Stick-ball Is Back. And It’s Bigger Than Ever.
We’re rekindling a street-born sport that shaped generations. Whether you grew up playing or just discovered it, this is your moment to pick up a stick-ball bat, grab a ball, and be part of the revival.
A Game That Never Gave Up
Stick-ball was born from the streets and raised by everyday heroes. It’s a game built on grit, imagination, and community. Kids turned broomsticks and mop handles into stick-ball bats and curbs into bases, creating a tradition that
spans decades.
Even as times changed and stick-ball was chased off the streets, it kept its heartbeat alive in cities, towns, and schoolyards through organized leagues. It’s more than nostalgia. It’s a movement. And you’re part of it.
The Vision of Ron Babineau
The modern stick-ball revival has a name: Ron Babineau, former Commissioner of the United States Stick-ball League. His version of ‘FastPitch Stick-ball’ transformed a neighborhood pastime into a competitive sport—faster, sharper, and more thrilling.
In 1984, Ron took the childhood game he loved and gave it structure, strategy, and serious heart. He wrote the official rulebook, designed a scoring system, and launched a full line of colored stick-ball bats and signature low-felt tennis balls made for the league by Dunlop. But more than that, he built a community.
What started with 27 teams exploded into over 260 in just five years, thanks to Ron’s relentless passion and a lineup of national sponsors who believed in his dream. Teams were equipped with matching t-shirts, caps, patches, a rulebook, a score pad, insurance, and an 18-game schedule. Ten team leagues played week after week at a level never seen before.
Before email chains, texting, or apps, Ron’s league brought players together from all over, united by the love of the game. It wasn’t just stick-ball. It was the highest caliber of schoolyard competition on the planet, rooted in joy, pride, and connection.
His legacy lives on in every game played today and every player who picks up a stick-ball bat and joins the movement.
What is Stickball?
Stick-ball is one of the oldest team sports on the continent and still one of the toughest. Played with speed, grit, and heart, it’s a game that brings people together through movement, tradition, and unshakable teamwork. With centuries of history behind it, stick-ball has grown from a sacred game into a thriving modern sport—without losing its soul. Though it was usually played in the streets, as the old-fashioned ‘one-bounce’ version, it eventually moved off the streets to avoid cars and traffic and into schoolyards.
Today, the United States Stick-ball League exists to preserve that heritage, elevate the game, and open it up to anyone ready to respect its roots and embrace its intensity while playing one-on-one, two-on-two, or three-on-three fastpitch stick-ball.
Where the Sticks First Clashed
Stick-ball has been played for generations—long before it was called a “sport.” It originated among Native American communities in the Southeastern United States as a way to strengthen bonds, honor seasonal ceremonies, and even resolve conflict. In fact, stick-ball was often used in place of war, allowing rival groups to settle disputes through competition rather than violence.
Beyond the athletic challenge, stick-ball was—and still is—a way to honor something greater than the game itself.
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Gear Up, Play Hard, Keep the Tradition Alive
Stick-ball isn’t just a game—it’s a memory in motion. Maybe you grew up playing it in the street with friends. Maybe you’re just discovering it now and curious about the buzz. Either way, it all starts with the right gear.
We’ve pulled together our favorite essentials—the stuff we trust, use, and recommend—to help you bring the game to life wherever you are. Whether you’re leading a league or starting a pickup game at the park, these are the basics that keep it fun, fast, and fierce.
Stick-ball Kits
This is your all-in-one starter pack for
serious fun.
Each stick-ball kit includes:
- One high-quality, hardwood stick-ball bat
- Three regulation, low-felt balls
- A regulation score pad
- A rulebook
- Eight cones
- A strap to keep it all together
It’s a simple setup with big-time potential. Perfect for players of all skill levels looking to jump in without piecing gear together
from scratch.
Stick-ball Bats
Built to last and balanced for action, our hardwood Stick-ball bats bring consistency to your game. With a sturdy feel and smooth grip, they’re designed to move fast in your hands.
These Stick-ball bats have been tested in league play and casual matches alike. If you’re ready to play with confidence and keep your gear dependable, this is where it starts.
Balls
Our low-felt Stick-ball Balls are made for faster fastballs, curvier curveballs, and sharper sliders, sinkers, and knuckleballs to keep batters on their toes.
