Patent Publication Number: US-2016223297-A1

Title: Baseball-Like Archery Game, System and Method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority to, incorporates herein by reference, and is a non-provisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62111581 to Damon Marling, filed Feb. 3, 2015, and entitled Baseball-Like Archery Game, System and Method. 
    
    
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     None. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to games. More specifically, various example embodiments of the invention relate to a baseball-like archery game, and systems and methods by which it may be played. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Archery 
     Archery is the sport, practice or skill of using a bow to propel arrows. The word comes from the Latin arcus. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In modern times, it is mainly a competitive sport and recreational activity. A person who participates in archery is typically called an archer or a bowman, and a person who is fond of or an expert at archery is sometimes called a toxophilite. 
     To shoot an arrow, an archer first assumes the correct stance. The body should be at or nearly perpendicular to the target and the shooting line, with the feet placed shoulder-width apart. As an archer progresses from beginner to a more advanced level other stances such as the “open stance” or the “closed stance” may be used, although many choose to stick with a “neutral stance.” Each archer has a particular preference, but mostly this term indicates that the leg furthest from the shooting line is a half to a whole foot-length from the other foot, on the ground. 
     To load, the bow is pointed toward the ground, tipped slightly clockwise of vertical (for a right handed shooter) and the shaft of the arrow is placed on the arrow rest or shelf. The back of the arrow is attached to the bowstring with the nock (a small locking groove located at the proximal end of the arrow). This step is called “nocking the arrow.” Typical arrows with three vanes should be oriented such that a single vane, the “cock feather”, is pointing away from the bow, to improve the clearance of the arrow as it passes the arrow rest. 
     A compound bow is fitted with a special type of arrow rest, known as a launcher, and the arrow is usually loaded with the cock feather/vane pointed either up, or down, depending upon the type of launcher being used. 
     The bowstring and arrow are held with three fingers, or with a mechanical arrow release. Most commonly, for finger shooters, the index finger is placed above the arrow and the next two fingers below, although several other techniques have their adherents around the world, involving three fingers below the arrow, or an arrow pinching technique. Instinctive shooting is a technique eschewing sights and is often preferred by traditional archers (shooters of longbows and recurves). In either the split finger or three finger under case, the string is usually placed in the first or second joint, or else on the pads of the fingers. 
     Another type of string hold, used on traditional bows, is the type favored by the Mongol warriors, known as the “thumb release”, style. This involves using the thumb to draw the string, with the fingers curling around the thumb to add some support. To release the string, the fingers are opened out and the thumb relaxes to allow the string to slide off the thumb. When using this type of release, the arrow should rest on the same side of the bow as the drawing hand i.e. Left hand draw=arrow on left side of bow. 
     The archer then raises the bow and draws the string, with varying alignments for vertical versus slightly canted bow positions. This is often one fluid motion for shooters of recurves and longbows, which tend to vary from archer to archer. Compound shooters often experience a slight jerk during the drawback, at around midpoint where the draw weight is at its maximum before relaxing into a comfortable stable full draw position. The archer draws the string hand towards the face, where it should rest lightly at a fixed anchor point. This point is consistent from shot to shot, and is usually at the corner of the mouth, on the chin, to the cheek, or to the ear, depending on preferred shooting style. The archer holds the bow arm outwards, toward the target. The elbow of this arm should be rotated so that the inner elbow is perpendicular to the ground, though archers with hyper extendable elbows tend to angle the inner elbow toward the ground. This keeps the forearm out of the way of the bowstring. 
     In modern form, the archer stands erect, forming a “T.” The archer&#39;s lower trapezius muscles are used to pull the arrow to the anchor point. Some modern bows are equipped with a mechanical device, called a clicker, which produces a clicking sound when the archer reaches the correct draw length. In contrast, traditional English Longbow shooters step “into the bow”, exerting force with both the bow arm and the string hand arm simultaneously, especially when using bows having draw weights from 100 lbs. to over 175 lbs. Heavily-stacked traditional bows (recurves, long bows, and the like) are released immediately upon reaching full draw at maximum weight, whereas compound bows reach their maximum weight in or around mid-draw, dropping holding weight significantly at full draw. Compound bows are often held at full draw for a short time to achieve maximum accuracy. 
     The arrow is typically released by relaxing the fingers of the drawing hand (see Bow draw), or triggering the mechanical release aid. Usually the release aims to keep the drawing arm rigid, the bow hand relaxed, and the arrow is moved back using the back muscles, as opposed to using just arm motions. An archer should also pay attention to the recoil or follow through of his or her body, as it may indicate problems with form (technique) that affect accuracy. 
     There are two main forms of aiming in archery: using a mechanical or fixed sight, or bare bow. 
     Mechanical sights can be affixed to the bow to aid in aiming. They can be as simple as a pin, or may use optics with magnification. They usually also have a peep sight (rear sight) built into the string, which aids in a consistent anchor point. Modern compound bows automatically limit the draw length to give a consistent arrow velocity, while traditional bows allow great variation in draw length. Some bows use mechanical methods to make the draw length consistent. Bare bow archers often use a sight picture, which includes the target, the bow, the hand, the arrow shaft and the arrow tip, as seen at the same time by the archer. With a fixed “anchor point” (where the string is brought to, or close to, the face), and a fully extended bow arm, successive shots taken with the sight picture in the same position fall on the same point. This lets the archer adjust aim with successive shots to achieve accuracy. 
     Modern archery equipment usually includes sights. Instinctive aiming is used by many archers who use traditional bows. The two most common forms of a non-mechanical release are split-finger and three-under. Split-finger aiming requires the archer to place the index finger above the nocked arrow, while the middle and ring fingers are both placed below. Three-under aiming places the index, middle, and ring fingers under the nocked arrow. This technique allows the archer to better look down the arrow since the back of the arrow is closer to the dominant eye, and is commonly called “gun barreling” (referring to common aiming techniques used with firearms). 
