Rober’s ball won out as the preferred softball size, and professional softball games today are played using a 10–12-inch ball. History of Fast Pitch Softball. Past Tournament Results and Brackets . The game quickly spread from the comfy confines of the Farragut Boat Club to other indoor arenas. Although many people assume that softball was derived from baseball, the sport’s first game actually came about because of a football game. around 1887. Copyright © 2001 - 2021. But in some leagues, players go to bat with a strike and a ball already against them. softball synonyms, softball pronunciation, softball translation, English dictionary definition of softball. In 1991, women’s fast pitch softball was added to the roster of the 1996 Summer Olympics—a landmark many people recognize as the ultimate success of a sport. Often, companies and organizations form amateur coed teams to play for benefits and charity fund-raiser events. She is known for her independent films and documentaries, including one about Alexander Graham Bell. According to records, the first ever softball match was played in Chicago, Illinois. History of Softball This paper is going to be over the topic of softball. OHSAA State Softball Record Book. Believe it or not, boating, boxing and football each played a role in the history of softball. Softball was created inside the Farragut Boat Club on a wintry, blustery day in November, 1887, in Chicago, IL. Softball was invented in 1887 and became known as 'softball' in 1926 at a National Recreation Conference meeting. According to the International Softball Federation, which was formed in 1952, teams must now be comprised of nine players manning seven positions on the field. The Farragut Boat Club in Chicago was a host to a gathering to hear the winner of a football game between Yale University and Harvard University. The Farragut Boat Club invented the first softball rules pretty much on the fly. Leo Fischer and Michael Pauley decided to organize softball on a more national basis. He suggested it to the International Joint Rules Committee, and in 1934 it included the Amateur Softball Association. George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, is credited with inventing softball in 1887. Softball History. The history of softball dates back to Thanksgiving Day of 1887, when several alumni sat in the Chicago, Illinois Farragut Boat Club, anxiously awaiting the outcome of the Yale versus Harvard football game. "The History of Softball." Softball is a variant of baseball and a popular participant sport, particularly in the U.S. About 40 million Americans play a game of softball in any given year. However, the game owes its development to another sport entirely: football.Â. The game was first called softball at the National Recreation Congress meeting in 1926. Credit for the name goes to Walter Hakanson who represented the YMCA at the meeting. In the period prior to 1900, the game was played outdoors, using a larger ball than employed in baseball, and on a smaller playing field. The original softball used by the Farragut Boat Club was 16 inches in circumference. The first softballs were reported to be some 16 inches in circumference. 2. The first game was played indoors, with a tied up boxing glove used as a ball and a broom stick pole used as a bat. Four balls are a walk and three strikes mean you’re out. It stuck. The name softball was first used by Walter Hakanson, a Denver YMCA official, in 1926. Softball, a variant of baseball, was invented as an indoor recreation in Chicago in 1887 by newspaper reporter George Hancock. Softball was "invented" as the result of a football game in 1887 and has since become the recognized sport it is today. While the sport was originally advertised as an indoor game for baseball players looking to maintain their dexterity during the off season, it gained so much popularity and recognition that it quickly became its own official sport. Learn more. The ISF recognizes three pitching styles: medium pitch, "modified" fast pitch, and slow pitch. In presenting the history of softball as a player and spectator sport, it was also necessary to review the part played by the Amateur Softball Association and its effect on the national development of the game. Softball was sanctioned as a sport by the NCAA 1910. ThoughtCo. A variation of baseball played on a smaller diamond with a larger, softer ball that is pitched underhand. George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, jokingly called out, “Play ball!” and the first softball game commenced with the football fans using the boxing glove as a ball and a broom handle in place of a bat. It became known in the United States by various names, such as kitten ball, mush ball, diamond ball, indoor–outdoor, and playground ball. The game consists of an oversized ball, eleven to 12 inches (or rarely, 16 inches) in circumference. Up until this point, the game was being played with varied rules, player positions, and ball sizes. The number of players on each team could vary from one game to the next. The following timeline traces this history. A Yale supporter tossed a boxing glove at a Harvard fan in good fun, and the Harvard fan hit the glove away with a broom handle and an idea was born. The game of softball was first birthed through a playful indoor baseball game after a Harvard-Yale football game. A young man named Abner Doubleday is often credited with developing the game, but the real history is older—and more complicated. