Softball, Softball

It is a direct descendant of baseball and the rules of both sports are substantially similar; baseball is sometimes referred to as hardball to distinguish the two (see Comparison of baseball and softball). World Book Online Reference Center (2008).

The bases other than home plate are 15 in (38 cm) square, of canvas or a similar material, and not more than 5 in (13 cm) thick. The bases are usually securely fastened to the ground. The bases are numbered counter clockwise as first base, second base, and third base. Often, but not always, outside first base (that is, in foul territory) and adjacent and connected to it there is a contrast-colored "double base" or "safety base". It is intended to prevent collisions between the first baseman and the runner. The runner runs for the foul portion of the double base after hitting the ball while the fielding team tries to throw the ball to the regular first base before the runner reaches the safety base. However, not all softball diamonds have these safety bases and they are much more common in women's softball than in men's. The double base is required in ISF championships.

If the home team is leading and the road team has just finished its half of the seventh inning, the game ends because it is not necessary for the home team to bat again.In all forms of softball, the defensive team is the fielding team ; the offensive team is at bat or batting and is trying to score runs.

In girls' fastpitch, 12u pitchers usually throw in the high 30's (mph) to mid 40's, 14u is in the low to high 40's, 16u is when you will see girls throwing 50-60 mph; with the rare being high 60's to 70mph. However, speed is not always the most important factor in fastpitch softball. Pitchers can throw balls that curve (in-Screw, out-curve), rise (straight rise, or rise screw), drop (straight drop or drop curve), as well as a change-up (slow) and fastball. A change of pace (off-speed) is also very important, good pitchers will be able to throw all their pitches at varying speeds and possibly even different pitching motions (submarine or windmill). Pitchers use deception as a primary tactic for getting batters out as the reaction times from 40' (43' for 18U and college) only provides approx .5 sec or less to react to the thrown pitch.

The strike zone is slightly different in different forms of softball. A pitch that passes through that zone is a "strike". A pitch that the batter swings at is also a strike, as is any hit ball that lands in foul territory (unless it is fast pitch and two strikes have already been called).

In the outfield there is left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder. In slow pitch softball there is an extra fielder, who is specified as a rover. Normally, the defensive team will play with four outfielders, meaning there is a left fielder, left-center fielder, right-center fielder, and right fielder.

For example, in some slow pitch softball leagues a batter starts at bat with a count of one ball one strike.

The indoor form is sometimes called Arena Softball . It is most similar to slow pitch. There are no "official" rules for the indoor form, but some general conventions are given below.

Due to the popularity of the sport, there are a multitude of governing bodies such as the United States Specialty Sports Association and the National Softball Association.

One of the biggest is the Amateur Softball Association, also known as ASA. It is is known as the National Governing Body of Softball, was established in 1933 and has over 240,000 teams. The USSSA, founded in 1968 as the United States Slo-Pitch Softball Association, but renamed in 1997 to the United States Specialty Sports Association, is the only association that still has a men's major slowpitch program alive.

The other person grabbed a stick and swung at it. Hancock called "Play ball!" and the game began. Hancock took a boxing glove and tied it into a ball. A broom handle was used as a bat. ; The first softball game ended with a score of 44-40. Chicago History Museum, "Wait Til Next Year" display The ball, being soft, was fielded barehanded rather than with gloves like those which had been introduced to baseball in 1882. Hancock developed a ball and an undersized bat in the next week. The Farragut Club soon set rules for the game, which spread quickly to outsiders. The game, under the name of "Indoor-Outdoor", was moved outside next year, and the first rules were published in 1889.

Rober may not have been familiar with the Farragut Club rules. The first softball league outside the United States was organized in Toronto in 1897.

The formation of the Joint Rules Committee on Softball in 1934 standardized the rules and naming throughout the United States.

Defensive players are not allowed to wear fielding gloves; however, a 16-inch softball is actually soft, and can be fielded safely with bare hands. Sixteen-inch softball is played extensively in Chicago and New Orleans. In New Orleans, sixteen-inch softball is called "Cabbage Ball" and is a popular team sport in area elementary and high schools.

Slow pitch achieved formal recognition in 1953 when it was added to the program of the Amateur Softball Association, and within a decade had surpassed fast pitch in popularity.

Source: Wikipedia > Softball