     When using short bows or shooting from horseback, it is difficult to use the sight picture. The archer may look at the target, but without including the weapon in the field of accurate view. Aiming then involves hand-eye coordination which includes proprioception and motor-muscle memory, similar to that used when throwing a ball. With sufficient practice, such archers can normally achieve good practical accuracy for hunting or for war. Aiming without a sight picture may allow more rapid shooting. 
     Instinctive shooting is a style of shooting that includes the bare bow aiming method that relies heavily upon the subconscious mind, proprioception, and motor/muscle memory to make aiming adjustments; the term used to refer to a general category of archers who did not use a mechanical or fixed sight. 
     Using archery to take game animals is known as “bow hunting.” Bow hunting differs markedly from hunting with firearms, as distance between hunter and prey must be much shorter to ensure a humane kill. The skills and practices of bow hunting therefore emphasize very close approach to the prey, whether by still hunting, stalking, or waiting in a blind or tree stand. In many countries, including much of the United States, bow hunting for large and small game is legal. Bow hunters generally enjoy longer seasons than are allowed with other forms of hunting such as black powder, shotgun, or rifle. Usually, compound bows are used for large game hunting and may feature fiber optic sights and other enhancements. Using a bow and arrow to take fish is known as “bow fishing”. 
     Competitive archery involves shooting arrows at a target for accuracy from a set distance or distances. This is the most popular form of competitive archery worldwide and is called target archery. A form particularly popular in Europe and America is field archery, shot at targets generally set at various distances in a wooded setting. Competitive archery in the United States is governed by USA Archery and National Field Archery Association (NFAA), which also certifies instructors. 
     Para-Archery is an adaptation of archery for athletes with a disability. It is governed by the World Archery Federation (WA), and is one of the sports in the Summer Paralympic Games. There are also other lesser-known and historical forms of archery, as well as archery novelty games and flight archery, where the aim is to shoot the greatest distance. 
     Additionally, a game known variously by names such as “Archery Golf” or “Gal-Archery” adopts some of the rules of golf to play a game that uses traditional or modern archery tools. Players shoot arrows or similar projectiles into a series of holes, goals or targets on a course, with the objective being to do so using the fewest number of shots. 
     Archery golf is mentioned in the United States media as early as 1923 and has been played in tournaments ever since. Archery golf shares some qualities with clout archery and flight archery, and is especially similar to the oldest form of competitive archery, roving marks, but it is unique in that a player may shoot at or toward a single target as many times as necessary to complete that “hole.” 
     It would be desirable to provide a new, fun, challenging, yet easy and inexpensive to play archery game that users could easily understand and that would be attractive to users due to its similarity to an existing sport with which most users would already be familiar. 
     Baseball is a game that has been enjoyed by young and old for many years. Even the most casual sports fan knows the rules of baseball and almost everyone has played the game at one time in their life. The object of baseball is to hit a pitched ball into the boundaries of a playing field and safely reach base. If a player can successfully round the bases, his or her or her team scores a run. The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins. 
     Rules of Baseball 
     While the rules of baseball are considered to be generally well-known, for clarify and completeness of disclosure various details regarding the rules of baseball are provided below. Unless otherwise noted, the following information reflects the Official Baseball Rules, under which Major League Baseball is played. 
     Baseball is typically played between two teams with nine players in the field on each team. On a baseball field, an example of which is shown in  FIG. 1 , the game is under authority of several umpires. There are usually four umpires in major league games, but up to six (and as few as one) may officiate depending on the league and the importance of the game. There are four bases. Numbered counterclockwise, first, second and third bases are cushions (sometimes informally referred to as bags) shaped as 15 inch (38 cm) squares which are raised a short distance above the ground. Together with home plate, the fourth “base,” they form a square with sides of 90 ft. (27.4 m) called the diamond. Home base (usually called home plate) is a pentagonal rubber slab 17 in (43.2 cm) wide. 
     The playing field is divided into three main sections. First is the infield, containing the four bases, which is for general defensive purposes bounded by the foul lines and within the grass line. The second is the outfield, the grassed area beyond the infield grass line between the foul lines, and typically bounded by a wall or fence. Third is foul territory, which is the entire area outside the foul lines. 
     The pitcher&#39;s mound is located in the center of the infield. It is an 18 ft. (5.5 m) diameter mound of dirt no higher than 10 in (25.4 cm). Near the center of the mound is the pitching rubber, a rubber slab positioned 60 ft. 6 in (18.4 m) from home plate. The pitcher must have one foot on the rubber at the start of every pitch to a batter, but the pitcher may leave the mound area once the ball is released. 
     At the college/professional level, baseball is played in nine innings in which each team gets one turn to bat and try to score runs while the other pitches and defends in the field. High school baseball plays seven innings and Little League uses six inning games. An inning is broken up into two halves in which the away team bats in the top (first) half, and the home team bats in the bottom (second) half. In baseball, the defense always has the ball a fact that differentiates it from most other team sports. The teams switch every time the defending team gets three players of the batting team out. The winner is the team with the most runs after nine innings. If the home team is ahead after the top of the ninth, play does not continue into the bottom half. In the case of a tie, additional innings are played until one team comes out ahead at the end of an inning. If the home team takes the lead anytime during the bottom of the ninth or of any inning thereafter, play stops and the home team is declared the winner. 
     The basic contest is between the pitcher for the fielding team, and a batter. The pitcher throws—pitches—the ball towards home plate, where the catcher for the fielding team waits (in a crouched stance) to receive it. Behind the catcher stands the home plate umpire. The batter stands in one of the batter&#39;s boxes and tries to hit the ball with a bat. The pitcher must keep one foot in contact with the top or front of the pitcher&#39;s rubber—a 24×6 in (61×15 cm) plate located atop the pitcher&#39;s mound during the entire pitch, so he or she can only take one step backward and one forward in delivering the ball. The catcher&#39;s job is to receive any pitches that the batter does not hit and to “call” the game by a series of hand movements that signal to the pitcher what pitch to throw and where. The catcher also usually signals the desired location of the ball within the strike zone and “sets up” behind the plate or holds his or her glove up in the desired location as a target. The catcher&#39;s role becomes more crucial depending on how the game is going, and how the pitcher responds to a given situation. Each pitch begins a new play, which might consist of nothing more than the pitch itself. 