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. The game of softball was born almost by accident, as it occurred after the traditional Harvard vs. Yale football game on Thanksgiving Day 1887 at Chicago's Farragut Boat Club, where fans of both teams had gathered to hear the score. softball (n.) baseball of larger than usual size, used in a scaled-down version of the game, 1914, from soft + ball (n.1). History of Softball. The friends were a mix of Yale and Harvard alumni and one of the Yale supporters threw a boxing glove at a Harvard alumnus in triumph. According to the official rules developed early in the history of softball, and eventually defined by the International Softball Federation, there are nine players on the field at a time. softball meaning: 1. a game similar to baseball but played with a larger, softer ball: 2. the ball used in the game…. The NCAA College World Series ia an annual event. From 1982 -1987, the championship final was held in Omaha, Nebraska, which is also the home of the men’s College World Series. The game moves at a faster pace than traditional baseball due to the field being smaller and the bases and the fielders being … Looking Back at the OHSAA Softball Championships n. 1. a. The ball used in this game. How to use softball in a … As you learned earlier, official rules were being put into place by 1934, with positions being named and official dimensions of fields and softballs being decided upon, thanks to the formation of the Amateur Softball Association. This includes the first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, pitcher, catcher, and outfielder. https://www.thoughtco.com/brief-history-of-softball-4071873 (accessed February 12, 2021). Games using these 16-inch balls are often referred to as “cabbage ball,” “super slow pitch,” and “mush ball,” and unlike competitive softball, players are not allowed to wear fielding gloves. (2020, August 27). In 1991, fastpitch softball was added to the list for the 1996 summer Olympics, where it made its first appearance. Bellis, Mary. Today, softball is one of the most popular sports in the country, and an estimated 40 million Americans engage in at least one softball game each year. By the spring of 1888, the game had spread outdoors. By the 1930’s softball had spread across U.S. and Canada, but it was played with disjointed rules. They eventually shrunk to 12 inches when Lewis Rober Sr. introduced softball to a group of Minneapolis firefighters. In 1934, the Joint Rules Committee on Softball collaborated to create a set of standardized rules. Some called it “indoor baseball” or “diamond ball.” True baseball fanatics didn’t think much of the game and their names for it, such as “kitten baseball,” “pumpkin ball” and “mush ball” reflected their disdain. The term “softball” was introduced in 1926 by the YMCA’s Walter Hakanson at a meeting of the National Recreation Congress. It was played with a boxing glove for a ball and a broom handle for a bat. In 1934 a Joint Rules Committee standardized the game. All-Time State Tournament Participants. The game was soon on, with participants using the glove for a ball and a broom handle for the bat. Finally, more official rules were set in place in 1934 by the newly-formed Joint Rules Committee on Softball. Fastpitch softball, also known as fastpitch or fastball, is a form of softball played commonly by women and men, though coed fast-pitch leagues also exist. Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball (11 to 16 in. However, Lewis Rober Sr., the man responsible for organizing softball games for firefighters in Minneapolis, used a 12-inch ball. Because it can be played on either a field or an indoor arena, softball games are played year round and involve teams with players as young as 8 years old and some players over 60 years in age. The team did not acquire a coach until 1899 and there was little interest in the game from spectators. Founding and early years of the sport Softball is a game that has great tradition to it and a very interesting history. Define softball. Softball has only grown from this point and is a main sport in the United States. Softball stayed about the same through the turn of the century and was not taken seriously by many people until the 1950s. The balls themselves were of different shapes and sizes. Bellis, Mary. History of Softball Softball is believed to have been invented in Chicago in 1887. Due to the initial excitement surrounding the game, the Farragut Boat Club decided to officially devise their own set of rules, and the game quickly leaked to outsiders in Chicago and, eventually, throughout the rest of the Midwestern U.S. As the history of softball shaped itself over the next decade, the game went under the guise of “indoor baseball,” “kitten baseball,” “diamond ball,” “mush ball,” and “pumpkin ball.” In 1926, Walter Hakanson coined the term “softball” while representing the YMCA at a National Recreation Congress meeting, and by 1930, the term stuck as the sport’s official name. Although softball was later dropped from the 2012 Summer Olympics lineup, the game is still one of the most popular participant sports in the United States and 113 countries have officially joined the International Softball Federation since the organization’s formation in 1952. Most softball rules are similar to those for baseball, but there are typically only seven rather than nine innings. Softball definition, a form of baseball played on a smaller diamond with a ball that is larger and softer than a baseball. It dates back to 1887, more precisely Thanksgiving Day in Chicago, Illinois. It is generally agreed that softball developed from a game called indoor baseball, first played in Chicago in 1887. Slow-pitch softball, a variation on the game, provides for a fourth outfielder. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our. The history of softball, how it has changed over the years as well as the creation and invention. Learn the story behind the beginning of one of the greatest sports on earth. The history of softball is still unfolding, and the game has undergone numerous modifications since its creation in 1887, but it is still one of the most preferred sports games in the country and has developed a following in several countries throughout the world, especially in Australia, China, and Japan. Softball History and Evolution of Softball (“History of Softball,” 2009.). The players take the positions of pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, third baseman, and outfielder. The earliest known game of softball was played on Thanksgiving Day in 1887 as a winter version of baseball between Yale and Harvard alumni. But the game still didn’t have a name. Softball is a form of baseball that is played nine to a side on a smaller playing field. The data pertaining to this study were collected from … Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/brief-history-of-softball-4071873. Softball began in 1887 when