Softball

Softball is a sport played with a ball and bat on a diamond-shaped field, with two teams taking turns on offense (known as batting or hitting) and defense (fielding). It is a variation of baseball but features a larger ball, a smaller field, and underarm (rather than overarm) pitching. There are also two distinct forms of softball based on pitching rules, known as slow-pitch and fast-pitch (or fastpitch).

The basic gameplay of softball is the same as in baseball. A pitcher on the defensive team throws the ball to a batter on the offensive team, who tries to hit the ball with a bat and then run to all three bases in the field and return to home plate before being touched by the ball. Runners may safely stay at one base as additional players on their team bat. A team earns one point, or "run," each time a player returns to home plate. The defensive team aims to record "outs" by striking out the batter, catching a struck ball in the air, or tagging a runner or base with the ball in certain situations. After three outs, the teams switch positions. A cycle in which each team has a turn batting and fielding is called an "inning." The team with the most runs after a set number of innings (typically seven) wins; ties are usually resolved by playing extra innings.

Softball was invented in 1887 in Chicago as an indoor form of baseball. It evolved substantially over the following decades it spread throughout the United States, and it took until 1926 for it to be officially named softball. The rules of the game became more standardized by the mid-twentieth century. Various amateur and professional softball leagues emerged in the United States, and awareness of the sport spread to the rest of the world as well.

In the twenty-first century, softball remains one of the most popular sports in the United States. Millions of Americans of all ages play in recreational leagues each year, while women's collegiate and professional leagues showcase high-level competition. Numerous other countries also host their own softball leagues, and various international competitions have been organized, including at the Olympic Games.

Origins and History

Softball originated as an impromptu celebratory activity engaged in by fans attending a Yale-Harvard football game at the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago in 1887. Yale’s victory in the game caused a joyous uproar, and a Yale fan jovially threw a boxing glove at a Harvard fan. The Harvard fan swung at the glove with a stick, thus creating a game that the gathered fans continued playing enthusiastically.

These proceedings greatly interested Chicago reporter George Hancock, who was present that night. He enjoyed the new sport so much that he started regularly inviting friends to his home to play it. By 1889, the game had become so popular around the Chicago area that Hancock devised rules for it and issued them through the Farragut Boat Club. This kind of semi-official recognition spread news of the sport’s existence throughout the Midwestern United States, where it became even more popular.

Americans started forming local leagues for the game throughout the 1890s and the first decades of the twentieth century. During this time, the activity was variously known as indoor baseball, kitten baseball, diamond ball, and pumpkin ball. In 1926, Walter Hakanson, a representative of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Denver, Colorado, coined the name softball for the sport while attending a National Recreation Congress. The sport thereafter was known as softball.

The 1930s and 1940s saw multiple softball leagues being established throughout the United States. These included the Amateur Softball Association and National Fastball League. The rules of the game varied throughout the country; though softball had been derived almost directly from baseball, several regulations, such as the size of the ball and the type of pitching used, were altered by players’ personal preferences.

Softball started to spread around the world in the 1940s, as American soldiers taught the game to foreigners while serving overseas during World War II. In 1952, the International Softball Federation (ISF) formed to oversee the various official softball leagues around the world. Over the next few decades, softball players from numerous countries started competing in softball world championships. Women’s fast-pitch softball was included as an Olympic sport for the first time at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

Softball remained an official Olympic sport until the 2012 Summer Games, when it was removed from the Olympic events roster. However, this did not diminish the global popularity of the sport. By the 2010s, more than one hundred countries had joined the ISF. In the United States, it was estimated that more than forty million Americans participated in some form of softball game every year. The sport returned to the Olympics for the 2020 Games (held in 2021), was left out in 2024, and was reinstated for 2028.

Rules and Regulations

Softball underwent many changes of rules and regulations after Hancock issued his own rules in 1889. The game was played by different groups using continually changing rules until the ISF detailed an official set of rules and regulations for the game.

Like baseball, the goal of each of the two teams in a game of softball is to earn a higher score than the opposing team. The teams alternate between playing offense and defense on a diamond-shaped field with three bases and a home plate. The team on defense takes up various positions in the field, with players guarding each of the three bases and the outfield. The pitcher stands within a designated pitcher's circle in the middle of the diamond and throws the ball underhand to a catcher behind home plate. Pitches thrown within a certain area (the "strike zone") are called "strikes," while those outside the area are called "balls." (However, some recreational leagues do not judge balls and strikes, but have the pitcher throw until the batter gets a hit or swings and misses at three pitches, known as a "strikeout.")

Batting: The team playing offense sends one batter to home plate at a time. Teams bat each player in their lineup and then start again from the beginning as necessary. The batters cannot bat out of their set order, though substitutions that last the duration of the game may be made at any time. Some leagues may use a designated player to bat in place of another player in the fielding lineup, much like the designated hitter rule in baseball.

Batters use bats to try to hit the ball thrown by the pitcher. A batter can advance to first base or beyond (becoming a runner) in several ways, including on a hit into fair territory, a walk (the pitcher throws four pitches judged outside the strike zone), or when hit by a pitch. Once on base, a runner may advance by stealing the next base (running while the pitcher is throwing the ball) or when the ball is hit by another player and touches the ground before being caught. Runners who advance around all three bases and return to home plate score a point, known as a run, for their team.