     Each half-inning, the goal of the defending team is to get three members of the other team out. A player who is out must leave the field and wait for his or her next turn at bat. There are many ways to get batters and baserunners out. Some of the most common are catching a batted ball in the air, tag outs, force outs, and strikeouts. After the fielding team has put out three players from the opposing team, that half of the inning is over and the team in the field and the team at bat switch places. There is no upper limit to the number that may bat in rotation before three outs are recorded. Going through the entire order in an inning is referred to as “batting around” and it is indicative of a high-scoring inning. A complete inning consists of each opposing side having a turn (three outs) on offense. 
     The goal of the team at bat is to score more runs than the opposition. A player may do so only by batting, then becoming a baserunner, touching all the bases in order (via one or more plays), and finally touching home plate. To that end, the goal of each batter is to enable baserunners to score or to become a baserunner himself. The batter attempts to hit the ball into fair territory between the baselines in such a way that the defending players cannot get them or the baserunners out. In general, the pitcher attempts to prevent this by pitching the ball in such a way that the batter cannot hit it cleanly, or ideally, at all. 
     A baserunner who has successfully touched home plate without being tagged out after touching all previous bases in order scores a run. In an enclosed field, a fair ball hit over the fence on the fly is normally an automatic home run, which entitles the batter and all runners to touch all the bases and score. On a field with foul poles, a ball that hits a pole is also a home run. A home run hit with all bases occupied (‘bases loaded’) is called a grand slam. 
     The squad in the field is the defensive team, which attempts to prevent the baserunners from scoring. There are nine defensive positions, but only two have a mandatory location (pitcher and catcher). The locations of the other seven fielders is not specified by the rules, except that at the moment the pitch is delivered they must be positioned in fair territory and not in the space between the pitcher and the catcher. These fielders often shift their positioning in response to specific batters or game situations, and they may exchange positions with one another at any time. 
     The nine positions most commonly used (with the number scorekeepers use) are: pitcher (1), catcher (2), first baseman (3), second baseman (4), third baseman (5), shortstop (6), left fielder (7), center fielder (8), and right fielder (9). Note that in rare cases, teams may use dramatically differing schemes, such as switching an outfielder for an infielder. 
     The battery is composed of the pitcher, who stands on the rubber of the mound, which is also known as the pitching plate, and the catcher, who squats behind home plate. These are the two fielders who always deal directly with the batter on every pitch, hence the term “battery.” 
     The pitcher&#39;s main role is to pitch the ball toward home plate with the goal of getting the batter out. Pitchers also play defense by fielding batted balls, covering bases (for a potential tag out or force out on an approaching runner), or backing up throws. The catcher&#39;s main role is to receive the pitch if the batter does not hit it. Together with the pitcher and coaches, the catcher plots game strategy by suggesting different pitches and by shifting the starting positions of the other fielders. Catchers are also responsible for defense in the area near home plate. 
     The four infielders are the first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, and third baseman. Originally the first, second and third basemen played very near their respective bases, and the shortstop generally played “in” (hence the term), covering the area between second, third, and the pitchers box, or wherever the game situation required. As the game evolved, the fielding positions changed to the now-familiar “umbrella,” with the first and third baseman generally positioned a short distance toward second base from their bases, the second baseman to the right side of second base standing farther away from the base than any other infielder, and the shortstop playing to the left of second base, as seen from the batter&#39;s perspective. 
     The first baseman&#39;s job consists largely of making plays at first base on ground balls hit to the other infielders. When an infielder picks up a ball from the ground hit by the batter, he or she must throw it to the first baseman who must catch the ball and maintain contact with the base before the batter gets to it for the batter to be out. The need to do this quickly often requires the first baseman to stretch one of his or her legs to touch first base while catching the ball simultaneously. The first baseman must be able to catch the ball very well and usually wears a specially designed mitt. The first baseman fields balls hit near first base. The first baseman also has to receive throws from the pitcher in order to tag runners out who have reached base safely. 
     The second baseman covers the area to the first-base side of second base and provides backup for the first baseman in bunt situations. he or she also is a cut-off for the outfield. This is when the outfielder doesn&#39;t have to throw the full distance from him/her to the base, but just to the cut-off. The shortstop fills the critical gap between second and third bases—where right-handed batters generally hit ground balls—and also covers second or third base and the near part of left field. This player is also a cut-off for the outfield. 
     The three outfielders, left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder, are so named from the catcher&#39;s perspective looking out onto the field. Each outfielder runs to “back up” a nearby outfielder who attempts to field a ball hit near both their positions. Outfielders also run to back up infielders on batted balls and thrown balls, including pick-off attempts from the pitcher or from the catcher. 
     Effective pitching is vitally important to a baseball team, as pitching is the key for the defensive team to retire batters and to preventing runners from getting on base. A full game usually involves over one hundred pitches thrown by each team. While delivering the ball, the pitcher has a great arsenal at his or her disposal in the variation of location, velocity, movement, and arm location. Common pitches include a fastball, which is the ball thrown at high speed; a curveball, which is made to curve by rotation imparted by the pitcher; a change-up, which seeks to mimic the delivery of a fastball but arrives at significantly lower velocity; a splitfinger fastball, which attempts to mimic the delivery of a fastball, but has slight topspin rotation allowing the baseball to sink as it approaches the batter due to the position of the index finger and middle finger being “split” on the baseball; a slider, which is made to curve laterally by rotation imparted by the pitcher; a knuckleball, which is held either by the knuckles closest to the nails or by the nails themselves allowing the pitcher to throw a baseball with little or no spin on the ball allowing the baseball to move in any direction; a Vulcan changeup, which seeks to mimic the delivery of a fastball but arrives at a significant lower velocity due to the pitcher holding the baseball with the middle and ring fingers slightly apart; and a circle changeup, which is held in the palm of the hand with the index finger curled around the side of the baseball, allowing the pitcher to mimic the delivery of a fastball but arrives at a significantly lower velocity. 
