Brännboll is the Swedish version of baseball and is played mainly during summertime at picnics and barbeques. Competitive teams and tournaments exist, but it is not a professional sport. The English translation is Burnball.
Objective
To score more points than the other team
The Playing Field
The playing field can be set up anywhere including a gym. The shape of it really depends on the area being used and the terrain since there is not a rear boundary line. The key component is a square area anchored by 4 cones. The distance between cones will vary depending on the area of the field, the age of the players, and the type of ball being used. The angle created by the two arrows below represents fair territory. As you can see, it is much larger than the 90 degrees of a baseball field. As long as the ball travels past the two nearest cones and stays within this arc, it is a fair ball. The back of the field can be endless depending on where the game is played.
How to Play
• Divide up students into two teams (a friendly reminder to never use captains). Typically, you’ll need a minimum of 14-16 players.
• The fielding team should spread out, covering as much of the field as possible. Unlike baseball, specific positions do not exist- except for one, the Burner.
• The Burner is the person responsible for ending each at bat by receiving the ball, and once in the burn circle, yelling, “BURNED.”
• The offensive team should line up well behind the batter’s circle to ensure their safety. Players will then each bat one time, or a time limit may be used-usually 5 minutes. After all have batted, or the 5 minutes are up, teams switch sides.
• The batter must stand with one foot inside the batter’s circle. The batter pitches to him/herself and any type of swing is permitted, but the ball must be hit out of the air before it hits the ground.
• The batter has 3 swings to get a hit. A foul ball or a swing and a miss count as a strike. If the batter gets to three strikes they automatically get to go to 1st base. You cannot strike out in this game. (Balls and walks do not exist since you pitch to yourself.)
• In order to get a hit the player must strike the ball out of the air so that it travels in between (and past) the 1st base cone and the home base cone. If this happens the player also automatically gets to go to first (a player cannot be burned going to 1st base) but may choose to continue on.
• The base is not a small square you need to step on but a quadrant that one must be in (see diagram on page 1).
• During a live play (a hit) base runners may stay on a base or run. Unlike baseball, there can be more than one runner on a base and runners can advance in any order. After a ball is hit into fair play, the ball is always thrown back to the Burner. The Burner must get one foot in the burn circle and yell “burned” to end the play. If a player is running, but is in between bases when “Burned” is yelled, s/he is burned and must return to 1st base. (More than one person can be burned at a time.) The next batter must wait until all burned players return to 1st base before attempting to hit. The fielding team earns 1 point for each player burned. The ball is then sent back to the batter’s circle. Since the batter controls the ball to start a play, lead-offs and steals are not allowed.
• The defensive team can also earn points by catching the ball out of the air. A two handed catch earns 1 point and a one handed catch earns 5 points. Balls caught out of the air do not burn a batter. A batter who hits a fly ball that is caught automatically gets to go to first just like any other batter. The only difference is that points are awarded to the defensive team. Additionally, a caught fly ball does not force a runner to tag up. They may run as soon as the ball is hit.
• A runner that successfully makes it home earns his/her team one point. If a batter hits a home run this is worth 5 points.
• Only the Burner may end the play by yelling “burned”
• Once a runner has scored, s/he returns to the end of the batting line-up if a time limit is being used to end innings.
• The age a skill level will determine what kind of ball and bat is used
• The game can be modified to fit your objectives. Instead of batting players can kick a soccer ball or throw a football. Runners who have scored can go back to first and continue running to increase their amount of MVA. At the end of a team’s at bat, all players can line-up at first for a bonus hit where you (the teacher) demonstrate your “coolness” and all runners attempt to make it all the way home. The burner rotates after each batter.
Pesäpallo is the Finnish version of baseball. It was created in the 1920’s and is a played professionally in Finland. It has more similarities to baseball than Burnball, but is also more complicated.
Objective
To score more points than the other team
The Playing Field
The playing field can be set up anywhere including a gym. The shape of it is an upside down house. There are 4 bases and the distance between them depends on the length and angle of the foul lines that start at the batter’s circle. The greater the angle and length, the greater the distance between bases. A hit ball must land inside of the “house” in order to be fair. A ball hit over the endline is NOT a homerun, but an ordinary foul ball.
How to Play
• Divide up students into two teams (another friendly reminder to never use captains). Typically, you’ll need a minimum of 14-16 players, but no more than 24.
• There are fielders responsible for 1st, 2nd and 3rd base. The pitcher covers home base and the remaining field players spread out to cover the rest of the field.
• The pitcher covers home because s/he is positioned in front of (opposite of) the batter.
• The pitcher tosses the ball up in the air for the batter to hit. In order for it to be a legal toss it must go at least 1 yard above the batter’s head and land inside of the batter’s circle. If this occurs and the batter does not swing it is a strike. If the batter swings and misses or hits a foul ball it is also a strike. 3 strikes and the batter is out (a foul ball on the 3rd strike is a strike) and returns to the end of the batting line-up. On the other hand, if the pitcher fails to toss it 1 yard above the head of the batter, or it misses the circle, it is a ball. Unlike baseball, 1 ball constitutes a walk if the bases are empty. 2 balls earn the batter a walk if any of the bases are occupied. Additionally, the batter does not need to run if he or she hits a fair ball on the 1st or 2nd strike (each unused hit counts as strike). However, if the batter passes the “point of no return” line (see diagram on page 4) on a fair hit, then s/he must run to first base. After two strikes the batter does have the option to run without hitting the ball. Once the pitcher tosses the ball, the batter may drop the bat and run to 1st base (this rule is one reason why you want to make sure that the distances between bases is adequate). As soon as the ball hits the ground the pitcher may pick it up and attempt to throw out the batter at 1st .
• If the player hits a fair ball and decides to run, s/he can be put out if the fielding team can get the ball to 1st base before the batter arrives. This rule is similar to baseball.
• If it is not a force out then the player must be tagged.
• There can only be one runner on a base at a time.
• A fly ball that is caught is NOT an out. (Outs can only be earned on the bases.) If nobody is running when a fly ball is caught then nothing happens and the ball is returned to the pitcher. If the batter runs or players on base run and are in between bases when a fly ball is caught then these players are “wounded.” Wounded players do not count as outs. They are now ineligible to bat for the remainder of the inning unless their team can score 2 runs. If too many players become wounded so that no eligible batters are available then a team has been “wounded out” and the sides switch (even if they do not have 3 outs).
• On a fair hit where the batter chooses not to run, runners on base may run if they like. Since this is not a force they must be tagged out.
• A batter who makes it all the way to third base in one play has hit a homerun and earns 1 point for his/her team. As a bonus, this player gets to remain on third and can score an additional point if s/he makes it home.
• A caught foul ball is meaningless
• A ball that lands in fair territory is still fair if it then rolls out over a foul line
• Players may not steal or lead off and the play ends when the pitcher receives the ball
A comparison of the three sports:
