What Are the Types of Baseball Dartboards? Plus, We Pick the Best

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Last updated on November 23, 2021

Baseball darts are a fun variation of normal darts, and the baseball darts boards vary according to the different games being played on them, and each brings unique challenges.

There are three different variations of baseball dartboards:

  1. A dartball board
  2. A diamond-shaped board, which is sometime found on the reverse side of a normal board
  3. The conventional dartboard

In this discussion of baseball dartboards, we will look at the board types, the setup requirements, and the different rules for playing each game so you can choose which version of baseball darts you’d like to play.

Why Play Baseball Darts Instead of Something Else?

Many darts players are accustomed to the normal games of darts such as 501/301, Killer, Around The Clock, Chase The Dragon, and Cricket, to name a few. Playing these continuously can stagnate your skill sets as you only play for specific numbers or sequences.

For example, in the 701/501/301 versions, the best plays are the 20’s and 19’s looking to throw doubles, and triples and only at the end would other numbers come into play to finish the game on the double.

With baseball versions, players challenge themselves to throw at numbers they don’t normally play like the single numbers from 1-9 when played on the standard darts board.

With Dartball, the player has to throw at a completely different target from much farther away, and baseball darts have a different visual configuration even though the throwing distance is the same as the standard dartboard.

To expand your skills and coordination, it would be a constructive exercise to vary your gameplay as often as possible, creating different throwing and aiming requirements to improve your game.

Let’s look now at the three different versions of baseball dartboards available and how the games are played on each one.

The Dartball Baseball Darts Board

A Dartball Board

Dartball is a very well-known game in the USA and is very popular with church groups. Started back in the 1920s. The dartball baseball board is the most unique of all the baseball darts boards.

The dartball baseball board is 48” X 48” or 4X4’ square and diamond-shaped, much like the baseball diamond in the real game. The board is brightly colored and is divided up into multiple segments that represent the classic elements of baseball.

The ‘batting’ segments include first, second, third base, and home plate. The ‘pitching or fielding’ segments include strike, ball, sacrifice, foul, double play, triple play, error, and hit-by-pitch.

The home run is the center of the board and is surrounded by three singles, two outs, two strikes, and one ball to make up the square surrounding the center.

Dartball Setup

This board is mounted on an ‘A’ frame, and the bottom of the board is 24 inches or two feet from the ground, while conventional dartboards are set 5’8” from the ground to the center.

The throw line is usually around 20-25 feet from the board instead of the 7’9 ¾ “ of the classic game of darts. While the 20’ throwing distance is considered average for this game, the distance can be shorter or longer as required.

Another major difference is that the players can throw overarm or underarm, a bit like a softball pitch compared to the dart throwing style seen with conventional dart games like Killer and 501.

How To Play Dartball

Unlike other versions of baseball darts, this game is played like baseball with nine players on each team. Each player gets a turn to throw darts until they are either on a base, score a home run, or out.

As with baseball, there are three outs per inning, and once the first team is all out, then the second team takes their turn, and so it goes until all nine innings are done.

Runs are scored when the player advances through the bases and crosses home plate. At the end of the game, all the runs are added up, and the team with the most runs wins.

Players use various throwing or pitching techniques, and provided they don’t cross the throw line, pretty much anything goes from sidearm throws to darts thrown from a squat position!

Not only that but there are umpires in this game too!  It sounds like fun, doesn’t it!

If you’re obsessed (or have a church league) and want to track stats, there are even apps available to help you do this.

dartball statistician

Where To Get A Dartball Board

Dartball boards are available from around $96 from Dartball USA for the wired board used to score and mark the throws where they land.

The Baseball Darts Board

This board can often be found on the reverse side of a standard dartboard, and outside of the circular shape, the board is completely different from the normal dartboard. Like dartball, it also contains various baseball segments.

A baseball dartboard

The board is also laid out like the baseball diamond and has various segments representing the different play elements of the game.

On this board, you will see the segments labeled Safe Hit, Stolen Base, Single, Double, Triple, and HR (Homerun) for the ‘batting team’ and for the ‘pitching team’, those segments are  Strike, Ball, Hit, Foul, Out, Sacrifice, Double Play.

The center of the board is an automatic three strikes, and the area surrounding the center is an automatic hit.  Around the bases are the ‘out’ segments that would result in an out or strike if the dart lands there.

The Baseball Darts Board Setup

This board is set up the same as the conventional dartboard, with the board placed at 5’8” from the ground to the center and the ‘oche’ or throw line at the distance of 7’9 ¾ “ from the board.

This is very convenient as if you do have this game on the reverse side of your board, you can turn it around to play and then change it back to play another version of baseball darts, which we’ll look at a bit later on.

How To Play Baseball Darts

A man throwing a dart towards you

This variation of baseball darts is different from the game of dartball above, and baseball is played on the standard dartboard.

This game is played either as a two-player individual game or in teams consisting of two players per team. The play of this game closely resembles real baseball in terms of the play process.

During the first half of the inning, one team will be at-bat, and they will look to score runs by throwing darts into the scoring segments of the board. The other team is in the field – but essentially, all they do is watch the batting team throw.

