Robert E. Bear, an award-winning educator and artist, is seeking strategic partnerships and investment to bring the team sport of Bearball®, which he invented, to a wider audience, such as schools, universities, civic clubs, and more. By combining the aspects of physical athleticism, strategic thinking, and cultural presentations, Bearball has the potential to be a global phenomenon.
Bearball is described by its inventor as a “civilized hunt”, where teams, also known as “Clans”, take turns playing as Bears and Hunters, either outdoors or in a large gym. Each clan participating in a match, or “Hunt” is composed of equal numbers of between seven and eighteen players. The gameplay is a blend of kickball, dodgeball, and baseball, and the objective for the Bears is to go from one of two starting areas, known as “Trees” to a safe area known as the “Den” to score points. Meanwhile, the Hunters’ objective is to stop the Bears from reaching the Den by “bagging” them, which requires hitting them below the shoulders with a six- to seven-inch soft playground ball known as the “Stone”. When a Bear gets bagged, they are out for the “Stalk”, which corresponds to a half inning in baseball. Once four Bears have been bagged, the Stalk ends and the clans switch roles. Each Hunt is composed of eight Stalks and there are no draw results. If the Clans’ scores are tied by the end, the winner is decided by a coin toss.
In between the Trees and the Den is an area called the “Lake”, which all Bears must visit for a period between 3 and 10 seconds on the way to the Den. Hunters cannot bag Bears in the Lake, but if a Bear exceeds 10 seconds in this area, they are automatically bagged. One Bear player, known as the Ursa Major, has a special role and begins the Stalk at the Den. They are responsible for putting the Stone into play, and they can also “maul” Hunters to take them out of the game by hitting them with the Stone. However, the Ursa Major can also be bagged by Hunters. In contrast, Ursa Minors, or the Bears that begin in the Trees, cannot maul Hunters.
According to Bear, Bearball is a complex sport that requires excellent strategy and teamwork. The sport also reflects prehistoric times, when people in small closely-knit groups depended on each other to survive in hostile natural environments. This was also a time when hunter-gatherers passed on their tribal histories and traditions through stories, songs, and dances around campfires. Bearball isn’t just a sport – it’s also a celebration of culture and creativity. Before each Hunt is a Potlatch, where each Clan has 10 minutes to perform various songs, skits, dances, and symbolic offerings to entertain spectators.
Bear intends to make Bearball an organized sports league played at various levels, such as recreationally, at schools/universities, in pro/semi-pro leagues, and even internationally. Once a league has been established, franchise owners gain access to multiple streams of revenue, which will also support Bear’s Star Poster Program, which raises awareness of child abuse and trains the youth in the basics of art and design.
Bear intends to raise $7 million, which will cover the construction of a Bearball training center in central Texas and support its operations for two years. The amount will also cover the development and production of equipment for the sport. Bear plans to introduce a curved bat, known as the Bear Claw, into the game, which will be used by the Ursa Major to put the Stone into play.
“Bearball brings us back to a time when humans had to hunt to survive but were also hunted by larger predators,” Bear says. “We all have that hunter-gatherer DNA within us, and this sport is an excellent way to honor that heritage and develop important life skills such as teamwork, strategic planning, and the ability to think on your feet. I am looking to work with like-minded individuals and organizations and bring Bearball to more people, not just across the US but all over the world.”
The Bearball® rulebook, which is available on Robert’s website, will also soon be available as an ebook on Amazon.
Published by: Martin De Juan
