Bedard's Universal Baseball - Rules


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Welcome

Welcome to Bedard’s Universal Baseball!

Originally designed by Lewis A. Bedard and first published in 1927, the game has been updated and revised for a modern audience by Mr. Bedard’s great-grandson, Joshua Williams.

The game simulates a real-world game of baseball. Cards are played to represent actions and outcomes. Opposing batters and fielders compete to score runs and record outs.

Objective

The objective of the game is just like a real-world game of baseball: to score more runs than your opponent by advancing runners around the bases.

  • A typical game consists of nine innings, but players can agree to play games of any number of innings. For example, in a three-inning game, the player with the highest score at the end wins.
  • If the game is tied at the end of the agreed-number of innings, then extra innings are played until one player scores more runs at the end of a full inning.
  • A full inning has an upper and a lower half. One player bats while the other fields, and the players alternate roles each half-inning.
  • A half-inning ends when the fielder gets three outs against the batter. Outs occur through strikes, caught fly balls, or other scenarios described in the rules.
  • For each “pitch”, the batting player will play a card first. The fielder then responds by playing a card. The outcome of each pitch is determined by the rules below.
  • After each half-inning, all cards are shuffled and dealt again. The fielding and batting roles switch, and play continues until all innings are complete.

General Information

Players

This version of Bedard’s Universal Baseball is designed for two players.

Deck

Use a 52-card deck of four suits (Black, Red, Yellow, Blue), numbered 1-13.

A standard 52-card deck may be used, with suits (Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades) substituted, where Aces equal a 1, Kings equal a 13, etc. These rules do not cover this alternative, but players can easily modify the rules to accomodate a standard 52-card deck.

Dealing

  • At the start of each half-inning, shuffle the deck and deal 11 cards to each player.
  • If all 11 cards are played within a single half-inning, gather all cards, and reshuffle, and deal 11 cards to each player again.

Resolving Plays

Each play of the cards represents a single pitch in a real-world baseball game. With each pitch, the batter leads a card, and the fielder responds. The batter’s led card represents a potential outcome, but the fielder’s response ultimately determines the result of the play.

The fielder must follow suit, if possible.

  • However, if the fielder intends to force a foul ball, the fielder may play a card of the same value from a different suit.
  • If the fielder holds no cards of the same suit, the fielder may play a card from another suit, which results in a ball (see below).
  • If a fielder plays an off-suit card (not of the same value), while holding a card of the same suit, this is considered an illegal move, and the result is a fielder’s error or “balk”(see below).

The following rules determine the outcome of each pitch:

Strikes

If the fielder plays a card of the same suit but higher value than the batter’s led card, the result is a Strike.

  • Three strikes result in an out.
  • The batter leads a Red #1, and the fielder plays a Red #7. The result is a Strike.
  • The batter leads a Black #11, and the fielder plays a Black #12. The result is a Strike.

Balls

If the fielder holds no cards in the same suit as the batter’s led card, the fielder may play any other card. When the fielder plays a card of a different suit and different value than the batter’s led card, the result is a Ball.

  • Four balls result in a walk, and the batter advances to first base.
  • The batter leads a Yellow #6; the fielder holds no Yellow cards, and plays a Red #3. The result is a Ball.
  • The batter leads a Blue #1; the fielder holds no Blue cards, and plays a Black #7. The result is a Ball.

Foul Balls

Fielders Option: Intentional Foul Ball

  • A fielder may choose to play a card of a different suit but the same value as the batter’s led card, even if the fielder has a card in the led suit. This play results in a Foul Ball.
  • Foul balls count as strikes up to 2 strikes. Additional foul balls have no effect, unless caught.
  • A caught foul ball (a foul fly out) results in an out, regardless of the count.
  • The batter leads a Black #13, and the fielder plays a Red #13. The result is a Foul Ball.
  • The batter leads a Blue #3, and the fielder plays a Yellow #3. The result is a Foul Ball.

Hits

If the fielder plays a card of the same suit but lower value than the batter’s card, the batter records a hit as follows:

Fielder Plays Result
2-5 Single
6-9 Double
11-12 Triple

Note that the #1, #10, and #13 cards have unique defensive properties, and are considered Fielder’s Special Cards (see below, “Special Cards”).

  • The batter leads a Red #4, and the fielder plays a Red #2. The result is a Single.
  • The batter leads a Yellow #12, and the fielder plays a Yellow #7. The result is a Double.
  • The batter leads a Blue #13, and the fielder plays a Blue #12. The result is a Triple.

