500 (outdoor game)

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500 is a competitive, outdoor game for 3+ people that is typically played with a baseball, football, or flying disc. One person is designated as the thrower, and stands a good distance away from the rest of the group. The game begins with the thrower calling out a number (typically a multiple of 100 between 100 and 500), and then throwing the baseball/football/flying disc in the general direction of the group. The person that catches the throw gains the number of points called out. The process is repeated until one of the players reaches or exceeds 500 points. That player then switches places with the thrower, and the game continues. Typically, all player's point totals are reset when a new thrower is instated.

A few variations to the game exist. These optional rules are:

Points are retained after one of the players reaches 500.
Any mathematical quantity may be used, including infinity and negative infinity. Oftentimes, the term jackpot is used in place of infinity.
If a catch is attempted but missed (i.e. the object is touched but dropped), the player must deduct that throw's value from his total. When this rule is combined with the above rule (ie infinity is allowed), the math is bent slightly such that infinity accumulation is additive. This means that dropping two infinity/jackpot throws would yield a score of negative 2 x infinity. If an infinity/jackpot throw were then successfully caught, the player's score would be negative 1 x infinity, or simply negative infinity. Varying by region, this variation can be used selectively by using the term "hot" (e.g. calling "400 hot" would mean that the aformentioned variation would be in effect, however calling "400" would mean that merely the standard rules would be in play).
Two or more balls/discs may be used. They may be thrown simultaneously or one after another.
If using a baseball, rather than calling out a number, a particular kind of catch may be worth a certain number of points - 100 for catching a fly ball, 75 for catching the ball on one bounce, etc.

Though 500 is meant to be played competitively, it is first and foremost a game played "for the fun of it". Mutual respect and a postitive attitude are key. See the Ultimate "spirit of the game" rule.

500 (outdoor game)

See also