Rounders - Britain

Glossary of Games

Curated by Larry McCray and Jeffrey Kittel
Chart: Predecessor and Derivative Games
Predecessor Games
Derivative Games
Glossary of Games, Full List
Game Families
Baseball · Kickball · Scrub · Fungo · Hat ball · Hook-em-snivy
Untagged Games
Add a Game
Add a Family of Games

Game	Rounders - Britain
Game Family	Baseball Baseball
Location
Regions	Britain
Eras	1800s, Contemporary, Post-1900, Predecessor
Invented	No
Tags
Description	Rounders was first described in the late 1820s.  Current researchers believe that the game was similar to English base ball, which had been described almost 80 years earlier, but it is clearer that rounders employed a bat than that English ball did. Rounders in the 19th Century generally resembled the game that Mass game; it used overhand throwing, plugging, etc.  In describing rounders in 1898, Gomme notes a one-out-side-out rule applied for caught (fly?) balls.  Batters who missed three pitches were compelled to run on the third swing as if they had struck the ball. Rounders is now played in British schools, often by young women. Rounders Rules (from https://www.mastersofgames.com/rules/rounders-rules.htm:  accessed 6/1/2023) Rounders Rules Rounders is an ancient field game for two teams that is popular in schools and is the ancestor of more modern sports like Baseball and Softball. See also: Rounders Equipment. Rounders Equipment & Preparation The equipment needed for rounders consists of a truncheon shaped rounders bat, a rounders ball and 4 posts set out in a diamond shape. A traditional ball is hard and covered in leather although safer, softer balls for schools are also available. The pitch features a bowler's square (2.5m) which is 7.5m from the batter's square (2m). 1 metre behind the batter's square the Backstop line should be marked. The four posts are positioned around the bowler's square as shown in the diagram (black lines show lines that should be marked; green lines are for measuring only). <img src="https://www.mastersofgames.com/images/outdoor/rounders-pitch.jpg" alt="" /> Of course, if you are just playing in the park or your garden, exact dimensions don't matter and shrubberies and flower beds may come into play... For a decent game, each team should have at least 6 people, so that when fielding, a person can stand next to each post in addition to the bowler and the backstop. Rounders Basics Each team has two innings with all people in the team having a go at batting. The innings is over when all the batting players are either out or at a base so that there is no-one left to face the next ball. One, by one, the batters line up to take their turn in the batting square. The bowler throws the ball towards the batter. Bowling and No-Balls The bowler must bowl a ball towards the batter so that:  it is thrown with a smooth underarm action the ball arrives without bouncing and within the batters square the ball is above the batter's knee, below the batter's head, and not at the batter's body the bowler's feet are inside the bowler's square when the ball is bowled otherwise a 'no-ball' is called. A batter can attempt to hit a no-ball and can run on a no-ball, if desired whether the ball is hit or not, but cannot return once first post is reached. If two consecutive no-balls are bowled to the same batter, the batter scores a half-rounder. Batting The batter gets one chance to hit the ball (ignoring no-balls) and must run even if the ball is not struck. If the ball is hit behind the batting square or not hit at all, the batter may can only run to first base. Otherwise, the batter runs around as many of the bases as possible and stops at a post only when the batter thinks there is a danger of the next post being 'stumped'. The batter is out if: the batter hits the ball and it is caught without first hitting the ground the post being run to is 'stumped' - a fielder touches it with the ball the batter runs inside a post the batter loses contact with a post when the bowler has the ball inside the bowler's square the batter overtakes a fellow batter when running around the posts. while not running between posts, the batter obstructs a fielder the batter's foot is outside the batter's square when the ball is bowled Scoring Rounders A score is immediately posted in the following situations:  If the batter hits the ball or is bowled a no ball and then reaches the fourth post, a rounder is scored. If the batter fails to hit the ball and reaches the fourth post, a half-rounder is scored. If the batter hits the ball and reaches the second post, a half-rounder is scored. A fielder obstructs a batter running to a post, a half-rounder is scored. If the batter hits the ball and reaches the first, second or third post without being out, the batter stays at that post (and must keep in contact with it) until the next ball is bowled. As soon as the ball leaves the bowler's hand, such a batter can run to the next post, if they wish, even if a no-ball is called. If the batter does not keep contact with the post, the fielding side can stump the next post to get the player out. 2 batters cannot be at the same post so a batter must run on to the next post if the next batter catches up with them. A batter who continues in this way and reaches the fourth post scores a half-rounder. Once the fourth post is reached, the person goes to the back of the batter's line and awaits their next turn to bat. Winning After both sides have played both innings, the side with the most rounders wins. Other Rounders Rules The above rules are consistent with the National Rounders Associations laws. However, those wishing to play more strictly, may also wish to incorporate the following NRA rules which aren't really necessary for a friendly game.  