How to Play Danish Longball
Danish Longball is a fast, loud, all-ages hitting and running game played outdoors with a bat, a soft ball, and two posts. Two teams take turns batting and fielding across a long rectangular pitch, with batters sprinting between a home post and a far post to score. There are no complex positions and almost no downtime, which means even younger or less sporty players stay involved from start to finish.
It works brilliantly on any reasonably flat grass, from a back garden to a school field, and scales comfortably from six players up to twenty. Because every batter gets a hit regardless of whether they strike cleanly, the game stays inclusive and keeps moving at a pace that holds the attention of children and adults alike.
A little history
The origins of Danish Longball are unclear. It belongs to a broad family of bat-and-run games that have been played across northern Europe for centuries, sharing clear structural similarities with rounders and older folk games. It is traditionally associated with Scandinavian outdoor recreation and has long been popular in Danish schools and youth groups, but a precise documentary trail for when or where the specific ruleset was codified does not exist in widely available sources.
Setting up
- Mark a home post (or cone) at one end of the playing area and a far post at the other end, roughly 20 to 40 metres apart depending on the age and ability of the players.
- Draw or mark a batting line immediately in front of the home post, behind which the batter must stand to hit.
- Draw a bowling line a short distance in front of the batting line (typically 5 to 8 metres) from which the bowler delivers.
- Divide players into two equal teams. If numbers are uneven, one player can swap sides between innings or a player can bat twice.
- Decide which team bats first. The fielding team spreads out across the pitch and beyond the far post. One fielder acts as bowler, one stands near the far post as a backstop.
How to play
- The bowler delivers the ball underarm to the batter, aiming for a hittable height. The batter has one attempt to hit the ball in any forward direction.
- Whether the batter hits the ball or misses it entirely, they must immediately run for the far post. A missed hit is not an out at the moment of the swing.
- The batter is safe at the far post and may choose to wait there for a subsequent teammate's hit before running home, or may run home immediately after reaching the far post.
- A rounder (one point) is scored when a batter successfully runs from the home post, touches the far post, and returns to the home post without being put out.
- The fielding team attempts to get batters out in two ways: (a) a fielder catches the ball cleanly off the bat before it touches the ground, or (b) a fielder hits the running batter below the shoulders with the ball while the batter is between posts.
- Fielders may not run while holding the ball. They must throw it to team-mates or throw it to hit the runner.
- If a batter is caught out, all batters currently waiting at the far post are also out and must return to the batting queue without scoring.
- Once all batters on the batting team are out, the innings ends and the teams swap roles.
- Play a pre-agreed number of innings (typically two each). The team with the most rounders at the end wins.
- If a batter hits the ball behind the batting line or out of an agreed boundary, the hit is a no-hit and the batter must run anyway, with no ball in play from that stroke (fielders may not put the batter out on that run, and the batter scores no rounder from it unless the teams agree a house rule otherwise).
Winning and scoring
The team that scores the most rounders across all innings wins. A rounder is scored each time a batter completes the full run from home post to far post and back to home post without being put out. There is no universally fixed innings count: two innings per side is the most common format for a casual game, but teams can agree on one, three, or more depending on available time. In the event of a tie, a sudden-death extra innings or a count-back on catches taken can be used as a tiebreaker, though the specific method should be agreed before play begins.
The fine points
The most common dispute concerns whether a fielder hit a running batter below the shoulders. The standard ruling is that any contact at shoulder height or above does not count as an out, the runner is safe, and play continues. Similarly, if a fielder is clearly running while holding the ball, the out should be disallowed and the runner declared safe. Both calls should ideally be made by a neutral adult or a pre-appointed referee, but in informal play the benefit of the doubt goes to the runner.
A second frequent argument is whether a batter waiting at the far post can be put out when no ball is in play. The standard ruling is that a waiting batter is completely safe at the far post and can only be put out while actively running between the two posts. Batters stacking at the far post is intentional to the game's tactics, not a loophole. Also note: if a catch puts out all runners currently between posts or waiting at the far post, those players leave the field but are not removed from the team's batting order for future innings.
How to win more often
- Hit the ball as far and wide as possible to give yourself and any teammates at the far post maximum time to complete the run home.
- As a waiting batter at the far post, watch the fielders' positions before committing to the run home. Leave on the hit only when the ball is heading away from your route.
- Fielding captains should position their strongest throwers in the wide outfield gaps rather than clustering near the posts, where throws are less useful.
- If multiple teammates are stacked at the far post, the back runner should call when to go: they have the best view of the whole pitch and can time the collective sprint.
- As a bowler, deliver consistently hittable balls. A poor delivery that the batter cannot reach still forces the batter to run, but it also wastes time and disrupts your team's fielding rhythm.
Variations
No-Run Miss
In this stricter variation, a batter who completely misses the ball and does not make contact is out immediately and does not run. This speeds the game up and rewards better batting skill, making it more suitable for older or more experienced players. All other rules remain the same.
Multiple Bases
For a larger playing area, add one or two intermediate posts between home and the far post. Batters must touch each post in sequence and may wait safely at any of them. This version rewards fielding organisation and makes longer games with larger groups more manageable, as runners have more options for when to advance.
Team Catch
In this co-operative fielding variation, the fielding team must complete a set number of passes between team-mates (typically three) before they are allowed to throw at a runner or attempt a catch that puts batters out. This slows the fielding team down and helps balance games where one side is significantly older or more athletic.
Last Batter
When only one batter remains on the batting team, that batter is given three attempts to hit the ball. If they hit on any attempt they run as normal, bringing all waiting teammates home if they score. If they fail all three, the innings ends. This rule prevents a single poor batter from ending an innings prematurely and is particularly useful in mixed-age games.
Danish Longball: frequently asked questions
Can a batter be out if they miss the ball completely?
Under standard rules, no. A batter who swings and misses must still run for the far post and is not out at the point of the miss. They can only be put out by a catch or by being hit with the ball while running. Some groups play a stricter 'no-run miss' variation where a clean miss is an immediate out.
Can fielders run while holding the ball?
No. A fielder in possession of the ball must stop and either throw it to a team-mate or throw it at a running batter. If a fielder clearly runs with the ball, any resulting out is disallowed and the runner is declared safe.
What happens to batters at the far post if a catch is taken?
They are all out and must return to the batting queue without scoring. A clean catch is the most powerful fielding play in the game precisely because it removes all waiting runners simultaneously.
How many players do you actually need for a decent game?
Six is the stated minimum and works, but eight to twelve players gives a much better experience. With fewer than six you will find the fielding coverage too thin and the batting queue too short to generate any tactical interest.
Is Danish Longball suitable for mixed ages?
Yes, it is one of its main strengths. Younger children can be given slower, lower deliveries and positioned safely in the outfield when fielding. The 'last batter' variation and a no-run-miss waiver for under-eights help level the playing field without stopping the game.
Does the ball have to be thrown underarm?
Standard rules require an underarm delivery so the ball is hittable. Overarm bowling makes it far too difficult for younger or less experienced batters and is not part of the traditional format. If all players are older teenagers or adults, some groups agree to allow overarm, but this should be decided before the game starts.
What counts as a valid hit? Does the ball have to go forward?
The ball must travel in a generally forward direction beyond the batting line. A ball hit directly sideways or behind the batter is typically called a no-hit and the batter runs without the ball being in play. Teams should agree the exact boundary angle before starting to avoid arguments mid-game.
How long does a typical game last?
With two innings per side and ten to twelve players, most games run between twenty and forty minutes. Larger groups or additional innings will extend this. The game is easy to time-limit: simply agree a fixed end time and count rounders at the whistle.