1 EXHIBIT (a)(1)(iv) Notice of Guaranteed Delivery 2 ESCALADE, INCORPORATED NOTICE OF GUARANTEED DELIVERY OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK This form, or a form substantially equivalent to this form, must be used to accept the Offer (as defined below) if: (a) certificates for the shares of Common Stock of Escalade, Incorporated are not immediately available, (b) the procedure for book entry transfer cannot be completed on a timely basis, or (c) time will not permit all other documents required by the Letter of Transmittal to be delivered to the Depositary on or prior to the Expiration Date (as defined in Section 1 of the Offer to Purchase defined below). This form may be delivered by hand or transmitted by mail, or (for Eligible Institutions only) by facsimile transmission, to the Depositary. See Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. THE ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION, WHICH COMPLETES THIS FORM, MUST COMMUNICATE THE GUARANTEE TO THE DEPOSITARY AND MUST DELIVER THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES TO THE DEPOSITARY WITHIN THE TIME SHOWN HEREIN. FAILURE TO DO SO COULD RESULT IN A FINANCIAL LOSS TO SUCH ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION. To: Fifth Third Bank, Depositary BY MAIL OR OVERNIGHT COURIER: Fifth Third Bank Corporate Trust Administration 38 Fountain Square Plaza Mail Drop 10AT60 Cincinnati, Ohio 45263 BY HAND: Fifth Third Bank Fifth Third Bank Corporate Trust Operations c/o Harris Trust 380 Walnut Street 77 Water Street 4th Floor 4th Floor Cincinnati, Ohio 45263 New York, NY 10005 BY FACSIMILE TRANSMISSION: (For Eligible Institutions Only) (513) 744-6398 To Confirm Receipt of Facsimile: (513) 579-4355 DELIVERY OF THIS INSTRUMENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN AS SET FORTH ABOVE OR TRANSMISSION OF INSTRUCTIONS VIA A FACSIMILE NUMBER OTHER THAN THE ONE LISTED ABOVE WILL NOT CONSTITUTE A VALID DELIVERY. THIS FORM IS NOT TO BE USED TO GUARANTEE SIGNATURES. IF A SIGNATURE ON A LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL IS REQUIRED TO BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION UNDER THE INSTRUCTIONS THERETO, SUCH SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MUST APPEAR IN THE APPLICABLE SPACE PROVIDED IN THE SIGNATURE BOX ON THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 3 Ladies and Gentlemen: The undersigned hereby tenders to Escalade, Incorporated, an Indiana corporation at the price per Share indicated below, net to the seller in cash, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase, dated February 24, 2000 (the "Offer to Purchase"), and the related Letter of Transmittal (which together constitute the "Offer"), receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the number of shares of Common Stock, no par value (the "Shares"), of the Company listed below, pursuant to the guaranteed delivery procedure set forth in Section 3 of the Offer to Purchase. Number of Shares: ________________________________ ______________________________ Certificate Nos.: (if available) Signature(s) _____________________________________________________________________ Names(s) (Please Print) If Shares will be tendered by book entry transfer: Name of Tendering Institution:________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________ Account No.__________ at The Depository Trust Company Area Code and Telephone Number -2- 4 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRICE (IN DOLLARS) PER SHARE AT WHICH SHARES ARE BEING TENDERED - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHECK ONLY ONE BOX. IF MORE THAN ONE BOX IS CHECKED, OR IF NO BOX IS CHECKED, THERE IS NO VALID TENDER OF SHARES. STOCKHOLDERS WHO DESIRE TO TENDER SHARES AT MORE THAN ONE PRICE MUST COMPLETE A SEPARATE ELECTION FORM FOR EACH PRICE AT WHICH SHARES ARE TENDERED. SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY DUTCH AUCTION [ ] The undersigned wants to maximize the chance of having Escalade