Key Difference: Stickball is actually a street game that is very similar to baseball and also includes bases. It is an informal game that has not been codified by a state or international governing body. Stickball is played using a broom handle and any ball relatively the size of a tennis ball. Australian stickball is a game that relies more on cooperation rather than competition. The game also requires a huge sized tennis ball that is passed around in the circle using only the stick. The objective of the game is to keep the ball flowing without dropping it on the floor.

Stickball and Australian stickball are actually two pastimes that only have two things in common the name and the fact that both require a stick and a ball. Other than these, both the games are completely different from each other. Stickball is a bat-and-ball sport, while Australian stickball is more of a game.

Stickball is actually a street game that is very similar to baseball and also includes bases. It is an informal game that has not been codified by a state or international governing body. However, many places have actually set up leagues that allow people to come together and play against each other in teams. Stickball is popularly played sport in large cities in the Northeastern United States, especially New York City and Philadelphia. Stickball is believed to have originated in the streets of New York around the 1930s, with the exact origin dates still unknown. It is believed to have its roots during the Great Depression.

Stickball is played using a broom handle and any ball relatively the size of a tennis ball. The ball could be made of any material including rubber ball, leather ball, etc. The rules for the game vary depending on the people that are playing the game. Though, the basic rules are similar to the rules of baseball, the rules change when it comes to pitching. There are three different styles of stickball and each is classified on the basis of the pitch: fast pitch, slow pitch and fungo. In fast pitch, the batter is placed against a wall or a fence that is marked with a square rectangle using a chalk. The pitcher throws the ball straight at the batter; if the batter misses the ball and the ball strikes the rectangle then it counts as a strike. In order for the ball to be counted as a strike it must have chalk on it. If there is no chalk it counts as a ball. This type is most commonly played in Staten Island, Brooklyn and Long Island schools. In slow pitch, the pitcher stands approximately 40 to 50 feet away from the batter and throws the ball. The batter must strike the ball after one bounce. In fungo, the batter tosses the ball into the air and then strikes it on the way down after one or two bounces.

Depending on the rules established before game play, the batter could be out in one, two or three strikes. If the ball lands on a roof or breaks a neighborhood window, this counts as a home run. The batter must also run bases to earn runs. The bases could be man-hole covers, bags of sand or any other objects. Many versions determine hits by how far the ball travels with the batter not having to run bases; however leagues usually have the batter run bases. The most popular league for Stickball is New York Emperors Stickball League. Stickball has many variants in Boston and Toronto, which are similar to stickball but they are different in game play and equipment.

Australian stickball is a game that relies more on cooperation rather than competition. Wikipedia states that the game is believed to have originated in Brisbane's West End and is more similar to hacky sack and contact juggling. The game is believed to be invented in the late 1990s and is now also played in the UK, Europe and India. The game requires people to stand in a close circle with each of them holding a stick.

The game also requires a huge sized tennis ball that is passed around in the circle using only the stick. The objective of the game is to keep the ball flowing without dropping it on the floor. It requires the players to work with each other and continue the movement of the ball from one stick to the other. Stickball is also believed to be slang for pool in Australia.

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