Major League Baseball instructions

BASEBALL

Intellivision Cartridge Instructions

(For 2 Players)

Two 9-man teams, 9 full innings! Batter up! You wait for your pitch. Swing away.

Draw a walk, drop a bunt! In the field you go for the double play. Play long

balls off the wall, try for a pickoff. This one has it all! Grand slams, steals,

Texas Leaguers! Bring your own rhubarb!

OBJECT OF THE GAME, of course, is to score the most runs in 9 innings, or extra

innings to a decision.

PRESS RESET BUTTON: Title will appear on TV screen, "BASEBALL."

SELECT SPEED

Press button 1,2, or 3 to select a SLOWER game speed. Press Direction Disc for

MAJOR LEAGUE SPEED, fastest of all!

A faster game speed means that everything goes faster...pitches will come over

at faster speeds, runners will move faster on the bases, etc. At MAJOR LEAGUE

SPEED all your reactions will have to be very fast!

Until you get familiar with the game, you'll probably want to begin at one of

the slower speeds.

GAME CONTROLS

To throw the ball to any defensive player, push down on the number of the

FIELDER who will RECEIVE the ball:

[1] Left Field

[2] Center Field

[3] Right Field

[4] Shortstop

[6] Second Base

[7] Third Base

[8] Pitcher

[9] First Base

[0] Catcher

SWING BAT: either upper side button

BUNT: either lower side button

DIRECTION DISC

Press disc to do three things: 1. To pitch. 2. To move runners forward or back

on the bases. 3. To move fielders, send them after the ball.

CHECK YOUR BASEBALL DIAMOND ON THE SCREEN

1. Select speed using either hand-held controller. The diamond will appear on TV

screen and the players will take the field.

2. The home team is BLUE. The visitors are RED and will always bat first.

3. Flip a coin to determine who will be the home team. Facing the Master

Component, the hand-held controller on the RIGHT will be for the home team.

4. The score board on the screen automatically keeps track of strikes, balls,

outs, innings and runs. Errors are not recorded, but errors can be made by both

teams. (See ERROR section).

To help you identify them faster, MEN WILL CHANGE COLORS.

HOME TEAM will take the field wearing MEDIUM BLUE. Home team man you select to

CONTROL will turn BLACK. Home Team man, when he GETS THE BALL, will turn LIGHT

BLUE. Home Team LEAD RUNNER will also turn LIGHT BLUE.

VISITORS will take the field wearing MEDIUM RED. Visitors man you select to

CONTROL will turn BLACK. Visitors man, when he GETS THE BALL, will turn DARK

RED. Visitors LEAD RUNNER will also turn DARK RED.

HEAR THE ACTION. You'll hear simulated cheers when you make a hit. Hit a grand

slam home run, and they'll go wild. You'll hear the crack of the bat, hear the

"ump" call the outs!

Most major league baseball rules apply - 3 strikes for an out, 4 balls for a

walk, first two foul balls count as strikes. NOTE: All hits in this game are

grounders, therefore, a batter can not fly out, not even on fouls. Home runs can

be hit. Force-outs, double and triple plays can all be made.

PLAY BALL!

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(DEFENSE)

YOU'RE PITCHING. Pitcher automatically has the ball at the start of each inning.

After a foul ball, the ball will automatically return to the pitcher.

1. Press the outer edge of Direction Disc to pitch. Use the full circumference

of the Disc (360 degrees). For example, press ANYWHERE BETWEEN a Fast Curve

inside (Left of Disc) and a Slow Curve. You'll find your control is precise.

2. WHERE the Disc is pushed determines KIND of pitch. It also determines how a

curve is thrown. You can throw fast and slow, inside and outside curves, fast

balls and change ups.

Thinking of the Disc as a compass, the pitches are:

FAST BALL: North

FASTER INSIDE CURVE: Northwest

INSIDE CURVE: West

SLOWER INSIDE CURVE: Southwest

FASTER OUTSIDE CURVE: Northeast

OUTSIDE CURVE: East

SLOWER OUTSIDE CURVE: Southeast

SLOW BALL: South

3. After a pitch, if no contact is made by the batter, catcher would have the

ball. Return ball to the pitcher by pressing PITCHER on Hand Controller.

4. With a man on base, keep 'em honest! Have your pitcher throw to a base.

REMEMBER -- push down on FIELDER you want to RECEIVE the ball -- 1st base, 2nd

base, etc. When throw is made, baseman will automatically cover his base.

(Shortstop will not cover 2nd base automatically.) (NOTE: Pitcher's throw to 2nd

base is a lot quicker!)

5. Try for a PITCH OUT play! (When baserunner takes too big a lead, pitcher

throws outside curve to catcher, ignores the batter. Catcher throws to 2nd or

3rd ahead of the baserunner!) Have your fingers ready! Push down on right side

of Disc. Then, quick! Push catcher's throw off fast, trap the baserunner!

(Batter will take the outside pitch for a ball or maybe even swing at it!)

6. Catch him in a RUNDOWN! Fake out the baserunner! Remember: basemen do not

have to stand on the bag. Maneuver your basemen closer to the runner with the

Direction Disc. Trap him between the 2nd baseman & the shortstop, for example.

Run him down & get the putout!

7. You can intentionally walk a batter, put a man on 1st and try to set up the

double play. Throw four curve balls wide of the plate.

8. Pitcher can not hit a batter with a wild pitch. (no balks, no passed balls in

this game).

FIELDING. Fielders don't just stand there! They must MOVE to get the ball and

then throw to a base. No fly outs in this game! Foul balls cannot be caught in

the air. Any player can go after a fair ball. The players can be moved into

position to field the ball before it comes to a stop. SO KEEP AN EYE ON THE

DIRECTION OF THE BALL WHEN IT LEAVES THE BAT!

