simulating various traverse of an 
associated playing field. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The prior art includes a variety of board games, wherein play selection is 
attempted in simulating an experience, such as in a football game. Board 
games in this category combine some degree of skill in play selection with 
an associated element of change to provide interest and entertainment in 
use of the game. A variety of games have utilized playing cards to be 
randomly drawn to effect movement along a playing field. Examples of such 
art devices may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,650 to Doughty setting 
forth a method of playing a football board game utilizing playing cards 
and manually positionable series of markers for indication of position 
along a football field. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,959 to Price sets forth a further example of a football 
game utilizing a variety of cards for directing play along the football 
field. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,521 to Joel, III sets forth a card deck in use with a 
football field to provide movement along the play in simulation of 
football play type maneuvers. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,975 to Caughie, et al. sets forth a football type board 
game utilizing dice-like casting solids to represent various plays 
utilized in the game. 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,346 to Pierce sets forth a football game organization 
utilizing various cards in association with a playing field. 
As such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a new 
and improved football game as set forth by the instant invention wherein 
the use of selective pairs of dice for selection in providing various 
strategies in play of an associated football game is set forth. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
football board games now present in the prior art, the present invention 
provides a football game wherein the same utilizes selection of one of a 
plurality of dice by opposing players in a football game simulation to 
determine positioning an direction of opposing teams relative to a 
simulated football field. As such, the general purpose of the present 
invention, which will be described subsequently in a greater detail, is to 
provide a new improved football board game which has all the advantages of 
the prior art football games and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention provides a board game simulating 
football play, wherein a rigid planar board supports a playing field 
demarcated in representative one hundred yard simulation defining a first 
and second end zone at opposed first and second ends of the playing field, 
with spaced first and second side line borders including slots for 
receiving slidable yardage markers therewithin. Each player is provided a 
container including a matrix of compartments therewithin to receive plural 
pairs of dice. The dice include three pairs of dice, each of various 
numerations for use in simulating advance along the playing field by an 
offensive team, with further plural pairs of dice selectively utilized by 
an opposing player for simulating defensive yardage gains against an 
opponent. Further, plural paris of dice are provided for use in simulating 
field goals, kick-offs, and punt returns. A timing mechanism is provided 
for simulating four quarters of a representative game, wherein a highest 
score attained by a player defines a winner in play of the game apparatus. 
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in 
the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and 
it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of 
all of its structures for the functions specified. 
There has thus been oultined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which 
this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved football board game which has all the advantages of the prior art 
football board games and none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
football board game which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and 
marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved football board game which is of a durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved football board game which is susceptible of a low cost of 
manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly 
is then susceptible of low prices of sale of to the consuming public, 
thereby making such football board games economically available to the 
buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved football board game which provides in the appraratuses and 
methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while 
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated 
therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved football board game wherein a heightened element of chance is 
provided to effect movement about a football field between opposing 
players. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 17 
thereof, a new and improved football board game embodying the principles 
and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the 
reference numeral 10 will be described. 
FIG. 1 is an isometric illustration of a prior art football-type board game 
1, wherein a board surface 2 includes a yardage accounting portion 3 in 
association with various cards 4 for directing movement about the playing 
field of the board game. FIG. 2 illustrates a further prior art 
football-type board game 5, wherein the board game 6 includes a simulated 
playing field with a variety of decks of cards 7 to direct play throughout 
the simulated playing field of the board game. 
More specifically, the football board game 10 of the instant invention 
essentially comprises a rigid board member 9 defining a planar upper 
surface including a playing field 11 directed over a majority of the 
surface, with a score board 20 utilized in conventional or LED (light 
emitting diode) circuitry. The score board 20 is arranged orthogonally at 
an upper or second end of the playing field adjacent the second end zone 
border 13. The first end zone border 12 is arranged at an opposed end of 
the playing field, with the playing field divided to simulate and divide 
the playing field into representative one hundred one yard increments, 
including a ten yard line 11a arranged orthogonally across the playing 
field at each representative ten yard increment. A first side line border 
14 is arranged coextensively with a first side of the playing field, and a 
second side line border 15 is arranged at an opposed side line of the 
playing field coextensively therewith. A first slot 16 is directed 
coextensively along the playing field with the yard markers, and includes 
a first yardage marker 17 slidably mounted within the first slot 16 
utilizing an indicator for positioning and pointing of first yardage 
positioning by a first player of the game. Similarly, a second slot 18 is 
arranged parallel to the playing field as the first slot 16 is coextensive 
with the one hundred yard demarcations, and includes a second yardage 
marker 19 with an associated indicator arrow arranged orthogonally 
relative to the second slot, as the first yardage marker indicator arrows 
is arranged orthogonally relative to the first slot for indication of an 
associated yardage position of a respective second player. 