Fielding: The defending team attempts to prevent batters and runners from advancing and scoring by recording "outs." A batter is ruled out if they strikeout or if they hit the ball but it is caught before touching the ground. Runners may be ruled out in several ways, including being tagged by the ball when not on base or if they must advance to the next base but the defense tags that base with the ball before the runner reaches it. After three outs, the teams switch positions.

Player Positions: Softball teams playing defense take up nine different positions in the field. The infield positions include first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, and shortstop (positioned between second and third bases). The pitcher and catcher are also part of the infield. The three outfield positions are right field, center field, and left field. (Some leagues, especially for slow-pitch softball, also include a fourth outfielder, sometimes called short field.) The players are positioned this way so they can catch or pursue hit balls wherever they go in the field.

Strategy and Tactics

Players can practice certain skills and strategies to gain advantages over their opponents. These can vary significantly between positions.

Pitchers: In fast-pitch and some competitive slow-pitch leagues, it is important for pitchers to master the skill of throwing the ball to the batters, as pitches can make the difference between allowing the batter to make a hit and striking the batter out. To make their pitches more difficult to hit, pitchers can practice throwing to both sides of home plate as well as at slightly different altitudes. A ball thrown so that it curves at the last moment can prove elusive to an unsuspecting batter.

Pitchers that can throw the ball in a variety of ways are more valuable to their team. This is because they can tailor their pitches to create whatever scenario suits their team best. For instance, pitchers may strive to throw the batter two of their best pitches early so that the batter accumulates two strikes. Knowing the batter could strike out with one more strike, the pitcher can then throw an especially difficult pitch that will likely count as a strike unless the batter hits it. Under this kind of pressure, the batter is more likely to miss the ball or hit it in such a way that it can be easily caught.

Catchers: Softball catchers perform most efficiently if they are prepared for incoming pitches. Therefore, catchers should learn where the umpire’s strike zone is before play begins and position their glove to catch all strikes. This is done so the catcher does not waste time retrieving a ball while opponents on the bases attempt to steal the next base.

Batters: Batters must combine strength and coordination to hit the ball into play. They can also employ several strategies to increase their chances of making contact with the ball. First, they can observe pitchers’ strategies beforehand to try to anticipate what pitches will be thrown. Batters can also note the strike zone as called by the umpire, or referee. The strike zone is the area in which all pitched softballs will count as strikes, whether the batter attempts to hit them or not. If the umpire calls an especially wide strike zone, batters can adjust their positions over home plate so they are closer to where the ball will be.

Professional Leagues and Series

While softball has long been popular, especially in the United States, it has not developed the same degree of sustained professional competition as baseball. While various professional leagues have formed over the years, many have been short-lived or volatile.

One of the most prominent modern professional US softball leagues began in 1997 under the name Women’s Pro Fastpitch (WPF). The next year, its name was changed to Women’s Pro Softball League (WPSL). By 2000, the WPSL had four teams in the eastern US. It started planning for expansion in 2001 but struggled with funding, and in 2002 it suspended all activity to restructure. The league rebranded itself as National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) in 2002 and returned to normal play in 2004. The NPF fluctuated between four and seven teams through the 2010s. However, the 2020 and 2021 seasons were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the organization dissolved.

A new US-based professional softball league was founded as Women's Professional Fastpitch (WPF) in 2021. It held its first full season in 2023, with four teams. Three of those teams did not return to play the following year, however, and were replaced by new ones, all based in Texas. A rival league, the Association of Fastpitch Professionals (AFP), was organized in 2023 and began play the following year, also with four teams.

International. Softball on the international level is conducted through the International Softball Federation (ISF). The ISF is itself part of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), which regulates international baseball and softball and is officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The ISF organizes world championship women’s and men’s softball games in different regions around the world. These games are governed by official ISF rules and regulations.

Softball was introduced as an Olympic sport at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia. It was dropped from the Olympic event roster after the 2008 Summer Games, but reinstated for the 2020 Olympics. After being dropped again for the 2024 Games, it was reinstated once more for 2028.

Popularity

Softball remains most popular in the United States. It is estimated that about forty million Americans a year play some sort of softball game. The organization USA Softball (formerly the Amateur Softball Association, or ASA) governs many non-professional softball teams in the United States, including the US national team. Many of the most popular women's collegiate teams are overseen by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). One of its best known tournaments is the Women's College World Series, traditionally held each year near the National Softball Hall of Fame in Oklahoma.

Softball is also highly popular around the world. Countries as diverse as China, Australia, Argentina, Japan, the Czech Republic, and many others all host their own WBSC-managed softball leagues. Recreational slow-pitch softball in particular saw strong growth in several nations in the twenty-first century.

Bibliography

"Baseball/Softball." Olympics, olympics.com/en/sports/baseball-softball/. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

Baker, Lacy Lee. "Women's History Month Great Time to Reflect on Softball's Rich History." National Fastpitch Coaches Association, 15 Mar. 2021, nfca.org/easyblog/womens-history-month-great-time-to-reflect-on-softballs-rich-history. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

"The History of Softball." International Softball Federation, web.archive.org/web/20061212040653/http://www.internationalsoftball.com/english/the‗isf/history‗of‗softball.asp. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

"International Softball Federation (ISF)." World Baseball Softball Confederation, www.wbsc.org/fr/organisation/history/international-softball. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.

"An Introduction to USA Softball." USA Softball, www.usasoftball.com/about/. Accessed 16 Aug. 2024.