     Only the pitcher&#39;s and catcher&#39;s locations are fixed, and then only at the beginning of each pitch. Thus, the players on the field move around as needed to defend against scoring a run. Many variations of this are possible, as location depends upon the situation. Circumstances such as the number of outs, the count (balls and strikes) on the batter, the number and speed of runners, the ability of the fielders, the ability of the pitcher, the type of pitch thrown, the tendencies of the hitter, and the inning cause the fielders to move to more strategic locations on the field. Common defensive strategies include: playing for the bunt, trying to prevent a stolen base, moving to a shallow position to throw out a runner at home, playing at “double play depth,” and moving fielders to locations where hitters are most likely to hit the ball. 
     The ultimate goal of the team at bat is to score runs. To accomplish this task, the team at bat successively (in a predetermined order called a lineup or batting order) sends its nine players to the batter&#39;s box (adjacent to home plate) where they become batters. Each team sets its batting lineup at the beginning of the game. Changes to the lineup are tightly limited by the rules of baseball and must be communicated to the umpires, who have the substitutions announced for the opposing team and fans. 
     A batter&#39;s turn at the plate is called a plate appearance. Batters can advance to first base safely in one of seven methods: a base-hit (abbreviated ‘H’) or walk (‘BB’ for base-on-balls) are by far the most common; being hit-by-the-pitch (‘HBP’), reaching by error (‘E’) or fielder&#39;s choice (‘FC’) are less common; and somewhat rarely a player may reach base by virtue of interference (‘I’) or a passed ball (‘PB’) on a strike-out, where the player is allowed to run and reach base safely if he or she can. When the batter hits a fair ball, he or she must run to first base, and may continue or stop at any base unless he or she is put out. A successful hit occurs when the batter reaches a base: reaching only first base is a single; reaching second base, a double; third base, a triple; and a hit that allows the batter to touch all bases in order on the same play is a home run—whether the ball is hit over the fence does not matter (if the ball is not hit over the fence and the batter touches all bases, it is usually referred to as an “inside-the-park home run”). Once a runner is held to a base, he or she may attempt to advance at any time, but is not required to do so unless the batter or another runner displaces him (called a force play). A batter always drops his or her bat when running the bases. Otherwise, the bat would slow him down and could give rise to a call of interference if it were to contact the ball or a fielder. 
     Depending on the way the ball comes off the bat, the play has different names. A batted ball is called a fly ball if it is hit in the air in an upward arc, such that a fielder might be able to catch it before it hits the ground. A batted ball is called a ground ball if it hits the ground within the infield before it can be caught, often due to being hit in a downward trajectory. Several different names are used to describe fly balls, depending on their trajectory. A ball hit high in the air and seemingly almost straight up is called a “pop-up.” A ball hit forcefully in a fast-moving and seemingly almost straight-line trajectory is called a line drive. A “shallow” fly ball, hit with just enough force to possibly land between the infielders and the outfielders, is often call a “blooper.” A “deep” fly ball is hit with enough force to approach and possibly clear the outfield fence. However, if a batter bunts the ball and the bat hits the ball, no matter what it is a dead ball, even by accident. 
     When a ball is hit outside the foul lines, it is a foul ball, requiring the batter and all runners to return to their respective bases, whether it is caught or not. 
     Once the batter and any existing runners have all stopped at a base or been put out, the ball is returned to the pitcher, and the next batter comes to the plate. After the opposing team bats in its own order and three more outs are recorded, the first team&#39;s batting order will continue again from where it left off. 
     When a runner reaches home plate, he or she scores a run and is no longer a base runner. He or she must leave the playing area until his or her spot in the order comes up again. A runner may only circle the bases once per plate appearance and thus can score no more than a single run. In the American, Pacific, and both Cuban leagues, there is a tenth player, a designated hitter, who bats for the pitcher. 
     Each plate appearance consists of a series of pitches, in which the pitcher throws the ball towards home plate while a batter is standing in the batter&#39;s box (either right or left). With each pitch, the batter must decide whether to swing the bat at the ball in an attempt to hit it. The pitches arrive quickly, so the decision to swing must be made in less than a tenth of a second, based on whether the ball is hittable and in the strike zone, a region defined by the area directly above home plate and between the hollow beneath the batter&#39;s knee and the midpoint between the top of the shoulders and the top of the uniform pants. In addition to swinging at the ball, a batter who wishes to put the ball in play may hold his or her bat over home plate and attempt to tap a pitch lightly. This is called a bunt. Good bunting technique has been described as “catching the ball with the bat.” 
     On any pitch, if the batter swings at the ball and misses, he or she is charged with a strike. If the batter does not swing, the home plate umpire judges whether the ball passed through the strike zone. If the ball, or any part of it, passed through the zone, it is ruled a strike; otherwise, it is called a ball. The number of balls and strikes thrown to the current batter is known as the count. The count is always given balls first (except in Japan, where it is reversed), then strikes (such as 3-2 or “three and two,” also known as a “full count,” which would be 3 balls and 2 strikes). 
     If the batter swings and makes contact with the ball, but does not put it in play in fair territory—a foul ball—he or she is charged with an additional strike, except when there are already two strikes. Thus, a foul ball with two strikes leaves the count unchanged. (However, a noted exception to this rule is that a ball bunted foul with two strikes is a strikeout.) If a pitch is batted foul or fair and a member of the defensive team is able to catch it, before the ball strikes the ground, the batter is declared out. In the event that a bat contacts the ball, but the ball continues sharply and directly to the catcher&#39;s mitt and is caught by the catcher, it is a foul tip, which is same as an ordinary strike. 