The score board 20 includes a first team score button 21 associated with a 
first team score display 27 for indication of point total of a first team 
or player. A second team score button 22 is arranged for effecting display 
of a second team score display 29. A quarter indicator display 22 
indicates a particular quarter of play, (i.e. one through four) and 
utilizes an associated quarter indicator display button 28a for effecting 
display of a first through fourth quarter. A reset button 23 directs a 
time indicator screen 30 to reset to a fifteen minute interval in 
association with each quarter of play, wherein each quarter of play is 
directed at fifteen minutes. An offensive play button 24 is provided that 
is depressed with each offensive play of an associated game to remove 
twenty-five seconds from the fifteen minute display of the time indicator 
screen 30, wherein the offensive play button 24 is depressed prior to 
commencement of an offensive play by one of the players in an offensive 
mode directing play towards an opposing goal. A punt and field goal button 
25 is depressed prior to a punt or field goal being initiated within the 
playing of the game and removes ten seconds from the time indicator screen 
30. A time-out button 26 when depressed removes five seconds from the time 
indicator screen 30. Each player is at the outset of the game awarded 
three time-out tokens 43 (see FIG. 17) and each player may utilize up to 
there tokens during each half, or consecutive two quarters of play (i.e. 
quarters one and two, or quarters three and four). The time-out tokens are 
utilized to minimize usage of playing time during play of the game for 
associated simulation of a real football game scenario. 
Each player is provided a compartmentalized player container 31 including a 
matrix of compartments therewithin. Particularly, twelve compartments are 
provided. Three offensive die pair compartments 32 of the twelve 
compartments include three separate die pair for use in directing 
offensive play throughout a game. Three defensive die pair compartments 33 
each include a defensive die pair. The offensive and defensive die pairs 
are illustrated in FIGS. 4-9 respectively, with FIGS. 4-6 indicating the 
use and indicia utilized by the three individual die pairs, wherein FIGS. 
7-9 indicate the use of the three individual die pairs for defensive play. 
Compartment 34 includes a kick-off die pair compartment illustrated in 
FIG. 10. FIG. 11 illustrates a punt die pair for positioning within a punt 
die pair compartment 35. A kick return die pair 36 compartment is provided 
for reception of a die pair, as illustrated in FIG. 12, and a field goal 
die pair compartment 37 receives a die pair, as illustrated in FIG. 13. 
Further, a chance die compartment 38 is provided for optional play by an 
individual when two players are not available. The chance die (not 
illustrated) is provided to direct use of one of the three respective 
offensive and defensive die pair 44-46 and 47-49. The chance die pair 
would for example be a six-sided die in a manner as the remainder of the 
die, and include two number ones, two number twos, and two number threes 
for indication of use of a respective first, second, or third associated 
offensive or defensive die pair. Each player container 31 includes a lid 
40 hingedly mounted about a pivot hinge 41 to obscure vision of die pair 
selection from an opposing player, whereupon a defensive player selection 
of an associated die pair 47-49 is not dependent upon visual observation 
of the opposing defensive die selection 44-46. Each player is provided a 
throwing tray 42, as illustrated in FIG. 15 for example, wherein the 
throwing tray 42 includes vertical walls in surrounding relationship to a 
floor, wherein the die pair are directed to permit directing the die pair 
onto the playing field to inadvertently impact with a respective first or 
second yardage marker 17 or 19, or impact with an opposing player's die 
and thereby contain movement of the thrown die pair within the associated 
throwing 42. 
The first offensive die pair 44 each include the digits three, five, seven, 
eight, ten, and eleven. Each die of the second offensive die pair 45 each 
include the digits zero, four, six, eight, twelve, and fifteen. Each die 
of the third offensive die pair 46 include the digits zero, zero, six, 
ten, fifteen, and twenty. Each die of the first defensive die pair 48 
include the digits two, four, five, seven, eight, and ten. Each die of the 
second defensive die pair 47 include the digits zero, three, five, seven, 
ten, and twelve. Each die of the third defensive die pair 49 include the 
digits zero, zero, seven, nine, twelve, and fifteen. It is noted that the 
die pair of the offensive and defensive die pair with the largest digits, 
i.e. die pair three of the offensive and defensive die pairs, also include 
the greater number of zeros, wherein the die pair including digits of a 
medial range such as the first die pair of each offensive and defensive 
die pair ensure a medial total and thereby ensure a simulated yard total 
for offensive and defensive player while not providing a greater potential 
yardage total when a player risks the zero digits of the second and third 
die pair of the offensive and defensive die pair. 
