Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to baseball statistic recording cards and more particularly pertains to a new baseball score card and method for providing a reusable device for keeping records of the events occurring during a baseball game. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of baseball statistic recording cards is known in the prior art. More specifically, baseball statistic recording cards heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 402,700; U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,780; U.S. Pat. No. 2,145,664; U.S. Pat. No. 1,601,119; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 352,956; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,135. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new baseball score card and method. The inventive device includes a planar sheet member having a front face and a rear face. Each face includes sections having indicia arranged for facilitating keeping records of the events occurring during a baseball game. The faces are selectively markable to correspond to play results. In an embodiment, the planar sheet member is laminated to permit wiping away of markings in the sections on each face. 
     In these respects, the baseball score card and method according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing a reusable device for keeping records of the events occurring during a baseball game. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of baseball statistic recording cards now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new baseball score card and method construction wherein the same can be utilized for providing a reusable device for keeping records of the events occurring during a baseball game. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new baseball score card and method apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the baseball statistic recording cards mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new baseball score card and method which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art baseball statistic recording cards, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a planar sheet member having a front face and a rear face. Each face includes sections having indicia arranged for facilitating keeping records of the events occurring during a baseball game. The faces are selectively markable to correspond to play results. In an embodiment, the planar sheet member is laminated to permit wiping away of markings in the sections on each face. 
     There has thus been outlined, 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 additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, 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 baseball score card and method apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the baseball statistic recording cards mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new baseball score card and method which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art baseball statistic recording cards, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new baseball score card and method that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new baseball score card and method that is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new baseball score card and method 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 to the consuming public, thereby making such baseball score card and method economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new baseball score card and method which provides in the apparatuses 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 baseball score card and method for providing a reusable device for keeping records of the events occurring during a baseball game. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new baseball score card and method which includes a planar sheet member having a front face and a rear face. Each face includes sections having indicia arranged for facilitating keeping records of the events occurring during a baseball game. The faces are selectively markable to correspond to play results. In an embodiment, the planar sheet member is laminated to permit wiping away of markings in the sections on each face. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new baseball score card and method that provides a number of preprinted indicia positioned within sections of a sheet, the indicia corresponding to possible play results. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new baseball score card and method that permits temporary marking of a sheet to correspond to highly individualized results while simultaneously providing an organized neat set of indicia for marking corresponding to more common play results in the sport of baseball. 
     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 made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front view of a new baseball score card and method according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a rear view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the area designated as  3  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a marker of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new baseball score card and method embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the baseball score card and method  10  generally comprises a sheet member  12  having a front face  14  and a rear face  16 , and a marker  13  having a fine point  19  for marking on the sheet member. The front face and the rear face each includes a top section  20 , medial section  22  and a lower section  24 . 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the sheet member has a smooth surface for facilitating marking on the sheet member with either an erasable or dry erase type marker. Also in an embodiment of the invention, the sheet member is constructed of plastic or is laminated. 
     The top section of the front face and the rear face each include a respective one of a home team line indicia  25  and an away team line indicia  26 , each line indicia being designed for facilitating legible marking of a home or away team name above the respective team line indicia. 
     The top section of the front face and the rear face each include a respective date line indicia  27  designed for facilitating marking of a date of game played above the respective date line indicia. 
     The medial portion of the front face and the rear face each includes a single lineup column  30  of lineup spaces  31  aligned proximate respective sides  32  and  33  of the sheet member. Each of the lineup spaces is designed for marking a player indicator such as a name or number within the lineup space. 
     The medial portion of the front face and the rear face each further includes a plurality of result columns  39  positioned adjacent to the lineup column. Each activity column includes a plurality of activity spaces  34 . The result columns are positioned to form a plurality of activity space rows  35  aligned with a respective one of the lineup spaces. 
     Each activity space includes a first region  36  adjacent to a first side  37  of the activity space. Each first region also includes a list of result indicia  38  positioned within the first region. 
     Each activity space further has a second region  40  having a diamond indicia  41  positioned within the second region. Each diamond indicia includes a lowermost point  42  positioned along a lower edge  43  of the activity space. Each diamond indicia also includes an uppermost point  44  positioned within an interior portion  45  of the second region of the activity space. 
     In an embodiment, the plurality of activity columns comprises nine columns, each column corresponding to one inning of a nine inning baseball game. Greater or fewer numbers of columns may be provided to correspond to the appropriate number of innings for a level of play or to provide additional columns for extra innings. 
     The top sections of the front face and the rear face each includes a positional indicator  50 . Each positional indicator has position indicia  51  in the general shape of a playing surface of a baseball diamond including a generally arcuate outfield representational portion  52 . The position indicia are numbered such that each number corresponds to a baseball player position. Typically,  1  indicates the pitcher,  2  indicates the catcher,  3  indicates the first baseman,  4  indicates the second baseman,  5  indicates the third baseman,  6  indicates the shortstop,  7  indicates the left fielder,  8  indicates the center fielder, and  9  indicates the right fielder. 
     In an embodiment, the front face and the rear face also each including a key portion  55  positioned between the top section and the medial section. The key portion has a plurality of alphanumeric indicators  56 , each alphanumeric indicator being associated with a corresponding play result. Typically,  1 B indicates a single, HR indicates a home run,  2 B indicates a double,  3 B indicates a triple, BB indicates a walk or base on balls, HP indicates a hit batsmen, K indicates a strike out, F indicates a fly ball, G indicates either a ground ball or a ground out, and E indicates an error. 
     The lower section of the front and rear faces each includes a plurality of run columns  61 . Each run column is divided into an upper and a lower division  62  and  63 . Each division is for recording a number of runs scored by a respective team associated with each respective division  62  or  63 . 
     In use, the marker  13  is used to record a lineup of players into the lineup column by recording one respective player name in each lineup space. Each player&#39;s results are then recorded in an activity space aligned with the player&#39;s lineup space and a column of activity spaces corresponding to the inning in the baseball game in which the result occurred. For clarity the results are recorded using one of the result indicia within the first region or marking a corresponding alphanumeric indicator from the key portion within the second region. 
     Runs per inning are recorded in the run column corresponding to the inning of the baseball game in which the runs were scored. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will 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.

Technology Category: 1