From a handful of players who attended the first tournament in 1980, the annual lineball tourney has grown to fill Maple Leaf Park—the place the sport calls home. People come from all over the Midwest to compete. Each September, the park bustles with players and spectators the second weekend after Labor Day, and one can find dedicated players and curious visitors sharpening their lineball skills on our field throughout the summer. Lineball is fast-paced and fun to play and watch. Families enjoy forming teams and attending the tournament.

Lineball was developed in 1980 by Maple Leaf Park owner, Bruce Urso. He based the game on the Over-The-Line Tournament in San Diego, California. Over-The-Line is played on the beach, three players per team, with a twelve inch ball and no gloves. Adjustments had to be made to adapt the game to Illinois terrain—it’s a long way from the beaches of San Diego, after all! The game was sprinkled with a little bit of Chicago softball and a dab of hardball baseball to produce lineball.

Lineball is a game like softball but without baserunning. There are four players on each team.  A batter’s teammate pitches a 16” softball so the hitter can best hit it into the field of play.  The ball must travel a minimum of 40′ on the fly before hitting the ground.  If the ball lands anywhere past that line and between the foul lines, the batter gets a hit.  If the ball bounces before the line, or the ball lands in foul territory, then it is foul.  Two fouls means the batter is out.  A batter who swings and misses is out.  A ball caught on the fly by a fielder means the batter is out.

If three hits come before three outs, the batting team gets a run.  After the three hits, every consecutive hit scores a run.  A homerun occurs when the batter hits a ball that gets past every fielder even if it is for only a moment.  If a homerun is hit, the batter, and anyone “on the bases” scores automatically.  This empties the bases so three hits are needed again for the next run.

Like softball, after three outs the next team bats.  An inning is over after both teams make three outs.  The game lasts five innings. If the game is tied after five innings, extra innings are played until a team wins.

For more information on this year’s tournament, visit the Dates & Rates page.

To learn more about lineball, visit the official site at www.Lineball.net.