Special Cards

Some cards have unique defensive properties that override standard rules for resolving plays. When a special card is played, its specific effect takes precedence over the general outcomes of strike, ball, hit, or foul ball.

  • Batter’s Special Card: The batter’s #1 card represents an attempted home run, which can only be prevented by specific fielder cards played in response (see below).
  • Fielder’s Special Cards: The #1, #10, and #13 cards have unique defensive properties that may result in outs or otherwise change the normal outcome of a play.

Refer to the table below for determining how special cards interact with different plays. Examples, with explanations, follow.

Fielder’s Card Played Against Batter’s Card Outcome
#1 (same suit) Any Fly Out
#1 (different suit) #1 Foul Ball
#10 (same suit) #1 Foul Ball
#10 (same suit) #2-9 Foul Fly Out
#10 (same suit) #11-13 Foul Ball
#13 (same suit) #1 Fly Out

Examples of Fielder’s Special Cards in Play

Fielder’s #1 (Same Suit) – Fly Out

  • The batter leads a Blue #7, and the fielder plays a Blue #1. The result is a Fly Out.
    • Explanation: The fielder’s #1 card, when played in the same suit as the batter’s led card, automatically results in a Fly Out.

Fielder’s #1 (Different Suit) Against Batter’s #1 – Foul Ball

  • The batter leads a Black #1, and the fielder plays a Yellow #1. The result is a Foul Ball.
    • Explanation: A fielder’s #1 card, of a different suit, against the batter’s #1 card does not result in an out, but is instead treated as a Foul Ball.

Fielder’s #10 (Same Suit) Against Batter’s #1 – Foul Ball

  • The batter leads a Red #1, and the fielder plays a Red #10. The result is a Foul Ball.
    • Explanation: The fielder’s #10 card, when played in the same suit against the batter’s #1 card, results in a Foul Ball.

Fielder’s #10 (Same Suit) Against Batter’s Cards 2-9 – Foul Fly Out

  • The batter leads a Black #8, and the fielder plays a Black #10. The result is a Foul Fly Out.
    • Explanation: When the batter leads a card valued between 2-9, the fielder’s #10 (same suit) will result in a Foul Fly Out.

Fielder’s #10 (Same Suit) Against Batter’s Card 11-13 – Foul Ball

  • The batter leads a Blue #13, and the fielder plays a Blue #10. The result is a Foul Ball.
    • Explanation: A fielders #10 (same suit) against a batter’s card 11-13 results in a Foul Ball.

Fielder’s #13 (Same Suit) Against Batter’s #1 – Fly Out

  • The batter leads a Red #1, and the fielder plays a Red #13. The result is a Fly Out.
    • Explanation: A fielder’s #13 (same suit) against the batter’s #1 card results in an automatic Fly Out.

Fielder’s Error (Balk)

If the fielder holds at least one card in the same suit as the batter’s led card, but plays an off-suit card, this is a Fielder’s Error (also known as a Balk). When a Balk occurs, the batter automatically advances to first base.

  • The batter leads a Blue #1. The fielders holds at least one Blue card, but plays a Red #5 instead. The result is a Fielder’s Error (Balk), and the batter advances to first base due to the fielder’s illegal play.

Base Advancement

  • Existing runners on base only advance to the next base when forced by a follow-up runner.
    • Example: a runner on second base does not advance to third unless a follow-up runner moves to second base.
  • The batter always advances to first, second, or third, depending on the hit (a Single, Double, or Triple). Depending on where existing runners were located, and what kind of hit was made, the existing runners may be forced to advance.

Example – Single with Runner on First

  • Batter hits a Single.
  • Runner on first base is forced to move to second base.

Example – Double with Runners on First and Second

  • Batter hits a Double.
  • Runner that was on second base is advanced to home plate, scoring a run.
  • Runner that was on first base is advanced to third base.

Scoring Runs

  • A run is scored when a runner advances to home plate.
  • When a batter hits a Home Run, the batter and any runners on base all score.

Winning the Game

  • The player with the most runs at the end of the game wins.
  • If the game is tied after the agreed-number of innings are played, then play continues to extra innings and continues until one player has more runs at the end of a full inning.

Closing

Enjoy the game, and may the best player win… now, let’s

“Play Ball!”