     When three strikes occur on a batter, it is a strikeout and the batter is automatically out unless the pitch is not caught by the catcher or if the pitch bounces before it is caught. It is then ruled an uncaught third strike, a violation of the third strike rule. Thus, if the catcher drops the third strike, the batter is permitted to attempt to advance to first base if there are two outs in the inning or if it is unoccupied. In this case, the batter is not out (although the pitcher is awarded a strikeout). The catcher can try to get the batter out by tagging him with the ball or throwing the ball to first base to put him out. 
     On the fourth ball, it is called a walk, and the batter becomes a runner, and is entitled to advance to first base without risk of being put out, called a base on balls or a walk (abbreviated BB). If a pitch touches the batter (or the batter&#39;s clothes), the umpire declares a hit by pitch (abbreviated HBP) and the batter is awarded first base, unless the umpire determines that the ball was in the strike zone when it hit the batter, or that the batter did not attempt to avoid being hit. In practice, neither exception is ever called unless the batter obviously tries to get hit by the pitch. Even standing still in the box will virtually always be overlooked, and the batter awarded first. In addition, if the batter swings at a pitch that hits him, it counts as a strike. If the catcher&#39;s mitt, catcher&#39;s mask, or any part of the catcher comes in contact with the batter and/or the batter&#39;s bat as the batter is attempting to hit a pitch, the batter is awarded first base, ruled “catcher&#39;s interference”. 
     Once a batter becomes a runner and reaches first base safely, he or she is said to be “on” that base until he or she attempts to advance to the next base, until he or she is put out, or until the half-inning ends. In order to be safe a runner must beat the ball to the bag. When two or more runners are on the base paths, the runner farther along is called a lead runner or a preceding runner, and any other runner is called a trailing runner or a following runner. Runners on second or third base are considered to be in scoring position since ordinary hits, even singles, will often allow them to score. 
     A runner legally touching a base is “safe” and in most situations he or she may not be put out. Runners may attempt to advance from base to base at any time (except when the ball is dead), but must attempt to advance when forced when all previous bases are occupied and a batted ball that touches the ground is a fair ball. When a batted ball is hit in the air, i.e., a fly ball, and caught by the defending team, runners must return and “retouch” the base they occupied at the time of the pitch. The common name for this requirement is tagging up. If the runner retouches the origin base at any time after the fly ball is first touched by a fielder, he or she may attempt to advance to the next base or bases at his or her own risk. The penalty for failing to retouch (if the defensive team notices this) is that the advancing runner can be put out on a live appeal in which the defensive team player with the ball touches the base from which that runner departed prematurely, a process that looks like a force play to the eye, but technically is not because runners are not “forced” backwards to their origin bases. If a runner tries to run the next base in sequence, they can be deemed out by either of two methods. The runner may be tagged by the infielder, or the runner may fail to reach the base before the baseball has arrived there. However, if the runner is not forced to run to the next base in sequence, they are not deemed out until they are tagged. The runner, however, cannot take a base that is occupied by a fieldman holding the baseball. 
     Only one runner may occupy a base at a time. If two runners are touching a base at once, the trailing runner is in jeopardy and will be out if tagged. However, if the trail runner reached the base having been forced there, it is the lead runner who will be out when tagged for failing to reach his or her force base. Either such occurrence is very rare. Thus, after a play, at most three runners may be on the base paths, one on each base first, second, and third. When three runners are on base, this is called bases loaded. 
     Baserunners may attempt to advance, or steal a base, while the pitcher is preparing to make a pitch, while he or she is making a pitch, or while waiting for a return throw from the catcher after a pitch. The pitcher, in lieu of delivering the pitch, may try to prevent this by throwing the ball to one of the infielders in order to tag the runner. If successful, it is called a pick-off he or she may also, as part of a planned sequence, throw a pitch well outside and high of the strike zone to his or her catcher who is waiting for it upright there, and is thus better prepared to throw out a runner trying to steal. This sequence is called a “pitchout.” If the runner attempts to steal the next base but is tagged out before reaching it safely, he or she is caught stealing. An illegal attempt by the pitcher to deceive a runner, among other pitching violations, is called a balk, allowing all runners to advance one base without risk of being put out. 
     Another rule of baseball is that a runner who was initially ruled out can subsequently be ruled safe, but once a runner is ruled safe he or she cannot be called out on the same play, unless he or she overruns the base. For example, if a baserunner steals second base, beating the throw, an umpire might make the quick call of safe, but if the runner then slides beyond the base and is tagged before he or she can retreat to it the umpire has the right to change the call. A runner initially called out can be subsequently ruled safe if the fielder putting the runner out drops the ball (on either a tag or force play), pulls his or her foot off the base (in the case of a force play), or otherwise illegally obstructs a runner from reaching a base that he or she otherwise would have reached safely. 
     The goal of each batter is to become a base runner him or herself (by a base hit, a base on balls, being hit by the pitch, a fielding error, or fielder&#39;s choice) or to help move other base runners along (by another base hit, a sacrifice bunt, sacrifice fly, or hit and run). 
     An inning consists of each team having one turn in the field and one turn to hit, with the visiting team batting before the home team. A standard game lasts nine innings, although some leagues (such as high school baseball and Little League) play fewer. Most high school games last seven innings, and Little League has six innings. A single game between two teams during NCAA competition is nine innings. A doubleheader in NCAA competition may be two seven inning games, two nine inning games, or one nine inning game and one seven inning game between the same teams. The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins. If the home team is ahead when the middle of the last inning is reached, it is declared the winner, and the last half-inning is not played. If the home team is trailing or tied in the last scheduled inning (or in an extra inning, see below) and they score to take the lead, the game ends as soon as the winning run touches home plate. However, if the last batter hits a home run to win the game, he or she and any runners on base are all permitted to score. 
