Brännboll (pronounced brennball) is a game similar to baseball played on amateur level throughout Sweden, mostly on meadows and in public parks. The main differences from baseball are that there is no pitcher, instead the batter himself hits the ball, usually a common tennis ball, with his bat. The bat is sometimes a wooden baseball bat, but less experienced players may use a flat paddle-like version. After batting, the batter throws the bat and makes his way around the four positioned bases, while the outfield players – who, incidentally, do not wear gloves – try to catch the ball and throw it to an appointed "burner", belonging to their team. He needs to hold the ball in his hand, while stepping on a small board on the ground and yell "Stratego", which ends the round. If the infield runner(s) are by then not positioned on a "base" they are "burned" and forced to go back to the previous base (a person on the first base may stay there). A view of the playing field at Busch Stadium in St. ... The word amateur has at least two connotations. ... A tennis ball. ... In baseball, a bat is a round, smooth stick used in hitting the ball after the ball is thrown by the pitcher. ...

A point system is kept by a by standing score keeper, who gives points to the outfield team if they burn a player, or if they catch the ball before it touching ground. Extra points may be awarded if the ball is catched with one hand. The infield team receive points when one of their players has "come home" after running the full lap, with possible extra point awarded if the batter runs a "full lap" (similar to a homerun in baseball).

While not being an organized sport with teams and a league, it is appreciated by children of all ages during, in schools or after, or by friends after work play for fun. Older people and students sometimes play a beer version of the game, the intricate deatils of which extend the scope of this article.

There is also since 1974 an annual Students World Championship tournament held in the northern city of Umeå, whereby some standardized rules are followed. Umeå  listen [˘ʉməoː] is a city and a municipality in Västerbotten County, in northern Sweden. ...

External links

• English language site about brännboll (http://www.brennball.de/english/)