1. Press down on the FIELDER you want to go after the ball. When he gets the

ball, press FIELDER you want to RECEIVE the ball -- 1st base, 2nd base, etc. If

a ball goes right to a fielder without him having to move, he still must throw

to a base to make the put-out. There are no fly outs!

2. Get a jump on the ball! Start fielder moving when you see where ball is

headed. Press Direction Disc to move fielder towards the ball.

3. If a fielder misses the ball or it falls short, ball will come to a dead

stop. Fielder will have to go after the ball. Push player position and direct

him toward dead ball with Direction Disc. (Disc will move fielders in any

direction)!

4. TAG OUT. Any fielder, in between plays (except the pitcher when he is on the

mound), can run with the ball to tag out a baserunner. Activate player by

pushing his position and use Direction Disc to move him towards runner.

5. As in the majors, basemen don't stand on their bases. They move and throw to

make the plays.

6. If any fielder throws from anywhere other than his normal position,

he will automatically return to position after the "throw."

7. Any player can throw directly to any other player. For example, the center

fielder can throw directly to the catcher. No cut-off man is needed.

8. MAKE THE DOUBLE PLAY. Know where the baserunners are. Get a drop on the ball

and know WHERE you are going to throw it! Get the lead man out and you'll cut

off a run! Get set for the shortstop to make the double play.

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(OFFENSE)

BATTER UP: When ball is returned to the pitcher, batters automatically come up

to bat. All batters on the screen are right-handed. Batters can not step out of

batter's box. On both sides of hand-held controllers are two buttons.

The top button is BAT for a regular swing. The lower button is BUNT.

1. Watch the pitch. When you think the "ball" is in a good position to hit -

SWING - push BAT or BUNT button. Press BAT button to swing away, go for a hit

through the infield. Press BUNT to drop the ball short, to cross up the defense,

advance a base runner.

2. Time your swing! You'll get a strike if you swing at a ball over the plate

too early, too late or at too wild a curve. Also, if you don't hit a called

strike. (See PITCHING section for the kinds of pitches you can expect).

3. Try to place the ball. Hit to right or left field. WHEN you connect with a

pitch affects where the ball goes. (Fouls included). As they say-- "Hit 'em

where they ain't!"

IMPORTANT: When you hit the ball, start RUNNING! Press Direction Disc at once to

advance batter to 1st base! Press & Hold down right side of Disc. To stop

baserunner, take finger off Disc. (If you overrun the base, stop him & press

Disc on left side. Baserunner will not go back unless you do).

4. "IT'S A HOME RUN!" "Crowd Roars!" Words: "Home Run" appear on TV screen.

Batter & any baserunners will automatically score to more crowd "cheers." GRAND

SLAMS, TOO!

5. Draw a walk. After 4 bad pitches, batter will automatically take his base.

THE RUNNING GAME! Lead off, steal bases, force the action! You control

baserunners by pressing Direction Disc.

1. Press RIGHT side of Disc to advance runner. Press LEFT side of Disc to have

runner go back. NOTE: The runner can go back no further than his last base.

2. On a lead-off or in an attempt to steal, remember the other team can throw to

the base you were on and to the base you're going toward. Don't get caught in a

rundown and be tagged out.

3. TO STEAL A BASE: Press Direction Disc to lead-off your runner. Watch for the

pitch. Press Disc and start running. If the defense is asleep or makes an error,

don't be afraid to take the next base!

4. In this game, if a batted ball hits a baserunner, runner is NOT out.

With runners on base, Direction Disc controls the LEAD runner. NO double steals

in this game. (Runners on 1st and 2nd. You press Disc, man on 2nd

steals 3rd. Man on 1st will stay on 1st.)

On a hit, with a man on base, pressing Disc will advance the LEAD man, the man

on base, hitter will take first automatically. BUT REMEMBER, LEAD runner is the

man you control. If you stop LEAD runner between 2nd & 3rd, press the Disc and

try to send him back, hitter will keep on running! Will NOT stop or go back!

Should the two runners collide, LEAD runner is OUT.

AS IN THE BIG LEAGUES, IF SCORE IS STILL TIED AFTER 9 INNINGS, WE GO INTO EXTRA

INNINGS TO A DECISION. (HOME TEAM STILL BATS LAST). ONE DIFFERENCE:

In this game, you CAN SCORE on a third out, so long as the runner crosses home

plate BEFORE the throw! Stealing home after two outs is smart play. Go for it!

Run WILL COUNT if your runner beats the throw home!

HOW TO WIN!

BASEBALL is a game of Defense. With a little practice on your fielding, you'll

have a tremendous advantage!

FIELDING: 3 things to do.

1. Pick out fielder nearest the ball.

2. Move him after the ball. (Press Disc)

3. Get throw off fast. (press FIELDER you want to receive the ball.)

Remember: No fly outs! Fielder must get to the ball and throw to the base every

time!

If a fielder misses the ball, get another fielder after the ball! No automatic

backups.

When a batted ball (often a bunt) falls on the field and stops dead -- move

fielder extra fast to pick it up.

BATTING: Make 'em pitch to you. Let the bad pitches go by.

RUNNING: When you hit the ball, START RUNNING to 1st. (Press Disc) Don't be

afraid to stretch your hits. Take 2nd, go for 3rd, etc.

ERRORS do not show up on the scoreboard, but they are both possible and costly.

For example: when the throw is in the air heading for 1st base, don't change

your mind and press 2nd or the ball will go out of control.

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