Overview

All-Star Baseball is a classic spinner-based baseball simulation game first released by Cadaco in 1941. Designed by former MLB player Ethan Allen, the game uses circular player cards placed on spinners to simulate at-bats. Each card is a statistical pie chart reflecting a real player’s actual hitting percentages. The game follows standard baseball rules — 9 innings, 3 outs per half-inning — with the spinner determining each at-bat outcome.

Components

• Game board depicting a baseball diamond with baserunner peg holes
• 2 spinners (one for batting, one for baserunning)
• Circular player cards (each representing a real MLB player)
• Baserunner pegs
• Score sheet or scoreboard

Setup

1. Each player drafts or selects a team of player cards.
2. Set the batting order for each team.
3. Place the game board centrally.
4. Set the score to 0-0 and prepare to track innings.

Turn Structure

The game follows standard baseball structure:

1. Visiting team bats (top of inning)
2. Home team bats (bottom of inning)
3. Repeat for 9 innings (with extra innings if tied)

Each at-bat:

1. Place the current batter’s circular card on the batting spinner.
2. Spin the spinner.
3. Read the numbered section where the spinner stops — this determines the outcome.

Actions

Batting (Spinner Results)

Each circular player card has numbered sections of varying size arranged around its circumference, forming a statistical pie chart. The spinner result numbers correspond to:

Number	Result
1	Home Run
2	Ground Out
3	Ground Out
4	Fly Out
5	Triple
6	Fly Out
7	Single
8	Ground Out
9	Walk
10	Strikeout
11	Double
12	Fly Out
13	Single
14	Ground Out

The size of each section varies per player card based on the real player’s statistics — a power hitter has a larger Home Run section, a contact hitter has larger Single sections, etc.

Baserunning

When runners are on base and a hit or walk occurs, the second spinner determines how runners advance. The fielding/baserunning spinner shows zones that indicate whether runners:

• Advance the expected number of bases
• Advance an extra base
• Are held at their current base
• Are thrown out attempting to advance

Standard Baseball Rules

All other rules follow standard baseball:

• 3 outs end a half-inning
• Runners advance on hits, walks, and certain outs
• Force plays and tag-ups apply
• The game lasts 9 innings with extra innings if tied

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The team with the most runs after 9 complete innings wins. If the score is tied after 9 innings, extra innings are played until one team leads at the end of a complete inning.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• Advanced rules incorporate stolen bases, sacrifice bunts, and intentional walks.
• Defensive ratings may be used in advanced variants.
• Player cards from different eras and editions span decades of MLB history.
• Some editions include special “All-Time All-Star” cards for legendary players.
• The game is aimed at a younger audience compared to more simulation-heavy baseball games.
• Various editions were produced from 1941 through the 1990s with updated player rosters.

Player Reference

At-Bat Flow: Place batter card on spinner → Spin → Read result number → Apply outcome

Baserunning: Use second spinner when runners are on base

Game Length: 9 innings (3 outs per half-inning), extras if tied

Key Feature: Each player card’s sections are sized to match the real player’s statistical percentages.