SOFTBALL
JANUARY 5, 2022
15 Important Facts Of Softball
These are the 15 important facts of softball, a game derived from baseball that initially used a softer ball hence the name softball.
- Softball was invented in 1887 in Chicago, Illinois, United States as an indoor game at Chicago’s Farragut Boat Club.
- It was invented by George Hancock in 1887 a journalist for the Chicago Board of Trade as a form of indoor baseball to be played during the winter.
- By the spring of 1888 the game played outdoors and was originally called mushball, kittenball or indoor baseball. In 1920s it had acquired the name of softball.
- In 1926, Walter Hakanson comes up with the name “softball” and in 1934, The Amateur Softball Association is officially recognized by the National Recreation Congress.
- The sport has been referred to as ladies’ baseball because it was generally played by women.
- Some say that the name “softball” originates from the first ball used for the sport that was bigger and softer but the ball hardened since then. Another theory say that the name comes from the method used to pitch.
- Softball is a highly technical sport. The basic skills for any player are throwing, catching, hitting for contact, hitting for power and running.
- To play indoors they created a soft, oversized ball and a small bat in order to make the ball not travelling too far or too hard.
- Softball is one of the safest sports where children and adults could participate. American Academy of Pediatrics states that rates of injury for softball and baseball are low compare to other sports.
- The ball in softball is yellow to make it easier to see. It comprised of two parts, including a core and a covering. The material is synthetic, composite or natural leather.
- A softball field has 60 feet between each base while baseball bases are 90 feet apart.
- There are four bases in Softball that a player must touch to score a run in a game.
- Japan is the county where both women’s softball and men’s baseball are the most popular sport.
- In 1996, Softball debuted as an Olympic medal sport in the 1996 Olympic Games. At the time, every softball games held, all the tickets were completely sold out.
- In the upcoming 2024 Olympics, baseball and softball games will not be added to the event. According to International Olympic Committee (IOC) both sports didn’t feature enough global participation and the best players weren’t participating.
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