(by 8 people)
Softball: A History
As a softball player, I have always wondered how softball originated and if how similar it used to be to baseball. To my surprise, softball began on Thanksgiving Day, 1887, at a boat club of all places. It started as "indoor baseball", a way for baseball players to practice during the winter. Now, softball is its own sport with three subcategories: men's fastpitch, men's slowpitch, and women's fastpitch. Its amazing what can change in 120 years.
Table of Contents
In the Beginning
who then deflected it with a broom handle. The game then began.In the next week George Hancock, the man accreditted with founding softball, developed a proper ball and bat to be used in the games. As the ball was so soft, no gloves were used. The boating club set up rules and a league for the new game, which quickly spread outside of the glove. Under the new name of "Inside-Outside", softball was played outdoors and the first set of rules published in 1889. The first league outside of America was formed in Toronto in 1897.
An Indoor Baseball Player in 1907
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kitten ball, pumpkin ball, and diamond ball
ball size, the field dimensions from the boat club were adopted.In 1926, the name "softball" was coined. At that point six different names for the game. In the 1930's, there were several different versions of softball, played with different names and different rules. In 1934, Joint Rules Committee on Softball standardized the rules and name for softball.
Sixteen-inch softball, a.k.a "mush ball" or "super-slow pitch", is the version of softball most similar to Hancock's game. As the ball is so soft, players never wear gloves. Sixteen-inch softball is played frequently in Chicago.
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An International Game
Softball has spread worldwide since World War II: it was introduced to Australia in 1939 and the Netherlands after the war ended. In 1972, during the filming of A Touch of Glass, softball was introduced to the U.K.
In 1991, the Olympic Committee decided to include women's fastpitch softball in the 1996 Summer Olympics. In 2005, softball, along with baseball was voted out of the Olympics.
Softball Blog Posts
- Could slimmer ‘Y’ save McIntire softball?
- In the run-up to this week's impending confrontation between ousted softball players and government officials at the County Board of Supervisors, information revealed at a meeting last week suggests a chance for McIntire Park to avoid ...
- Softball Concludes Fall Season 3-1 At Hawkeye Classic
- In its final tournament of the fall season, the Kansas softball team finished 3-1 during the Hawkeye Classic. KU, who went 4-0 last weekend in its own Fall Invitational, concludes fall ball with a 7-1 overall record.
- Softball Tournament Fundraiser (10/18/2008)
- 18, from 9 am to 9 pm, the CSU Chapter of Delta Delta Delta will be hosting Frats at Bat, a softball tournament with all proceeds going to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The tournament will be held at Rolland Moore Park. ...
Softball Today
Today, softball is played all around the world, especially in the U.S. and Japan. In America, there are travel teams in every state. Travel teams travel (no duh!) all over the country playing in tournaments against teams from all over the country.Softball is also widely played in high school. Almost all (if not all) high schools in the country have at least a varsity softball team and many colleges have softball programs. There are many girls both in the U.S. and in other countries who want to, or do, play softball professionally. This is why softball should be re-enstated for the 2016 Olympic Games.
Guestbook
thank you so much for this. it has helped me so much on my paper on softball. and it is very interesting to me because i love to play softball
Posted September 29, 2008
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mdagenais
Hey bconnor11, Posted September 05, 2008 |
Wow, great lens. Softball has become a big part of my life lately, so it was interesting to learn more about the history. To Faiz: I cannot speak for all countries, but I know softball is big here in the United States. My Softball Slowpitch Bats blog might be of interest to you too. Thanks again!">
Posted August 10, 2008
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xtnshun
This is very interresting Posted July 01, 2008 |
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tdove
Thanks for joining G Rated Lense Factory! Posted June 27, 2008 |
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