They’re built to hold shape, keep their bounce, and stay visible in grass or gravel. Whether in a fast-paced game or just tossing it around with friends, you’ll feel the difference in how it plays over an ordinary tennis ball.
Score Pad
Keep track of every hit with our official Score Pad. It features 35 easy-to-read pages and enough room to record 35 full-game stats for casual and competitive play. Whether you’re coaching a team or just trying to settle who actually won, this Score Pad helps keep everything clear and fair.
It’s the thing that makes a big difference on game day because remembering the score shouldn’t be the hardest part of the match.
Cones
Stick-ball can happen just about anywhere, and these cones make that possible. Bright, durable, and easy to pack, they let you set up your fair/ foul lines wherever you’ve got open space. Perfect for your competitive play.
Turn a parking lot, a schoolyard, or a field into your personal stadium in seconds.
Official Rulebook
The U.S.S.B.L. official Rulebook, updated from the 1984-1990 editions, which can be found in the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library, covers everything from field setup to specifications. Written in a clear, concise format with diagrams and color pictures, it makes learning to play
stick-ball easy.
It’s part guide, part history, and all about keeping the game fair, fun, and consistent. Whether you’re hosting your first game or organizing a league, you are equipped with knowledge of the original stick-ball organization that was in existence from 1984 to 1992.
Legacy of the Game
The Spirit of Stickball: A Game That Transcends Generations
Stick-ball is more than just a game. It’s a tradition that’s been passed down through generations, shaping communities and inspiring future stars. For many, it’s a symbol of simpler times—of childhood summers spent on city streets, of friends gathering to play just for the joy of it. At the heart of that tradition is a story that connects the streets of various cities to the brightest lights of the major leagues. This type of story belongs to none other than Willie Mays.
Another Major Leaguer with stick-ball history was Larry Doby, a 7-time all-star catcher from the Cleveland Indians. Doby was the first African American to break the color barrier in the American league. Jackie Robinson held this title in the National League. Doby said he played stick-ball in the south and used smashed soda cans as bases. He later went on to say he learned that many Major Leaguers played stick-ball in their journey to Major League Baseball.
Rob Babineau, former Commissioner of the U.S.S.B.L, played stick-ball with former Major Leaguer Peter Falcone, who was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals, traded to the San Francisco Giants, and later to the New York Giants.
Willie Mays and the Streets of Harlem
Between 1951 and 1954, a young Willie Mays made his home on 155th Street in the Bronx. At the time, he was just a few years into his professional career with the New York Giants, playing just a short distance from his apartment and the historic Polo Grounds. But long before he became a Hall of Fame legend, Mays was a part of his community, and it wasn’t just his baseball skills that made him a local hero. It was his connection to the street game of Stick-ball. He was quoted as saying, “You don’t get to hit 660 home runs without learning to hit the breaking ball. And I learned to hit the curve ball while playing stick-ball with the youngsters in Harlem.”
Every day, the neighborhood kids would gather, knocking on Mays’ window, calling for him to come out and join in their game of stick-ball. With a mop handle as a bat and a rubber ball, Mays would step out into the street, joining the kids for a casual game that quickly turned into something legendary. His incredible talent was on full display even in these street games, and it wasn’t long before the photographers and writers started to show up. They would line the streets, snapping photos of Mays swinging the bat and sending the rubber ball flying through the air, amazed at how far it would travel. Afterward, Mays would buy the children ice cream. Later, it happened so often that Mays got the photographers and writers to treat the ice cream.
How We Played on the Block
Before leagues, before stadiums, before the fancy uniforms and digital scoreboards—there was street stick-ball. It was raw. It was spontaneous. It was the game played with a broomstick, a rubber ball, and the streetlights as your clock. It was inexpensive to participate in this activity.
In the mid-20th century, stick-ball became the heartbeat of neighborhoods across America. It was the ultimate street game—played with friends, no matter the season, in the middle of the block, or on any patch of pavement that could host a game.
The rules were simple. The stakes? Always high. And though every block had its own flavor of play, a few classic rules kept things fair—and made the game memorable. Let’s dive into those golden-era street stick-ball rules, where the spirit of the game was more important than the scoreboard.
