Abstract: Inaccuracies in rail alignment in a billiard table are eliminated and the process of installing rails on a billiard table simplified with a rail assembly for a billiard table that includes first and second elongated rails (10, 44) which are adapted to be mounted on the upper surface of a bed (68) of a billiard table with each having an inwardly directed resilient nose (12, 46) defining a cushion. The rails (10, 44) are arranged in end-to-end relation and define an angle of 90.degree. with innermost parts (16, 42) of adjacent ends of each rail (10, 44) being at an angle of 45.degree. to the direction of elongation of the associated rail (10, 44) and generally parallel with each other and with outermost parts (14, 50) of the adjacent ends defining two sides of an outwardly opening V-shaped notch. A Y-shaped mitre (20) is sandwiched by the adjacent ends and has a leg (22) located between and engaging the innermost parts (16, 42) and diverging arms engaging respective sides (14, 50) of the V-shaped notch.

Abstract: A pad for use with a hockey stick having a handle and a blade includes a generally flat pad element capable of covering at least a portion of a side surface of the blade. An adhesive layer securely affixes the pad element to the blade. The pad element is securely affixed to a side surface of the blade such that at least a bottom edge portion of the blade is not covered by the pad element.

Abstract: A tennis practice device comprises a housing made of two oval elements. The two elements are made of a material which permits to stop the ball at the moment of the impact because the material when it is coupled with the material which covers the ball causes the ball to adhere strongly to the tennis racket. The device may be used indoors and a teacher may train several students at the same time to determine the point of impact of the ball.

Abstract: An adjustable ball backstop is disclosed comprising a frame and an elasticly stretched net having upper and lower generally rectangular sections, the lower section being disposed at a fixed angle relative to the vertical and the upper net section being easily adjustable such that the plane of the upper net section may be positioned at a selected angle so as to selectively direct a ball or other projectile back at a selected angle to facilitate practice of sports such as baseball, softball, tennis and the like.

Abstract: The invention relates to baseball equipment, and more particularly to a baseball bat which is provided with an audible signal generating element. A sound module is mounted inside the handle portion and is designed to generate a pre-selected audible signal in the form of a speech sound when a striking portion is oriented above a handle portion. The sound is generated by a sound producing unit which forms a part of a sound module mounted within the handle portion. The sound producing unit is activated by movement of an element within the sound module when the movable element closes the circuit allowing activation of the sound producing unit.

Abstract: An informal baseball game played with a few players on each side, equipment for defining a strike zone and hit zones, and with a set of rules.

Abstract: A practice device for baseball pitchers which allows the pitcher to adjust size and location of the strike zone for varying degrees of difficulty. The pitcher's training aid includes an upright rectangular frame structure made up of a horizontal base structure, a vertical target support structure, and at least one non-vertical brace member. Two horizontal support members are slidably mounted on the opposing vertical sides of the target support structure thereby defining the boundaries of a strike zone through which a ball may pass. The vertical height of the strike zone is adjusted by manipulating the positions of the two horizontal support members along the sides of the target support structure. The strike zone has a first net contiguously attached thereto to catch all the baseballs pitched within the strike zone.The pitcher's training aid also includes a second net assembly which allows for adjustment of the width of the strike zone.

Abstract: A kit for playing a pocket billiards game and method for playing a pocket billiards game utilizing seven object balls and a cue ball, the seven object balls comprised of three object balls having a first indicia, three object balls having a second indicia, and a single object ball having a third indicia, the overall object of the billiard game being for a player to pocket a billiard ball having a first or second indicia on one side of the table and thereafter pocket the remaining object balls having the same indicia on the same side of the table followed by the pocketing of the object ball having the third indicia on the same side of the table, the play alternating between a second player or a second team of players, the winning player or team being the one which first pockets the object ball having the third indicia on the players or teams designated side of the table.

Abstract: A laminated wood ball bat and a method of making the same. The bat is constructed of a plurality of thin wood veneer strips extending longitudinally in generally parallel relation throughout the length of the bat and are bonded together throughout their facing surfaces. The method of forming the bat includes the steps of placing large sheets of thin wood veneer in stacked relation in the cavity of a press with glue being applied to the contacting surfaces of the stacked sheets of veneer. The press exerts pressure on the veneer sheets to densify and compress the stacked veneer sheets while the glue is cured to form a large laminated panel having a thickness of half bat billets. One surface of each half bat billet panel is optionally grooved to form a core in the hitting zone to optionally receive material less dense or more dense than the wood veneer and a recess in the handle portion to receive a reinforcing rod.

