Most of the time, the inventions that underlie patent litigation are less than gripping: a method for inspecting metal tubular goods; a method for controlling utility meter hub communication; a method and system for externally managing router configuration data in conjunction with a centralized data base.

Sometimes I wonder how patent lawyers stay awake.

But now and again, infringement suits come along involving inventions that are just plain fun. Take two recent fights over beloved (but sleepy) summer pastimes—baseball and fishing.