purchase all the Shares the undersigned is tendering (subject to the possibility of proration). Accordingly, by checking this one box INSTEAD OF ONE OF THE PRICE BOXES BELOW, the undersigned hereby tenders Shares and is willing to accept the Purchase Price resulting from the Dutch Auction tender process. This action could result in receiving a price per Share as low as $14.50 or as high as $18.00. OR SHARES TENDERED AT PRICE DETERMINED BY STOCKHOLDER - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ ] 14.5000 [ ] 15.1250 [ ] 15.7500 [ ] 16.3750 [ ] 16.9375 [ ] 17.5000 [ ] 14.5625 [ ] 15.1875 [ ] 15.8125 [ ] 16.4375 [ ] 17.0000 [ ] 17.5625 [ ] 14.6250 [ ] 15.2500 [ ] 15.8750 [ ] 16.5000 [ ] 17.0625 [ ] 17.6250 [ ] 14.6875 [ ] 15.3125 [ ] 15.9375 [ ] 16.5625 [ ] 17.1250 [ ] 17.6875 [ ] 14.7500 [ ] 15.3750 [ ] 16.0000 [ ] 16.6250 [ ] 17.1875 [ ] 17.7500 [ ] 14.8125 [ ] 15.4375 [ ] 16.0625 [ ] 16.6875 [ ] 17.2500 [ ] 17.8125 [ ] 14.8750 [ ] 15.5000 [ ] 16.1250 [ ] 16.7500 [ ] 17.3125 [ ] 17.8750 [ ] 14.9375 [ ] 15.5625 [ ] 16.1875 [ ] 16.8125 [ ] 17.3750 [ ] 17.9375 [ ] 15.0000 [ ] 15.6250 [ ] 16.2500 [ ] 16.8750 [ ] 17.4375 [ ] 18.0000 [ ] 15.0625 [ ] 15.6875 [ ] 16.3125 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CONDITIONAL TENDER UNLESS THIS BOX HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND A MINIMUM SPECIFIED, THE TENDER WILL BE DEEMED UNCONDITIONAL (SEE SECTIONS 6 AND 13 OF THE OFFER TO PURCHASE). Minimum number of Shares that must be purchased, if any are purchased: _____ Shares - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -3- 5 - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ODD LOTS To be completed ONLY if Shares are being tendered by or on behalf of persons owning beneficially an aggregate of fewer than 100 Shares as of the close of business on February 23, 2000. The undersigned either (check one): [ ] was the beneficial owner of an aggregate of fewer than 100 Shares as of the close of business on February 23, 2000, all of which are tendered, or [ ] is a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee that (a) is tendering, for the beneficial owners thereof, Shares with respect to which it is the record owner, and (b) believes, based upon representations made to it by each beneficial owner, that the beneficial owner owned an aggregate of fewer than 100 Shares as of the close of business on February 23, 2000, and is tendering all of his or her Shares. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GUARANTEE (NOT TO BE USED FOR SIGNATURE GUARANTEE) The undersigned, a firm that is a member of a registered national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States, guarantees (a) that the above-named person(s) has a net long position in the Shares (and associated Rights) being tendered within the meaning of Rule 14e-4 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (b) that such tender of Shares complies with Rule 14e-4 and (c) delivery to the Depositary at one of its addresses set forth above certificate(s) for the Shares tendered hereby, in proper form for transfer, or a confirmation of the book-entry transfer of the Shares tendered hereby into the Depositary's account at The Depository Trust Company, in each case together with a properly completed and duly executed Letter(s) of Transmittal (or facsimile(s) thereof), with any required signature guarantee(s) and any other required documents, all within three business days after the date hereof. Name of Firm_____________________________________________________ Authorized Signature_____________________________________________ Name Title Name_____________________________________________________________ Address__________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip Code _________________________________________________________________ Area Code and Telephone Number Dated:_____________, 2000 DO NOT SEND STOCK CERTIFICATES WITH THIS FORM. YOUR STOCK CERTIFICATES MUST BE SENT WITH THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. -4-