     If both teams have scored the same number of runs at the end of a regular-length game, a tie is avoided by the addition of extra innings. As many innings as necessary are played until one team has the lead at the end of an inning. Thus, the home team always has a chance to respond if the visiting team scores in the top half of the inning. This gives the home team a small tactical advantage. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present inventor has invented a new, fun, challenging, yet easy and inexpensive to play archery game that users can easily understand and that is attractive to users due to its similarity to an existing sport with which most users are already familiar—baseball. 
     Specifically, provided in various example embodiments is a baseball-like archery game, system and method comprising the steps of:
         a) positioning archery targets in a plurality of positions on a field corresponding to defensive positions of baseball players in a baseball game;   b) providing two teams of shooters, initially assigning a first team as offense shooters and a second team as defense shooters, and assigning each archery target to a corresponding defense shooter;   c) a first offense shooter shooting an arrow at one of the archery targets from a position on the field corresponding to a batting position of a baseball player in a baseball game;
           a. if the first offense shooter hits one of the archery targets with the arrow, then:
               i. a defense shooter assigned to the archery target that the first offense shooter hit with the arrow, shoots an arrow at the archery target that the first offense shooter hit with the arrow, from a position on the field corresponding to a batting position of a baseball player in a baseball game;
                   1. if the defense shooter hits the archery target that the first offense shooter hit with the arrow, then the first offense shooter accrues the status of being out; and   2. if the defense shooter misses the archery target that the first offense shooter hit with the arrow, then the first offense shooter accrues a preselected base hit status corresponding to the archery target that the first offense shooter hit with the arrow, the preselected base hit status selected from the group consisting of: single, double, triple, and home run;   
                   
               b. if the first offense shooter misses all of the archery targets with the arrow, then the first offense shooter repeats step c);   c. if the first offense shooter repeats step c) a preselected number of times without hitting any of the archery targets, then the first offense shooter accrues the status of being out;   
           d) a second offense shooter shooting an arrow at one of the archery targets from a position on the field corresponding to a batting position of a baseball player in a baseball game;
           a. if the second offense shooter hits one of the archery targets with the arrow, then:
               i. a defense shooter assigned to the archery target that the second offense shooter hit with the arrow, shoots an arrow at the archery target that the second offense shooter hit with the arrow, from a position on the field corresponding to a batting position of a baseball player in a baseball game;
                   1. if the defense shooter hits the archery target that the second offense shooter hit with the arrow, then the second offense shooter accrues the status of being out; and   2. if the defense shooter misses the archery target that the second offense shooter hit with the arrow, then the second offense shooter accrues a preselected base hit status corresponding to the archery target that the second offense shooter hit with the arrow, the preselected base hit status selected from the group consisting of: single, double, triple, and home run; and the preselected base hit status, if any, accrued by the first offense shooter who is not out advances based on the base hit status accrued by the second offense shooter;   
                   
               b. if the second offense shooter misses all of the archery targets with the arrow, then the second offense shooter repeats step d);   c. if the second offense shooter repeats step d) a preselected number of times without hitting any of the archery targets, then the second offense shooter accrues the status of being out;   
           e) a third offense shooter shooting an arrow at one of the archery targets from a position on the field corresponding to a batting position of a baseball player in a baseball game;
           a. if the third offense shooter hits one of the archery targets with the arrow, then:
               i. a defense shooter assigned to the archery target that the third offense shooter hit with the arrow, shoots an arrow at the archery target that the third offense shooter hit with the arrow, from a position on the field corresponding to a batting position of a baseball player in a baseball game;
                   1. if the defense shooter hits the archery target that the third offense shooter hit with the arrow, then the third offense shooter accrues the status of being out; and   2. if the defense shooter misses the archery target that the third offense shooter hit with the arrow, then the third offense shooter accrues a preselected base hit status corresponding to the archery target that the third offense shooter hit with the arrow, the preselected base hit status selected from the group consisting of: single, double, triple, and home run; and the preselected base hit status, if any, accrued by the first offense shooter who is not out advances based on the base hit status accrued by the third offense shooter, and the preselected base hit status, if any, accrued by the second offense shooter who is not out advances based on the base hit status accrued by the third offense shooter;   
                   
               b. if the third offense shooter misses all of the archery targets with the arrow, then the third offense shooter repeats step e);   c. if the third offense shooter repeats step e) a preselected number of times without hitting any of the archery targets, then the third offense shooter accrues the status of being out;   
           f) awarding a point to the team of the offense shooters whenever an offense shooter attains a base hit status corresponding to home run;   g) upon a preselected number of offense shooters attaining the status of being out, switching the team of offense shooters to being defense shooters and the team of defense shooters to being offense shooters;   h) repeating steps c) through g) at least a predetermined number of times; and then   i) determining a winning team based on which team was awarded the highest number of points.       

     In various example embodiments the step of positioning archery targets in a plurality of positions on a field corresponding to defensive positions of baseball players in a baseball game further comprises the steps of positioning a first archery target on the field in a position corresponding to approximately where a first baseman would play in a baseball game, and positioning a second archery target on the field in a position corresponding to approximately where a third baseman would play in a baseball game. In various example embodiments the method may further comprise the step of preselecting a base hit status of single to correspond to an offense shooter hitting the first or second archery targets with an arrow. 
     In various example embodiments the step of positioning archery targets in a plurality of positions on a field corresponding to defensive positions of baseball players in a baseball game further comprises the steps of positioning a third archery target on the field in a position corresponding to approximately where a shortstop would play in a baseball game, and positioning a fourth archery target on the field in a position corresponding to approximately where a second baseman would play in a baseball game. In various example embodiments the method may further comprise the step of preselecting a base hit status of double to correspond to an offense shooter hitting the third or fourth archery targets with an arrow. 
     In various example embodiments the step of positioning archery targets in a plurality of positions on a field corresponding to defensive positions of baseball players in a baseball game further comprises the steps of positioning a plurality of short outfield archery targets on the field in positions corresponding to approximately where outfielders would play in a baseball game, when playing proximal the batter. In various example embodiments the method may further comprise the step of preselecting a base hit status of triple to correspond to an offense shooter hitting one of the short outfield archery targets with an arrow. 
