How to Play Baseball (Drinking Game)

If you’ve ever found yourself with a handful of friends on a weekend and felt absolutely devastated that you can’t play a full nine-inning ballgame, then this baseball-inspired drinking game has got you covered. And if you don’t know baseball at all, don’t worry, you will still have a blast with this game, which incorporates elements of popular party games like beer pong and flip cup. We’ll show you what you need to get started playing, how to play Baseball (drinking edition), and give some tips to ensure you have a fun, safe time.

Things You Should Know

Start with 2 teams of 2 or more players. Place 4 cups on either side of a rectangular table, and 3 along each side. Add water to the 8 cups on either end.
Throw balls into the cups on the opposite end of the table. The first cup represents first base, and so on, where the 4th cup represents a home run, worth one point.
Switch sides from offense to defense after recording three outs. Play as many innings as you want, and tally up points as you go.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Set-up

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You’ll need at least 4 players for baseball, but the ideal number is 8 divided into teams of 4 players each. You can certainly exceed 8 as well, but with more than 4 people per team, it isn’t possible for everyone to be involved in the action at the same time.^{[1]XResearch source}
You need at least 1 ping-pong ball to play, but 3 is an optimal number to have on hand.^{[2]XResearch source}
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If you have a dedicated beer pong table, that’s great, but any table will do as long as you have enough space to set up the cups.
You need a minimum of 14 disposable cups, but we recommend you have extra cups. Place 4 cups in a straight line centered at each end of the table. Then, along each side of the table, place 3 cups at even intervals.^{[3]XResearch source}
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Fill the 8 cups at the ends of the table with water. ¼-½ full is fine—just enough to stabilize the cups and prevent them from being easily knocked over during the game.
- For cleanliness, don't drink from these cups on the edge of the table, as you will be attempting to shoot the ball into these cups, and the ball can get a bit gross throughout the game.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Additionally, by filling these cups with water, you’ll avoid any bothersome stickiness on the ball.
Drink responsibly, choosing beverages and quantities that all players feel comfortable consuming. The game is still plenty entertaining and challenging even without alcohol!
The away team will be on offense first, but the home team will be on offense last, meaning they will have the opportunity to come from behind or break a tie to win at the end of the game.
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Position your defense at your cups. The team on defense will position a player at each cup on their right side of the table and one behind the end of the table. Switch positions every inning so that all your teammates can experience different roles.^{[5]XResearch source}
- If there are less than 4 players, defenders will have to cover more than one position.

Part 2

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Gameplay

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1
Throw balls into the cups on the opposite end of the table. Like in baseball, offensive players bat, attempting to earn hits and get on base. Unlike baseball though, batters in this game stand behind their end of the table and attempt to land the ball into one of the 4 cups on their opponent’s side.
- If their ball lands in the first cup, they hit a single and advance to 1st base: the first cup on their right.
- If their ball lands in the second cup, they hit a double and advance to 2nd base: the second cup on their right.
- If their ball lands in the third cup, they hit a triple and advance to 3rd base: the third cup on their right.
- Finally, if their ball lands in the fourth cup, they hit a home run and score 1 point—known as a run—for their team!^{[6]XResearch source}
- When a batter records a hit, defenders alternate drinking from their cup.
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Record outs if the batter misses the cups. If a batter misses the cups 3 times or misses the table completely 1 time, they are out and the next player on their team comes to bat.^{[7]XResearch source}
- If a ball bounces off a cup, and the catcher catches it before it hits the table or floor, the batter is also out.^{[8]XResearch source}
- If you’d like to add a bit of challenge, you can stipulate that catches can only be made with your non-dominant hand (the hand where you’d wear a glove in baseball).
Move from cup to cup to run the bases and score.^{[9]XResearch source}
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Steal bases by winning in flip cup. To advance bases faster and score more runs for your team, players can also attempt to steal a base while their teammate is batting. To steal a base, baserunners must beat defenders in a game of flip cup.
- The runner begins the steal attempt at any time by picking up and drinking their cup, then placing it back on the edge of the table and attempting to flip it so that it lands upside-down on the table.^{[10]XResearch source}
- The defender across from the runner attempts to do the same.
- If the defender successfully flips their cup first, they have caught the runner stealing and they are out. If the runner successfully flips their cup first, they advance one base.^{[11]XResearch source}

Part 3

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Finishing the Game

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1
Switch sides from offense to defense after recording three outs. Once both teams have batted and recorded three outs, you have completed an inning.^{[12]XResearch source}
- You can play as many or as few innings as is fun for your group. Whenever you decide to stop, be sure it is at the end of an inning so the home team has an equal opportunity to score runs.
The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins. If that’s you, congrats! If not, we’re sure you’ll get them next time!
To play a fair game, confirm that everyone is ready and base cups are filled before attempting to hit or steal. Regularly note the score, the number of outs, and the number of attempts a batter has remaining—especially after a pause.^{[13]XResearch source}

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Tips

If you choose to drink alcohol, set a limit when you begin the game and do not exceed it. To limit your intake to a safe amount, determine how much you are drinking using a drink calculator.^{[14]XResearch source}^{[15]XResearch source}^{[16]XResearch source}
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Hydrate well before you consume alcohol, and continue to drink water while you drink alcohol.^{[17]XResearch source}
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Eat before and while you are drinking alcohol.^{[18]XResearch source}
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Warnings

Do not drink alcohol if you are below the legal drinking age, are or may be pregnant, have a medical condition or take a medication that makes drinking unsafe, if you struggle to limit the amount you drink, or if you plan to operate a vehicle after playing. Seek medical advice regarding alcohol consumption if you are lactating.^{[19]XTrustworthy SourceCenters for Disease Control and PreventionMain public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human ServicesGo to source}
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