Abstract: A sport training apparatus for projecting a ball into the air for training an athlete in the proper technique of hitting or catching the ball. The apparatus includes ball projecting means and a spring connected thereto for movement between a cocked state and an actuated state. The spring is held in the cocked state by a partial vacuum automatically developed within an air chamber which is created when a piston enters a cylinder. To cock the apparatus for use, the ball projecting means is pushed down which, in turn, causes the piston to enter the cylinder and create the air chamber. A check valve is connected to the air chamber to provide unrestricted air exit from the air chamber as the piston enters the cylinder. A pneumatic control release is connected to the air chamber for allowing ambient air to enter the air chamber for releasing some or all of the partial vacuum to actuate the spring thereby causing the ball projecting means to propel the ball into the air where it can be hit or caught by the athlete.

Abstract: A batting practice device wherein a vertically disposed leaf spring supports a ball securely affixed to its top end. The spring limits movement to a single plane and thereby automatically prevents a batter, standing to one side of the devices, from being struck by the ball or spring upon batting the ball. The use of a leaf spring also provides for a substantial service life.

Abstract: An outfield wall assembly for installation above a ground surface about at least a portion of the perimeter of the outfield of a baseball playing field includes a wall structure having two or more panels, each having a main front face, the panels being positioned and disposed so that the main front faces of each of the panels are each positioned and disposed in angled relation to one another. When installed, and supported in an operative upstanding position, the main front faces of each of the panels are positioned and maintained at an upwardly and outwardly angled orientation relative to the playing field.

Abstract: A practice device for improving batting, pitching, and fielding skills. The device includes a backstop which can be adjusted at different angles to the vertical to return balls striking the backstop on the ground or in the air. With the device configured for batting practice, a ball is positioned at a selected height above and at a selected location across the span of a home plate by a suspension system which includes a cantilevered arm fixed to the backstop, a tether, and a motion damping arrangement which almost instantaneously brings the tethered ball to rest after the ball is struck and rebounds to its rest position. The components of the practice device can be and quickly folded or otherwise positioned against the backstop to provide a compact, easily stored package. The practice device can also be easily configured as a wheeled cart easily moved from one location to another along with ball bags and other equipment stowable on the cart.

Abstract: Batting practice apparatus includes a variable speed motor connected to a rotatable shaft by a belt, and the rotatable shaft includes a pair of arms extending outwardly from the shaft. At the outer ends of the arms are cords connected to the shaft, and balls are secured to the outer ends of the cords. The motor is a variable speed motor, and the motor rotates the shaft to rotate the arms and the balls. The shaft is secured to a base, and the base is tiltable so that the arms may move in a tilted plain, as desired, to provide different orientations of the balls to a user practicing batting with the apparatus.

Abstract: Associated with a racket for tennis or the like games having a frame for receiving stringing (18, 19) and comprising a profile bar, and a handle end, is at least one receiving space for granules or the like mass particles (34), in particular lead shot, wherein the receiving space (32) is part of an insert (30) which is fitted into a stringing mesh of the stringing (18, 19).

Abstract: A game machine for playing a ball throw, in which a player throws a ball at a target arranged in a board. The game machine comprises an element for attaching the target to the board, the target swinging from a given vertical position to a given horizontal position, a unit for providing a holding force to the target positioned at the vertical position, and a control unit for decreasing stepwise or continuously the holding force in accordance with an elapsed time of a ball-throw game. The probability for knocking down the targets is properly adjusted.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a batting practice machine for baseball which can repeatively practice batting technique to get a feel for push or pull-hitting the ball depending on its location, and satisfy the continuous practice of batting motion by rapidly return the ball to the batting point, as well as effectively preventing the from breakdown due to the impact on batting.

Abstract: The hopscotch game of the invention includes a housing having positioned thereon sequentially numbered spaces projecting above a top surface of the housing, such that sequential players direct playing pieces onto the spaces in a sequential manner skipping over spaces upon which the playing disc has been directed. Flashing illumination and audio signal generator structure is provided to be discontinued when a player has finished a turn.

Abstract: A portable batting training system comprising a foldable "I" frame and at least one baseball. The foldable "I" frame comprises two horizontal frame members and a vertical frame member wherein one distal end thereof couples to the center of one of the two horizontal frame members and the other distal end thereof couples to the center of the other of the two horizontal frame members. The at least one baseball couples to a bottom surface of one of the two horizontal frame members wherein the at least one baseball is suspended in mid-air.

Abstract: The batting practice device has a structure of a vertical member with a suspension beam attached to suspend a ball and a cross beam and leg beam to support the vertical member. An elastic cord is attached to the vertical member and routed through a corner pulley and an eyebolt to be attached to a ball line. The ball line is routed through one or more pulleys to suspend a ball from the suspension beam. The bottom attachment end of the ball line is attached to two anchor lines of which one is then attached to the cross beam right end and the other to the cross beam left end. The device may include a rotating cross beam to allow ease of storage. A beam pin is also provided to adjust the height of the ball above the ground.