The following is the offical rules and regulations for the Big Red Ball Game. The International Big Red Ball Game Federation (IBRBGF) administers all tournaments and arbitrates rules disputes. If there are any questions about the rules for the BRBG, please address them to Alex Moffett at amoffett@netway.com, or Mike Hightower at brbg@mphtower.com. To subscribe to the BRBG mailing list please contact the above addresses.
1.0 EQUIPMENT
1.1 The BRBG is to be played with a ball no less than 40 inches in diameter. Larger balls are permitted.
1.2 The color of the ball in the BRBG must be red. Crimson, and dark orange are also acceptable.
2.0 THE PLAYING FIELDS
2.1 The BRBG is to be played by two or four people on a standard tennis court. As in tennis, singles games are played within the singles lines, and doubles games are played within the doubles lines.
2.2 All standard rules of tennis relating to the length of the court, the height of the net, etc. are to be observed.
2.3 The back line of the court may be considered optional at this time. Players may consider that the court extends infinitely back from the net. This decision shall be made by the players at game time until further guidance is provided by the BRBG Association, LLP.
3.0. WINNING THE GAME
3.1 The object of the BRBG is for a player, or team of two players, to reach the point total predetermined at the start of the game. The player or players who do this, win the game. There are no draws.
3.2 There are two standard lengths to the BRBG: The short and the long game. The short game is played to three points, while the long game is played to six points.
3.2.1 If the players unanimously agree beforehand, they may play to a different points total.
3.3 Tournament matches may be decided by the best of a set number of games, the amount to be decided by the tournament organizer.
4.0 PLAYING THE GAME
4.1 In each point, one player (singles will be assumed for simplicity) serves the ball to his or her opponent. Play then continues until one player scores. A player may score in one of many different ways.
4.1.1 Each player is allowed to let the ball bounce twice on their side. If a player lets the ball bounce a third time, his or her opponent has scored one point.
4.1.2 If a player hits the ball over the net, and it bounces outside the back (cf. 2.3) or side lines, then his or her opponent has scored a point.
4.1.3 If a player catches the ball, than his or her opponent has scored a point.
4.1.4 If a player plays the ball while over the net so that they are playing in the opponents court, then the opponent has scored a point.
4.1.5 If a player commits a minor error then his or her opponent scores 1/3 of a point. This error is called a fault, and it can occur in three different ways.4.1.5.1 If a player hits the ball over the net and it bounces once in the opponentÂ’s court, and a second time outside the side line, then the player has incurred a fault.
4.1.5.2 If a player fails to serve the ball into play without making contact with the net after three attempts, called aggrandizements, then the player has incurred a fault.
4.1.5.3 If a player is caught quibbling (cf. 4.4.1), then that player incurs a fault.
4.2 The players alternate serve with every point.
4.2.1 A player must serve from behind the middle line. If a player moves ahead of this line before serving this counts as one attempt or aggrandizement.
4.2.2 A player may bounce the ball as many times as desired before contact, but the ball may not bounce before it goes over the net.
4.2.3 A player gets three attempts to get the ball over the net without making contact with it. (cf. 4.1.5.2)
4.3 A player may contact the ball with any part of the body.
4.4 A player may repeat contact with the ball so as to manoeuvre the ball closer to the net. A player may spend as much time as desired manipulating the ball in this way, so long as the ball does not bounce more than twice, and sustained contact is not made with the ball.
4.4.1 If a player manipulates the ball and sustained contact is maintained, then that player is judged to have quibbled, and incurs a fault as per 4.1.5.3. Quibbling occurs if a player quickly alternates the hand of contact so that the player never loses contact with the ball, or if the ball rests on any part of the body of the player.
4.4.1.1 Quibbling does not occur if a player maintains contact with the ball during the act of thrusting or kicking the ball away (i.e. a shot).
4.5 The ball may make contact with the net, except on a serve (cf. 4.1.5.2).
4.6 If a player makes contact with a ball that would have, if not played, been judged as an out or a fault, then play continues. This is the case even if contact was accidental.
4.6.1 If contact is made after the out or fault has been judged, then the decision stands.
5.0 DOUBLES
5.1 The rules for doubles games are fundamentally the same singles games.
5.2 Each player may position themselves as they wish, with one exception.
5.2.1 At least one player on the receiving team must start behind his or her own service line.
5.3 Teammates may pass the ball amongst each other so long as they do not quibble or catch the ball.
5.3.1 A teammate may not contact the ball when the other player is serving the ball in play.
6.0 REFEREEING
6.1 If an extra person is present, then they may act as the referee. The referee decides whether or not a ball was out, judges quibbles, and arbitrates any scoring disputes.
6.2 If a referee is not present, then players must do these tasks themselves. If players fail to arrive at a mutual decision the point should be replayed.
6.2.1 If a point is replayed, then the server gets three attempts to make the serve regardless of how many attempts they took.
7.0 History
The genesis of the Big Red Ball Game was a spur of the moment purchase of a Bigens Big Red Ball in in 1995 by Michael P. Hightower and John R. Watson. The game was first played on the Sydenstricker Park tennis courts next to Pohick Regional Library in Springfield, Va. Subsequent games involved Geoffery A. Lowrey and Alexander N. Moffett, both of whom continued to develop and refine the rules. The current ruleset is substantially similar to the original rulset developed in the summer of 1996.