     In various example embodiments the step of positioning archery targets in a plurality of positions on a field corresponding to defensive positions of baseball players in a baseball game further comprises the steps of positioning a plurality of long outfield archery targets on the field in positions corresponding to approximately where outfielders would play in a baseball game, when playing distal the batter. In various example embodiments the method may further comprise the step of preselecting a base hit status of home run to correspond to an offense shooter hitting one of the long outfield archery targets with an arrow. 
     In various example embodiments each offense shooter accrues the status of being out after shooting an arrow one, two, three, or more consecutive times without hitting any of the archery targets. In various example embodiments each defense shooter shoots up to a predetermined number of times at the archery target hit by the corresponding offense shooter; for instance one, two, three, or more times, or in various example embodiments the number of times is equivalent to the number of times the corresponding offense shooter shot in order to hit the archery target. 
     In various example embodiments the step of switching the team of offense shooters to being defense shooters and the team of defense shooters to being offense shooters occurs upon one, two, three, or more offense shooters attaining the status of being out. 
     In various example embodiments the step of repeating steps c) through g) at least a predetermined number of times comprises repeating steps c) through g) at least fourteen times, for a total of seven innings, or at least eighteen times, for a total of nine innings, or any other suitable number of times for any desired number of innings. 
     In various example embodiments step g) further comprises the step of removing arrows from the archery targets. Alternatively, arrows may be removed between innings or at any other suitable time. 
     In various example embodiments step g) further comprises the step of tallying the number of points awarded to the teams. Alternatively, the number of points may be tallied between innings or at any other suitable time. 
     In various example embodiments an umpire may be provided to determine whether an arrow has hit an archery target. 
     Also provided in various example embodiments is a method of playing a baseball-like archery game, comprising the steps of: positioning archery targets in a plurality of positions on a field corresponding to defensive positions of baseball players in a baseball game, and having players on an offense team shoot arrows from a home plate area toward the archery targets, thereby accruing single, double, triple, or home-run base hit statuses depending on which targets are hit, or, alternatively, striking-out when a predetermined number of shots miss an aimed-for target; and an offense player is out when a player on a defense team successfully hits a target hit by said offense player. 
     Further provided in various example embodiments is a method of playing a baseball-like archery game, comprising: positioning archery targets in a plurality of positions on a field corresponding to defensive positions of baseball players in a baseball game; a step for offense players scoring points by shooting arrows at and hitting the archery targets; a step for offense players striking-out by shooting arrows at and missing the archery targets; and a step for offense players becoming out by a defense player shooting an arrow at and hitting an archery target hit by an offense player, wherein the “step for” language is explicitly intended to be interpreted pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §112(f) and pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph. 
     Additional aspects, alternatives and variations as would be apparent to persons of skill in the art are also disclosed herein and are specifically contemplated as included as part of the invention. The invention is set forth only in the claims as allowed by the patent office in this or related applications, and the following summary descriptions of certain examples are not in any way to limit, define or otherwise establish the scope of legal protection. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various embodiments are depicted in the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes, and should in no way be interpreted as limiting the scope of the embodiments. Furthermore, various features of different disclosed embodiments can be combined to form additional embodiments, which are part of this disclosure. It will be understood that certain components and details may not appear in the Figure(s) to assist in more clearly describing the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of a typical baseball field, as known in the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of an example field and layout for a baseball-like archery game, system and method, according to various example embodiments, showing an example layout of targets relative to a shooter&#39;s location and relative to a typical baseball field. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference is made herein to some specific examples of the present invention, including any best modes contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention. Examples of these specific embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying Figure(s). While the invention is described in conjunction with these specific embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the described or illustrated embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. Particular example embodiments of the present invention may be implemented without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, process operations well known to persons of skill in the art have not been described in detail in order not to obscure unnecessarily the present invention. Various techniques and mechanisms of the present invention will sometimes be described in singular form for clarity. However, it should be noted that some embodiments include multiple iterations of a technique or multiple mechanisms unless noted otherwise. Similarly, various steps of the methods shown and described herein are not necessarily performed in the order indicated, or performed at all in certain embodiments. Accordingly, some implementations of the methods discussed herein may include more or fewer steps than those shown or described. Further, the techniques and mechanisms of the present invention will sometimes describe a connection, relationship or communication between two or more entities. It should be noted that a connection or relationship between entities does not necessarily mean a direct, unimpeded connection, as a variety of other entities or processes may reside or occur between any two entities. Consequently, an indicated connection does not necessarily mean a direct, unimpeded connection unless otherwise noted. 
     An example embodiment of a game setup will now be described, with reference generally to  FIG. 2 . A game will typically be played in a relatively large area, for instance in a field approximately one-hundred yards by one-hundred yards square. A range of targets may be provided that may optionally vary in size from small to large, but may alternatively all be the same size. In various example embodiments there may be ten targets total. The field may be set up like a conventional baseball diamond, with a home plate or home base (“home”), and first, second, and third base locations positioned respectively at the corners of the diamond, as is known in the sport of baseball. In various example embodiments, two relatively small targets may be placed down the first and third base lines of the baseball diamond, for instance approximately where a first baseman and a third baseman would usually play, such as on or slightly off the base lines. These two small targets may be considered singles (single base hits) when hit by an arrow, and may be placed fifteen to twenty yards from home plate, for example. Next, two targets may be placed near where the shortstop and the second baseman typically play (for example, approximately twenty-five to thirty yards from home plate). These two targets may optionally be slightly larger than the first two (single) targets and may be considered doubles (double base hits) when hit by an arrow. Additional may be considered triples (triple base hits) when hit by an arrow, and may be placed in the short outfield area, for example approximately where baseball outfielders would play when positioned proximal home base. These triple targets may optionally be still larger than the double targets. In various example embodiments a first of the triple targets may be placed between the third base target and shortstop locations. A second of the triple targets may be placed between the shortstop and second baseman locations, for instance directly over second base as viewed from home base. And a third one of the triple targets may be placed between second baseman and first baseman locations. In various example embodiments these triple targets may be placed from thirty-five to forty-five yards from home base. Still more targets that may or may not be larger than the triple targets may be provided that are considered homeruns (homerun hits) when hit by an arrow. Homerun targets may be placed in, for example, left field, center field, and right field, approximately where baseball outfielders would play when positioned distal from home base. For instance, in various example embodiments homerun targets may be placed anywhere from fifty yards to seventy-five yards away from home plate depending on the size of the playing field. All target locations, sizes, and shapes may be varied as appropriate based on available space, and to simulate not only baseball player locations, but also realistic archery hunting distances. Fields may be grass fields, as in conventional baseball, but any suitable open space may constitute a field for purposes of this game, such as a parking lot or indoor space. 