A team consisting of a maximum of 15 players and a minimum of 6 of whom no more than 9 may be on the field at one time. An innings is over when the 9th batter is out. If the ball goes behind, the batter may only run to first post but may continue to run once the ball has returned in front of the batter's square again. In this way, it is possible to reach 4th post and score a rounder, even if the ball is hit behind (although this would only happen in practice due to a fielding error). A batter can run to a post even if it has been previously stumped but there is no score if this is done on 4th Post Batsmen must carry their bat when running When the bowler has the ball in his square, you cannot move on, but if you are between Posts, you can carry on to the next. You must touch 4th Post on getting home.
Sources	The earliest reference to English rounders is in Clarke, W., Boy’s Own Book (London, Vizetelly Branston, 1828, second edition. Alice Bertha Gomme, The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (New York; Dover, 1964 – reprinted from two volumes printed in 1894 and 1898), pages 145-146.  Gomme (1898) notes that "An elaborate form of this game has become the national game of the United States."  David Block, Baseball before We Knew It, has dozens of dozens of indexed references to rounders. See the article on Rounders in the Origins Committee Newsletter, February, May, 2021. See also Feeder_and_Rounders,_1841, contributed by Bill Hicklin.
Source Image	[[Image:|left|thumb]]
Comment	A relatively complete description of "roundstakes", or "rounders,"  as played in Eastern Massachusetts in about 1870, is found at roundstakes.  The account is shown in that item's  "Supplemental Text." -- An aside: Plugging in Rounders?  About baserunning, Gomme (page 145) writes in 1898:  "As soon as (the batter)has struck the ball, he runs from the base to the first boundary stick, then to the second, and so on. His opponents  in the meantime secure the ball and endeavor to hit him with it as he is running."     Protoball has found scant evidence that rounders included retiring baserunners by hitting them with the thrown ball.  On May 7 2022, however, John Thorn posted this excerpt from Wickets in the West by R. A. Fitzgerald, published in 1873 and covering the 1872 cricket tour of the US: "To sum it up, (base ball) is an improvement on our old schoolboys' game of rounders, without, however, the most attractive part to the English schoolboy -- the 'corking'.  We can see still, and we are not sure that we cannot still feel, the quiver of the fat boy's nether parts, as the ball, well-directed, buried  itself in his flesh."  Putting baserunners out via a thrown ball, recalled as "corking" in this English account, has been called "plugging," "soaking," "burning," etc., in America.  In about 1810, Block notes, the French game Poisoned  Ball used the tactic, and the German Giftball (Poison ball) seems to have, as well.    -- References to rounders games in early English newspapers include the London Sunday Dispatch, Oct. 8, 1832; London Morning Post, April 20, 1838; Cheltenham Chronicle, Nov. 15, 1838; Bristol Times, Jan. 4, 1840, Dec. 2, 9, 1843; Bristol Mercury, March 4, 1843; and the Preston Chronicle, May 4, 1844. [ba] Edit with form to add a comment
Query	Edit with form to add a query
Has Supplemental Text	Yes

---

Comments

<comments voting="Plus" />

Supplemental Text

 The game that bore the closest resemblance to our modern baseball was "roundstakes" or "rounders."  In some communities it was know (sic) as "townball."  This game of roundstakes was often played on village commons, or muster fields, on holidays or other public occasions.  Among the larger boys it was the popular game at school.

It was this game that was so modified as to become later the baseball of today.  It was originally an old English game much played in the colonies.  A  soft ball was always used.  It was made of yarns or other soft materials and covered with leather or a network  to prevent unwinding.  Instead of throwing this ball to a baseman it was thrown at the baserunner himself.  If a hit was made by a thrower, the runner was out.  The bases were usually posts or stakes, but sometimes stones.  These had to be circled or touched by the runner.  There were no fair or foul balls.  The batter ran on any hit, however light, or on his third strike.  There were no called balls or called strikes.  The batter could strike out, fly out or be hit be a thrown ball when between bases.  The game was played between teams or sides of equal numbers, usually from seven to ten. The play was generally without an umpire.

Source: see Protoball entry 1870c.8 or roundstakes.