Baseball team play organizer

Abstract

The present invention provides a magnetic organizing apparatus for a baseball team. The organizing apparatus comprises a board, a frame, and a plurality of rectangular nameplates. The board has a perimeter and opposing surfaces. The frame is positioned around the board and is offset outward to a distance perpendicular to the opposing surfaces. Indicia in the form of a baseball field and a baseball diamond are located on one of the opposing surfaces. The rectangular nameplates are releasably attached to the board magnetically and overly the baseball field and the baseball diamond to the opposing surfaces. The frame provides a means for aligning the rectangular nameplates in side-by-side, vertically-aligned relation with nameplate edges engaged against the frame and with the frame acting as an alignment guide for the rectangular nameplates.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention generally relates to team sports and organization, in particular to training and game-time organizing apparatuses. More specifically, the present invention is primarily intended as a baseball player field position organizing apparatus. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] In team sports, competitive team organization is critical to success in training and actual game play. In baseball, in particular, organization of both the offensive and defensive positions benefits both players and coaches alike. Many devices have been created to teach and instruct team players by showing the various field positions on the playing field, However, the needs of these organization devices are many, including clean organization, quick and unlimited modification of the diagram of team players and positions, and the alignment and protection of the diagrammed position devices themselves still remain. [000...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] In the United States, the rules of youth baseball differ from the rules of college baseball as well as the rules of professional baseball insofar as players in organized youth baseball can be substituted from inning to inning and then allowed to continue to play. This stands in marked contrast to professional rules where once a player is removed from the lineup during a game the player cannot re-enter and continue to play in the game. The baseball team play organizer of the present invention enables a manager and / or coach of a youth baseball team to readily re-align the baseball lineup from inning to inning so that it becomes easier for the team manager and / or coach as well as players to communicate and know where they should be on the field and / or on the bench from inning to inning.

[0012] Finally, in another embodiment, the present invention provides a sports organizing apparatus that comprises a board having a perimeter and opposing surfaces with indicia placed thereon and a frame positioned around the board and extending from the opposing surfaces. This embodiment further comprises a plurality of nameplates, each having edges. The nameplates are magnetically attached to the board overlying the indicia on one of the opposing surfaces in side-by-side, vertically-aligned relation with the nameplate edges engaged against the frame. The offset frame has an inside frame edge or frame which acts as an alignment guide for the nameplates. Preferably the frame is offset and acts as a stop for nameplate end edges of each nameplate to be engaged in edgewise engagement and the magnetic forces holding the engaged components in aligned engagement for ease in installation. Thus, the indicia or player's names can be easily read by the players and thus provides a coaching aid for the team manager and / or team coaches.

[0013] The present invention therefore provides a baseball team play organizer for use in baseball team training and play. The organizing apparatus cleanly organizes and displays all offensive and defensive positions, allows quick interchange of nameplates at an unlimited number of baseball field positions, provides an alignment guide and protection for the nameplates of the team members, and is easy to use and manufacture.

Problems solved by technology

However, the Bricker apparatus does not appear to teach the alignment and protection of the tokens while on the display board.

The Van Zile device, however, does not allow for the quick and unlimited modification of the pins showing where team players can be located in field positions nor does it appear to teach the alignment and protection of the pins themselves.

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