     Any suitable number of players may constitute a team, though it has been found that three to five people per team is preferable, with five being ideal. A “home” team may be designated in any suitable manner, for instance by allowing a player from each teach to shoot at a target to see who comes closest to the center of the target. Each team may create a line-up while dividing the targets up for defense. For example, where ten targets are sued, and there are five players per team, each player of each team will be assigned two targets that they must defend as described herein. It is helpful to write down in a score book who one each team is assigned to defend each target. The game may start once the above step is complete. In various example embodiments, the visiting team begins the game on offense and shoots first. The first person up to shoot can pick any of the targets at which to shoot. He or she may be provided with a predetermined number of shots, for instance one, two, three, or more, to hit the target, which may be a center ring of a conventional archery target, or any other agreed-upon item. In a given shooting session, once the shooter shoots his or her first arrow, in various example embodiments he or she may not be permitted to shoot a different target with a subsequent arrow. If the first arrow hits the target the subsequent arrow(s) need not be shot. If all the permitted shots miss the target, the shooter is out. If any of the permitted shots hits the target, the shot is good and the shooter is awarded a base hit status corresponding to the target hit, unless the defensive player assigned to that target can also hit that target, and thereby get the player out. If the defensive player assigned to that target hits the target then the offensive player is out. If the defensive player assigned to that target misses the target there is considered to be a runner on-base corresponding to the base hit status ascribed to that target. In the example embodiment described herein no player is ever to be literally physically located on the bases. Rather, the information about base hits and outs may be recorded in real-time in any suitable scorebook, an example of which was disclosed in the provisional application incorporated herein by reference. Scorebook software may also or alternatively be provided that assists a user in keeping score according to the rules provided herein. 
     If there is a first offense shooter having an on-base or “runner on” status due to having hit a target, and subsequently his teammate, a second offense shooter, also hits a target accrues on-base status, the first offense shooter&#39;s status advances one base unless they are forced, as in regular baseball, to advance more bases. For example, if a first offense shooter gets a single (by shooting a target having base status of single) and a second offense shooter gets a triple (by shooting a target having base status of triple), the first offense shooter&#39;s status advances to home base, and the team on offense is awarded one point for having a player achieve home base status. In another example, if a first offense shooter gets a double (by shooting a target having base status of double) and a second offense shooter gets a single (by shooting a target having base status of single), the first offense shooter&#39;s status advances by one unit, i.e., from second base to third base, and the second offense shooter&#39;s status accrues to first base. In yet another example, if a first offense shooter gets a triple (by shooting a target having base status of triple) and a second offense shooter gets a single (by shooting a target having base status of single), the first offense shooter&#39;s status advances by one unit, i.e., from third base to home base, the second offense shooter&#39;s status accrues to first base, and the team on offense is awarded one point for having a player achieve home base status. 
     Each team may be allotted up to a predetermined number of outs per inning, for instance, one, two, three, or more. For example, in various example embodiments, after the first three outs are made by the visiting team, the home team switches from playing defense to playing offense and the visiting team switches from playing offense to playing defense, as in regular baseball. Then, when the home team makes three outs, the first inning is complete, again, as in regular baseball. The score may be tallied at any convenient time, such as continuously, or at the end of each inning. Arrows can be collected at any appropriate time, such as at the end of the three outs or at the end of the inning. Typically seven to nine innings may be played, for example. At the end of the desired number of innings and after the home team has shot last, the total home runs attributable to each team are tallied to determine the winning team. 
     An umpire may be selected before the game begins to assist in determining whether an arrow has hit a target. In various example embodiments, the umpire&#39;s call is final regardless of its objective correctness. An umpire may make calls with the use of binoculars, for example, and in various example embodiments may not go onto the field except to officiate a challenge. In various example embodiments, each team may get one, two, three, or more challenges per game. Flags or other suitable indicia may be used for to signal a challenge or a team might simply ask the umpire for the challenge. In the event of a challenge to an umpire&#39;s call, the play will stop and the umpire and both coaches or other team representatives will walk to the target to determine the final call, which the umpire makes. Challenges may be recorded and tracked in a scorebook or by other means. 
     Range finders or other archery-assisting equipment or technology may or may not be used. This should be determined by both coaches and the umpire before the game begins. 
     Any of the suitable technologies and materials set forth and incorporated herein may be used to implement various example aspects of the invention as would be apparent to one of skill in the art.  FIG. 1  and portions of the Background section of this document were adapted from information on the Wikipedia website, and is used here pursuant to its Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, a copy of which is viewable on the Internet at &lt;&lt;http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/&gt;&gt; at the time of filing this application. 
     Although exemplary embodiments and applications of the invention have been described herein including as described above and shown in the included example Figure(s), there is no intention that the invention be limited to these exemplary embodiments and applications or to the manner in which the exemplary embodiments and applications operate or are described herein. Indeed, many variations and modifications to the exemplary embodiments are possible as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art. The invention may include any device, structure, method, or functionality, as long as the resulting device, system or method falls within the scope of one of the claims that are allowed by the patent office based on this or any related patent application.