Back then, the field didn’t come with lines, nets, painted boxes, or cones. The street was your canvas. The key elements were:
- Pitcher’s Box: The pitcher stood behind an imaginary line marked by chalk, as tradition. They had to pitch from here—no exceptions.
- Bases: The bases were any safe spots on the block—usually an old trash can, the end of a car, a telephone pole, or a manhole cover. Home plate was often a crack in the sidewalk or a makeshift marker at the edge of the street.
- Outfield Boundaries: You didn’t need outfield fences or warning tracks. A parked car or the “end of the block” acted as the boundary. If the ball went past it, the batter could declare a home run.
Forget about composite bats and custom balls. Street stick-ball was about improvisation and using what you had:
- The Bat: Typically, a broomstick, a wooden stick, or a mop handle served as your stick-ball bat. The “bat” was as much a part of the game as the pitcher’s windup. If it didn’t make that satisfying crack, you weren’t playing stick-ball.
- The Ball: They often used a rubber ball or an old tennis ball. The Spaulding ball was called the “Spaldeen,” or the rubber ball was pink and called Pensey Pinkie. Whatever bounced the right way was fair game.
Street stick-ball was a team sport, but the teams weren’t always uniform. Depending on the number of kids on the block, the team could be 3-on-3 or 7-on-7. But it was always about playing together, working as a crew, and keeping the pace fast.
- The Pitcher & Batter: The pitcher’s job was to get the batter to miss or hit the ball. The batter’s job was simple: hit it, run it, and don’t get out.
- The Fielders: A few guys out in the street keeping their eyes peeled for every pitch, ready to chase down the ball wherever it was hit.
Here’s where the classic street stick-ball rules shined: no complicated calls, just straightforward play that demanded respect, strategy, and hustle.
Batting:
- The Strike Zone: No fancy strike zones here. If the pitch was too high or too low, the batter just had to let it go. Most pitches, however, were aimed directly at the batter’s sweet spot—giving them the best chance to knock it out of the park (or down the block).
- Swing and Miss: If you missed three times, you struck out.
- Hit it and Run it: Once you hit the ball, you had to run. No standing around waiting for someone to throw the ball back. You had to hustle, round the “bases,” and get back home.
Pitching:
- One-Pitch: Often, there was only one chance to hit the ball. If you swung and missed, you were out. No waiting for balls and strikes—just casual, high-energy play.
- The “Fake-Out” Pitch: The pitcher might pull off a “fake-out” move—pretending to throw the ball one way and pitching it another. It was all about keeping the batter on their toes.
Fielding:
- Catching: If you caught the ball in the air, the batter was out, no matter where it landed. You could catch it off a parked car, falling down through a tree, or a ricochet off the corner of a building.
- Tagging: Fielders could tag out a runner by hitting them with the ball (yep, just tossing it and tagging them in a chase). However, if the runner was fast enough to get to the base before the ball, they were safe.
Scoring in street stick-ball was more than runs. It was a matter of pride. Each neighborhood had its own system, but here’s how it usually went:
- Home Run: Hitting the ball past the “outfield” boundary (like a parked car, sewer cap, or alley) was an automatic home run.
- Singles & Doubles: If the ball stayed fair in the field, you could get a single, double, or triple, depending on your running speed.
- Game End: Games were often played until one team reached a set number of runs or until everyone was exhausted. The most important rule? Play until dark—or until the ice cream truck comes through.
The true beauty of ‘One-bounce Street Stick-ball’ was its simplicity and the camaraderie it built. Everyone played together, from the oldest kid on the block to the youngest. And while it was competitive, it was always about the love of the game and the community that surrounded it.
There were no umpires, no coaches, and no formal regulations. There was just the joy of playing, the thrill of a well-hit ball, and the pride of claiming victory on the same streets where you grew up.
Let's Keep the Game Going
Whether you’re gearing up for your first stick-ball game in decades, starting a new team in your neighborhood, or just want to swap stories from the street, we’d love to hear from you.
The United States Stick-ball League is here to support the players, the fans, and anyone keeping the spirit of the game alive. Questions about gear? Curious about the rules? Looking to share a memory or photo?
Toss us a question or memory, and we’ll hit you back quickly.
