Funnel ball is a
playground game where a ball is thrown into a funnel with multiple exit holes.
A relatively large fiberglass or plastic
funnel
A funnel is a tube or pipe that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for guiding liquid or powder into a small opening.
Funnels are usually made of stainless steel, aluminium, glass, or plastic. The material used in its construct ...
, roughly in diameter with a 50 degree pitch, is placed atop a post. The exits of the funnel are multiple holes or tubes, projected parallel to the ground, and spaced equally around the bottom. Play consists of tossing a
ball (such as a
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
or small
medicine ball
A medicine ball (also known as an exercise ball, a med ball, or a fitness ball) is a weighted ball whose diameter is about a shoulder-width, (approx. ), often used for rehabilitation and strength training. The medicine ball also serves an impo ...
) into the mouth of the funnel and waiting for it to exit through one of the holes. Each hole is marked with a point value, e.g. 2, 4, 6, and 10 points. The ball usually bounces around inside the funnel for a short time, making the outcome of the shot nearly
random
In common usage, randomness is the apparent or actual lack of pattern or predictability in events. A random sequence of events, symbols or steps often has no order and does not follow an intelligible pattern or combination. Individual ra ...
, and shots which exit through the desired hole are unlikely.
There is no formal score to which games are played, and games can be played with high score winner or low score winner. Both team and "every-player-for-themselves" games are commonplace. There are four players that play in the circle and up to 12 players that wait in line.
Funnel Ball was invented by an employee of
BCI Burke playground equipment company in 1972.
References
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Children's games
Playground equipment