by Danny Huneycutt

Baseball Croquet is an unofficial croquet variant that can be used as a drill or as a competitive game for two or more players. It can be played under Association or American 6-Wicket rules, although the Association version is less restrictive and higher scoring due to boundary rules. Baseball Croquet is a fun way to develop many skills, especially rushing, hoop approaches and hoop running.

Give it a try, it’s great fun!

Association version:

• The object is to score as many runs as possible over the course of the game.
• Determine how many innings are to be played, usually five to nine.
• An inning (as in baseball) is each player completing a turn. If you are playing by yourself complete a turn with the blue ball and then complete a turn with the red ball to complete an inning.
• A run is scored by successfully scoring a hoop (wicket).
• A turn begins with the striker placing a ball other than the striker’s ball anywhere on either baulk-line. The striker then takes croquet from that ball, intending to score hoop 1. From here the turn is like a normal Association Croquet two-ball break. Note how many runs are scored. At the end of the turn, remove all balls from the court.
• Each opponent then plays in the same manner to complete the inning.
• Each turn of each inning begins by attempting to score hoop 1.
• If all 12 hoops are scored in one turn, continue by scoring the peg and proceed again to hoop 1 (proceed as a continuation of the break, not a baulk-line lift).
• After the pre-determined number of innings is played, the player with the most runs (total) is the winner.
• If there is a tie, the tied players play an extra inning. If still tied, play another inning, and so on until there is a winner.

American 6-Wicket version:

• Same as above except the turn begins by placing the ball to be croqueted at the 1-yard American 6-Wicket starting mark on the playing side of wicket 1, and thereafter the turn is like a normal American 6-Wicket turn.