The batter makes a "hit" by throwing a pink rubber ball (either a spaldeen or a pensie pinkie) at the stoop, with the objective of making it bounce off one of the steps at such an angle and velocity that it flies as far as possible over the fielders' heads.
The Stoopball League of America holds its annual world championships every July in Clinton, Wisconsin.
In addition to the "baseball rules" or "bounces" variation described above, there is also the "curbball" version, often played in parks.
[7] In northern New Jersey, around 1960, the game was known simply as "pinkie ball" and was often played off the curb on residential streets.
Sandy Koufax played stoop ball before beginning his Hall of Fame baseball career,[9] and announcer Marv Albert missed the city game so much that he had a stoop constructed at his house in the suburbs.