“You call the shots in this high-flying, high-scoring skill game.”
Released in 1969 by Ideal, Grand Slam was a large-format action game built around striking plastic discs across an elevated play surface. Designed for two to four players ages 6 and up, the game combined elements of target shooting, rebound control, and competitive scoring.
The playing area consisted of a suspended plastic mat approximately 40 inches square, supported by metal rods and wooden legs. At the centre of the mat sat a raised plastic scoring bowl. Openings across the mat introduced both scoring opportunities and elimination risks, requiring players to balance force and accuracy.
GAMEPLAY
Each player selected three discs and three matching plastic hitting pads. The discs were numbered and carried corresponding point values. Players took turns placing one disc onto the playing surface and striking it using a small plastic “bat” pad mounted on a long wooden handle.
The object of the game was to score points by hitting discs into the central scoring bowl or designated scoring holes. Discs numbered 1, 2, and 3 were worth their respective point values when successfully scored. If a player struck an opponent’s disc into a scoring position, the active player received the points associated with that disc.
Discs that fell through certain openings in the play mat were eliminated from the game. If a player struck their own disc off the mat, their turn ended. If a player knocked an opponent’s disc off the mat, no points were awarded.
Play continued until only one disc remained on the mat. The player with the highest accumulated score at the end of the game was declared the winner.
IN THE BOX
A complete game included four plastic playing mats, four legs, four connectors, four support wires, one central scoring bowl, a set of numbered plastic discs, and four plastic bat-style hitting pads mounted on wooden handles. Instructions were printed on the back of the box.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Grand Slam is readily available on the secondary market, with examples appearing regularly in varying condition. Complete sets are more desirable, as the game’s large structural components, including the plastic mats, wooden legs, metal supports, connectors, scoring bowl, discs, and hitting pads, were often separated or damaged over time. Collectors should look for copies with intact support hardware, an undamaged play surface free of cracks or warping, and a full set of discs and bat pads.
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