In a similar manner, the kick-off yardage die pair 50 indicates a total 
yardage by a player in a kick-off position, wherein each die of the 
kick-off yardage die pair include the numbers twenty-five, twenty-five, 
thirty, thirty, thirty-five, and thirty-five. Accordingly, a total 
kick-off yardage will range from fifty to seventy yards. The punt yardage 
die pair 51 each include a die including the digits ten, fifteen, twenty, 
twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five. The return yardage die pair 52 
include die each including the digits two, four, six, ten, twelve, and 
sixteen. The die pair 44-52 accordingly indicate a total yardage to be 
awarded. The field goal die pair 53 each include a die with the digits 
ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five. 
Use of the die pairs 44-53 are exemplified as follows: 
A coin is tossed by one player of the opposing first and second players, 
whereupon in this example, the second player chooses and a correct choice 
by the second player affords that player the opportunity of choosing an 
offensive or defense posture in initiating play of the game. Accordingly, 
the kicking team or offensive mode of a player, initiates play from their 
own thirty-five yard line along the playing field. The second player for 
example then will roll the kick-off die pair 50 to determine how far the 
ball will be directed along the playing field. For example, should the 
second player roll a thirty on one die and a thirty on the other die, a 
total of sixty yards is directed. The opposing player at that juncture 
rolls the return yardage die pair 52, where for example a six and a 
sixteen may be rolled, whereupon twenty-two yards is substracted from the 
sixty yards. Alternatively, the kicking player directs the kicked ball to 
the opposing player's five yard line, whereupon the twenty-two yards 
directed by the return yardage die pair 52 (i.e. twenty-two yards) is 
added to the five yard line, whereupon play is begun at yhe twenty-seven 
yard line. 
Accordingly, the offensive player begins with a first down and a ten at the 
twenty-seven yard line. The kick-offs take ten seconds from the clock so 
the time remaining in the first quarter will be fourteen minutes and fifty 
seconds. The offensive player selects a number three offensive, or the 
third offensive die pair 46. The defensive player selects the number three 
defensive or the third defensive die pair 49. The offensive player rolls a 
six and a twenty for twenty-six, wherein the defensive playe rolls a seven 
and a nine for sixteen. Accordingly, sixteen yards is deducted from 
twenty-six yards for a net gain of ten yards by the offensive player to 
the thirty-seven yard line for a first down. This sequence is repeated 
until an offensive player attains a touchdown or is directed to punt the 
ball or kick the field goal. 
In attempting a punt, the offensive player for example may have the ball on 
a fourth down and one yard to go at the forty-six yard line. In deciding 
to punt, the offensive team directs the punt yardage die pair 51 into an 
associated throwing tray 42, wherein for example, when 5 labeling FIG. 15 
missing a punt is attempted a 20 and 25 are rolled equaling 45 wherein 45 
yards from the player's own 46 leaves the ball on the nine yard line. The 
return team rolls a 10 and 12 equaling 22 and moves the ball to the 31 
yard line to effect a first down and ten yards to go. It should be noted 
that if the punt had traversed into the end zone, the new offensive player 
could have either put the fictitious ball at his own twenty yard line as 
an alternative to throwing the return yardage die pair 52. A punt and a 
return each deduct five seconds from the time indicator screen 30. 
To attempt a field goal, if an offensive team for example positions the 
ball at the twenty-three yard line of an opposing player and decides to 
attempt a field goal, the field goal die pair 53 are directed into the 
throwing tray 42 and for example may obtain a fifteen and twenty-five to 
equal forty. The field goal or three points is awarded that player. In a 
field goal scenario, ten yards is added to the position of the offensive 
team, wherein accordingly the ball by the example being on the 
twenty-three yard line with ten yards added requires a total of 
thirty-three or greater, whereupon the aforenoted example of forty being 
obtained provides for an acceptable field goal attempt. Should the point 
total have been less than thirty-three, the field goal would not have been 
awarded. 
It is contemplated that contrasting colors be awarded each opposing team 
for ease of recognition of various die pair and yardage markers utilized. 
Accordingly, a color coordination could be set forth such as black and 
yellow for a first team and red and white for an opposing team as an 
example. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation of the instant 
invention shall be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.