George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, invented "indoor baseball". Loved by amateurs and professionals of all ages and athletic backgrounds, the world can only anticipate what is in store for the future of America’s other favorite pastime. "The History of Softball." Usually, there are three outfielders holding the positions of right fielder, left fielder, and center fielder. Softball has a long and rich history in Australia dating back to 1939. The history of softball dates back to Thanksgiving Day of 1887, when several alumni sat in the Chicago, Illinois Farragut Boat Club, anxiously awaiting the outcome of the Yale versus Harvard football game. b. It was played on a thanksgiving day in the second last decade of nineteenth century i.e. Thanksgiving day is celebrated across the USA and Canada. That year, Hancock gathered with some friends at the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago on Thanksgiving day to watch the Yale vs. Harvard game. Softball History. Women’s fast-pitch softball became an official sport of the Summer Olympics in 1996 but was dropped in 2012. Bellis, Mary. Softball definition is - a sport similiar to baseball played on a small diamond with a ball that is larger than a baseball and that is pitched underhand; also : the ball used in this game. Still, that hasn’t deterred millions of enthusiasts in the U.S. and more than a hundred other countries from pursuing the sport. The game has gotten more and more popular through the decades. A boating club, a boxing glove and a football game were key ingredients in the very first game of softball. Ballfield Dirt Ingredients and Maintenance, James Naismith: The Canadian Inventor of Basketball. It was originally called either mushball, kittenball or indoor baseball, but by the 1920s it had acquired the name of softball. The first women’s team was formed at Chicago’s West Division High School. Softball is sometimes played by corecreational leagues, where both women and men play on the same teams, but the rules are generally modified to reduce physical inequalities between the sexes. Today, softballs are even smaller, ranging from about 10 to 12 inches. There was little continuity from game to game during the early years. Similar to baseball, the team with the most runs at the end of the seventh inning is named the winner. This is thrown (pitched) underhand by a player called a pitcher and hit by an offensive player called a batter with a bat (usually wooden, metal or composite material). Bunting and stealing bases typically aren’t allowed. Sources of data. The history of softball goes back to the Thanksgiving Day in 1887 at the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago, Illinois. You may have heard that a … The game itself so called from 1916, also known as playground baseball. There are actually three outfielders positioned in the center, right and left field. Who invented softball? With the advent of spring, it headed outdoors. Although many people assume that softball was derived from baseball, the sport’s first game actually came about because of a football game. Ohio Fast Pitch Softball Coaches Association All-State Teams. The word earlier was a term in sugar candy making (1894). Believe it or not softball was created by males. Discover surprising insights and little-known facts about politics, literature, science, and the marvels of the natural world. See more. The International Softball Federation (ISF) is the international governing body of softball. When Yale was announced as winner, a Yale alumnus playfully threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter. However, slow pitch softball allows for a fourth person in the outfield. Softball originated in Chicago, with the first official women’s team being organized in 1895, approximately eight years after the game was created for men. Have you ever wondered the origin of softball? A man named George Hancock witnessed the incident and tied a boxing glove to be used as the ball and the first game took p… It was invented in 1887 in Chicago, Illinois, United Statesas an indoor game. People began playing softball throughout Chicago, then all over the Midwest. The History of Softball. circumference) on a field that has base lengths of 60 feet, a pitcher's mound that ranges from 35–43 feet away from home plate, and a home run fence that is 220–300 feet away from home plate, depending on the type of softball being played. Softball, a variant of baseball and a popular participant sport, particularly in the United States. If the score is tied, the game will go on until one team wins. After the score of the football game between the Harvard University and Yale University was announced, a Yale alumnus threw his boxing glove at Harvard supporters. People consider it a women’s sport though. However, many Chicagoans still hold fast to the belief that real softball is played using a 16-inch ball. "Indoor baseball" became very popular, and the game was soon played outside in parks and on playgrounds. However, if the teams are tied at the end of the seventh inning, the game can go into extra innings, until the tie is broken. The Harvard supporter swung at the glove with a stick he happened to be holding at the time. Softball was invented inside the Farragut Boat Club on a blustery, winter day in November, 1887, in Chicago, IL. All-Time State Tournament Results. Softball is a sport that sprung from the mind of George Hancock. The Harvard fan swung at the balled-up glove with a stick, and the rest of the group looked on with interest. Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. All Rights Reserved. 1887: The first version of Softball was developed by George Hancock in Chicago Illinois. When USA Softball sent its first team to compete in the first WBSC Women’s World Championship in 1965, it was its baptismal in national team play for all practical purposes. THE HISTORY OF NCAA SOFTBALL COLLEGE FASTPITCH SOFTBALL. ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/brief-history-of-softball-4071873. It was invented in 1887 by George Hancock of Chicago's Farragut Boat Club, who imagined that the popular game of baseball could be played indoors. History of Softball.

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