Fan-Ball Rules
The Directions below should help immensely, but please also check out the fan-ball videos through the following link. One will explain the game and the other is just pretty cool. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC78ZIkETEGqpzv_y9Bitt-A/videos
Like baseball and golf, each playing area is unique; however, there are certain features in common: a fan, a light-weight ball, and a wall that is about 10-20 feet from the fan. (See Diagrams)
We usually play with two teams--but we've played with three, rotating through. We've played one on one, two on two is more common, and we've had games as large as six on six--which takes a fairly large room.
A "batter" for one team throws the ball up into the blades of the fan. There are only four possible outcomes: a strike, an out, a home run, or a grand slam. Three strikes and you're out--next batter, please. There are no foul balls; a strike is a strike is a strike. A home run scores one (1) and a grand slam scores (4)--for scoring purposes we stole liberally from baseball. We also generally play a 9-inning game. (If you are playing with three people, you may have a top, middle, and bottom of the inning as one person is on offense and the other two on defense, and everybody rotates through in turn.)
A Strike
Any ball that passes cleanly through the blades is a strike. Any ball that doesn't pass the Strike Line (see diagrams) is a strike. Three strikes equals one out (go figure). Again, there are no "foul balls," just strikes and outs.
An Out
Any ball that passes the Out Line (see diagrams) and doesn't make the Run Wall (yeah, see the diagrams).
A Home Run
Any ball that strikes the Run Wall.
(Depending on the room you play in this may also be a hole in the wall--so the ball wouldn't actually strike anything, but there would be a line the ball would pass to delineate a run.)
A Grand Slam
Any ball that strikes whatever part of the Run Wall you all designate as the Grand Slam Area. (Depending on the room you play in this may also be a hole in the wall--so the ball wouldn't actually strike anything.)
The Neutral Zone (unless you are Klingon, you should not encroach on this area until a ball is hit)
An area designated by you that lies between the Strike Line and the Out Line. A ball retrieved in this area by the Offense (the team throwing the ball into the fan) is a strike. A ball retrieved in this area by the Defense (the team trying to keep the ball from hitting the Run Wall) is an Out
This game is meant to be fun. Call your own game; we don't need no stinking officials. Be excellent to one another!
We have absolutely no responsibility if you do anything ridiculous such as but not limited to:
Diving face-first (or any other way) into a fireplace, a brick hearth, a wall, a friend, a plant, a window, or anything else.
Throwing a really heavy object (like a softball, baseball, or a pie) into your fan blades.
Sticking your hands, fingers, tongue, or anything else into the moving fan blades.
Scratching, punching, kicking, or giving a verbal tongue lashing to anyone on your team or the other team. (Trash talk is, however, acceptable.)
Breaking anything--especially things that you really care about and don't move prior to playing.
Getting hit in the eye or some other sensitive area of your body. If you are concerned, wear protection...don't call us.
We're also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FANBALLandtheWFA.
The Directions below should help immensely, but please also check out the fan-ball videos through the following link. One will explain the game and the other is just pretty cool. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC78ZIkETEGqpzv_y9Bitt-A/videos
Like baseball and golf, each playing area is unique; however, there are certain features in common: a fan, a light-weight ball, and a wall that is about 10-20 feet from the fan. (See Diagrams)
We usually play with two teams--but we've played with three, rotating through. We've played one on one, two on two is more common, and we've had games as large as six on six--which takes a fairly large room.
A "batter" for one team throws the ball up into the blades of the fan. There are only four possible outcomes: a strike, an out, a home run, or a grand slam. Three strikes and you're out--next batter, please. There are no foul balls; a strike is a strike is a strike. A home run scores one (1) and a grand slam scores (4)--for scoring purposes we stole liberally from baseball. We also generally play a 9-inning game. (If you are playing with three people, you may have a top, middle, and bottom of the inning as one person is on offense and the other two on defense, and everybody rotates through in turn.)
A Strike
Any ball that passes cleanly through the blades is a strike. Any ball that doesn't pass the Strike Line (see diagrams) is a strike. Three strikes equals one out (go figure). Again, there are no "foul balls," just strikes and outs.
An Out
Any ball that passes the Out Line (see diagrams) and doesn't make the Run Wall (yeah, see the diagrams).
A Home Run
Any ball that strikes the Run Wall.
(Depending on the room you play in this may also be a hole in the wall--so the ball wouldn't actually strike anything, but there would be a line the ball would pass to delineate a run.)
A Grand Slam
Any ball that strikes whatever part of the Run Wall you all designate as the Grand Slam Area. (Depending on the room you play in this may also be a hole in the wall--so the ball wouldn't actually strike anything.)
The Neutral Zone (unless you are Klingon, you should not encroach on this area until a ball is hit)
An area designated by you that lies between the Strike Line and the Out Line. A ball retrieved in this area by the Offense (the team throwing the ball into the fan) is a strike. A ball retrieved in this area by the Defense (the team trying to keep the ball from hitting the Run Wall) is an Out
This game is meant to be fun. Call your own game; we don't need no stinking officials. Be excellent to one another!
We have absolutely no responsibility if you do anything ridiculous such as but not limited to:
Diving face-first (or any other way) into a fireplace, a brick hearth, a wall, a friend, a plant, a window, or anything else.
Throwing a really heavy object (like a softball, baseball, or a pie) into your fan blades.
Sticking your hands, fingers, tongue, or anything else into the moving fan blades.
Scratching, punching, kicking, or giving a verbal tongue lashing to anyone on your team or the other team. (Trash talk is, however, acceptable.)
Breaking anything--especially things that you really care about and don't move prior to playing.
Getting hit in the eye or some other sensitive area of your body. If you are concerned, wear protection...don't call us.
We're also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FANBALLandtheWFA.