The middle of the board is the single, double and triple, and the all-important home run section. Hitting one will advance your player accordingly, so single is one base, double is two bases, and triple is three bases.

Hitting the red center of the board is an automatic end of innings or three outs, and any dart that lands next to that area is an automatic hit.

As in baseball, a home run clears the bases of all runners, and runs are awarded to the batting team accordingly. Hitting the foul area will count as a strike; four balls is a walk, and missing the board completely is an out.

Unlike baseball, a runner on first or second base can only advance one base if the team scores a single.

Each team member will continue to throw until they get a hit, walk or record an out. Per the baseball rules,three strikes is an out, and three outs at the end of the half-inning. When the top half of each inning is completed, the second team has their turn at bat, and so the game continues for the full nine innings.

If there are only two players, each throws five darts until they score a run or an out.

At the end of the game , and identical to the real game , the team with the most runs wins.

Scoring In Baseball Darts

Hanging baseball dart board

Layout the scoring board as you would in baseball with the nine rows or columns representing the nine innings and each player’s name accordingly. You could also create a designated section to keep the team’s running total.

Special Sections On The Baseball Darts Board

On the outer ring of the board, there are special segments: double play, sacrifice, safe hit, and a stolen base.

A dart landing in the double-play section is an automatic two-outs. A runner on base will advance one base for the sacrifice play, but an out is also recorded; the out is recorded if there are no runners. The safe hit advances the runner one base, and the stolen base will advance a runner one base. If there are no runners, then there is no action on that throw.

Baseball dartboards would come on the reverse side of standard boards, so you need to check whether the game is on the reverse side.

Where To Buy A Double-Sided Board

Dartboards like the Viper Double Play 2-in-1 board are available for a very affordable price and would have both the baseball darts game and the standard dartboard configuration.

Sale
Viper Double Play 2-in-1 Baseball Dartboard with...
  • High density coiled paper fibers construction and bright colors that will stand out
  • Rounded wire spider allows darts to glide into the board, reducing bounce outs
  • Double-faced board allows you to enjoy traditional dart games and all new baseball darts
  • Pre-installed hanging bracket sets up quickly with minimal tools and setup
  • Includes playing instructions for the most popular dart games: 301 and Cricket, in addition to new Baseball Darts, and two sets of starter darts

Baseball Darts On The Standard Board

While each of the two games above has its special boards, another version of baseball darts is played on the standard dartboard. The dartboard is set up as per the standard regulations with the throwing line set at 7’ 9 ¾,” and the board height is 5’8” from the floor to the center of the board.

Winmau Blade 5 dartboard

How To Play Baseball Darts On The Standard Board

Man throwing a dart

This version of baseball darts is a good way to hone your dart skills as it challenges you to throw for numbers and segments that you don’t usually play for in the regular games like 501/301 or Killer.

This game works the same as baseball in that it has nine innings and can be played in teams or as individuals. The beauty about this game is that there is no limit to the number of teams or players, provided the scoring is accurate!

Unlike the other versions of baseball darts, this version requires the players to ONLY throw at the number on the board associated with the current innings. So first innings, the players only throw at the number 1 segment, second innings at the number 2 segment, etc.

Each player takes their turn to throw three darts at the innings number and will score one run, two runs if two darts land in the number segment, and three runs if all three land in the number segment.

Winmau Viper 5 side view

Should the dart land in the outer ring segment – the double- the two runs are allocated, and three runs are allocated in the tripe inner segment. A dart landing outside that or in an adjacent number will score zero.

When all players in one team have had their turn at the innings number, the next team will take their turn to throw, so the game progresses through all nine innings.

Special Rules For Baseball Darts On The Standard Board

A few special rules and plays come into effect in this game, including extra innings and the seventh-inning stretch.

If the scores are equal at the end of the ninth inning, the extra 10th inning will occur, with players throwing at the number 10 on the dartboard. Should that be a tie, it will continue to 11, 12, etc. until a winner emerges.

The seventh-inning stretch presents a unique challenge for the players, and that is, if no runs are scored in this innings, then their entire score is halved. The players can determine the option to include or exclude this rule before starting the game.

Scoring In Baseball Darts On The Standard Board

Darts on scoreboard

Scoring this game is fairly simple. If playing as individuals, mark nine rows for each inning, mark the player’s name on top, and then mark their score through each inning.

For teams, you could divide the scoring board down the middle and create a column or segment to keep track of the running total.

Winmau Blade 5 Bristle Dartboard
  • Professional bristle dartboard with exclusive British Darts Organization (BDO) endorsement
  • Increased scoring area with 14% thinner wiring system than the previous generation Blade 4 for higher scoring potential
  • Reduced bounce-outs and improved dart deflection with 30-degree reduction in razor wire angle
  • Triple Wheel lock-and-level system easily secures the dartboard to virtually any surface
  • Incredible durability with Carbon Diffusion technology in bullseye ring for stronger steel

Conclusion

Baseball dart board

There are some very exciting options when it comes to baseball darts, and no matter where you find yourself, knowing the different versions of the game and the rules for each one can add some positive variation to your games.

Not only that, but these are all very sociable and lead to some intense competition and gameplay. Most of all, it will offer you the chance to meet and play with and against others that enjoy darts as much as you!