Softball
Encyclopedia
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport
played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball
although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand. Softball is played on a smaller diamond than in baseball; a softball field's average distances from home plate to the center, left and right field fences are 220 feet (67 meters) for females and 250 feet (75 meters) for males (the corresponding baseball field average distances are 410 and 325 feet [125 and 99 meters]). Despite the game's name, the standard softball is not soft; in fact, it is harder than a baseball.
The earliest known softball game was played in Chicago, Illinois on Thanksgiving Day, 1887. It took place at the Farragut Boat Club to hear the outcome of the Yale and Harvard football game. When the score was announced and bets were settled, a Yale alumnus threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter. The other person grabbed a stick and swung at it. George Hancock called out "Play ball!" and the game began, with the boxing glove tightened into a ball, a broom handle serving as a bat. This first contest ended with a score of 41-40. The ball, being soft, was fielded barehanded.
George Hancock
is credited as the game's inventor for his development of ball and an undersized bat in the next week. The Farragut Club soon set rules for the game, which spread quickly to outsiders. Envisioned as a way for baseball players to maintain their skills during the winter, the sport was called "Indoor Baseball". Under the name of "Indoor-Outdoor", the game moved outside in the next year, and the first rules were published in 1889.
In 1895 Lewis Rober, Sr. of Minneapolis
organized outdoor games as exercise for firefighter
s; this game was known as kitten ball (after the first team to play it), lemon ball, or diamond ball. Rober's version of the game used a ball 12 inches (305 mm) in circumference, rather than the 16-inch (406 mm) ball used by the Farragut club, and eventually the Minneapolis ball prevailed, although the dimensions of the Minneapolis diamond were passed over in favor of the dimensions of the Chicago one. 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 name "softball" dates back to 1926. The name was coined by Walter Hakanson of the YMCA at a meeting of the National Recreation Congress. (In addition to "indoor baseball", "kitten ball", and "diamond ball", names for the game included "mush ball", and "pumpkin ball".) The name softball had spread across the United States by 1930. By the 1930s, similar sports with different rules and names were being played all over the United States and Canada. The formation of the Joint Rules Committee on Softball in 1934 standardized the rules and naming throughout the United States.
Sixteen-inch softball
, also sometimes referred to as "mushball" or "super-slow pitch", is a direct descendant of Hancock's original game. Defensive players are not allowed to wear fielding gloves. Sixteen-inch softball is played extensively in Chicago, where devotees such as the late Mike Royko
consider it the "real" game, 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.
By the 1940s, fast pitching began to dominate the game. Although slow pitch was present at the 1933 World's Fair, the main course of action taken was to lengthen the pitching distance. 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.
The first British women's softball league was established in 1952.
In 1991, women's fast-pitch softball was selected to debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics
. The 1996 Olympics also marked a key era in the introduction of technology in softball; the IOC funded a landmark biomechanical study on pitching during the games.
In 2002, sixteen-inch slow pitch was written out of the ISF official rules, although it is still played extensively in the United States under The Amateur Softball Association of America, or ASA rules.
The 117th meeting
of the International Olympic Committee
, held in Singapore
in July 2005, voted to drop softball and baseball
as Olympic sports
for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Other sanctioning bodies of softball are AAU http://www.aausoftball.org, NSA http://www.playNSA.org, PONY http://www.PONY.org, ASAhttp://www.ASAsoftball.com, ISC http://www.iscfastpitch.com, and USSSA http://www.usssa.com/sports/.
which contains the quadrilateral shape and running areas, and a grass outfield
. However, the field also can consist of all dirt, grass, artificial turf, or, in areas such as New York City, asphalt . There are 4 bases on the infield (first base, second base, third base
,and home plate
); the bases are arranged in a square and are typically 45 to 65 feet (13,7 to 19,8 meters) apart. Near the center of this square is the pitcher's circle, and within the circle is the "rubber", a small flat rectangular area. The object of the game is to score more runs (points) than the other team by batting (hitting) a ball into play and running around the bases, touching each one in succession. The ball is a sphere of light material, covered with leather or synthetic material. It is 10 to 12 inches (or rarely, 16 inches) (28 to 30.5 centimeters) in circumference. The game is officiated by one or more neutral umpires. Players and umpires are generally free to ask for a brief stoppage at any time when the ball is not in play, or immediately following a play once its outcome is clear.
The game is played in a series of innings, usually seven.Some play with a time limit. Youth leagues sometimes have 6 innings. An inning is one series of both teams playing offense and defense. Each inning is divided into a top half and a bottom half indicating which team is playing which role. The offense bats and attempts to score runs, while the defense occupies the field and attempts to record outs in a variety of ways. After the defense records 3 outs, the half inning is over and the teams switch roles.
To start play, the offense sends a batter to home plate. The batting order must be fixed at the start of the game, and players may not bat out of turn. The defense's pitcher stands atop the rubber and throws the ball towards home plate using an underhanded motion. The batter attempts to hit the pitched ball with a bat, a long, round, smooth stick made of wood
, metal
or composite
. A pitch must cross the plate within a small area known as the strike zone, which is the area between the knees and the shoulders, and it must be within certain height restrictions. The strike zone therefore varies from batter to batter, and the umpire behind home plate is the sole arbiter of what is or is not a valid pitch. A pitch which does not cross the strike zone is a ball, and if the batter reaches 4 balls, the batter is awarded the first base. A pitch which crosses the strike zone is a strike, and a batter who reaches 3 strikes is out (a strikeout
), and the next batter in the order comes to bat. A strike is also recorded on any pitch that the batter swings at and misses entirely, and also on a pitch that is hit foul (out of play). A foul ball may or may not result in a strikeout dependent upon what association and local league rules. However, bunting a foul ball does result in a strikeout. Bunting is not allowed and results in an out in some associations and leagues.
The batter attempts to swing the bat and hit the ball fair (into the field of play). After a successful hit the batter becomes a baserunner (or runner) and must run to first base. The defense attempts to field the ball and may throw the ball freely between players, so one player can field the ball while another moves to a position to put out the runner. The defense can tag the runner, by touching the runner with the ball while the runner is not on a base. The defense can also touch first base while in possession of the ball; in this case it is sufficient to beat the batter to first base and an actual tag of the batter is unnecessary. A runner is said to be thrown out when the play involves two or more defensive players. Runners generally cannot be put out when touching a base, but only one runner may occupy a base at any time and runners may not pass each other. When a ball is batted into play, runners generally must attempt to advance if there are no open bases behind them; for example, a runner on first base must run to second base if the batter puts the ball in play. In such a situation, the defense can throw to the base that the lead runner is attempting to take (a force out), and the defense can then also throw to the previous base. This can result in a multiple-out play: a double play is two outs, while a triple play, a very rare occurrence, is three outs. Runners with an open base behind them are not forced to advance and do so at their own risk; the defense must tag such runners directly to put them out rather than tagging the base.
A ball which is hit in the air and caught before hitting the ground is an immediate out, regardless of whether the ball would have landed fair or foul. A fly ball is a ball hit high and deep, a pop fly is a ball hit high but short, and a line drive is a ball hit close to the horizontal. In any such situation, runners must remain on their bases until the ball is touched by a defensive player or hits the ground. If a runner leaves the base before a fly ball, pop fly, or line drive is touched or contacts the ground, the defense can throw the ball to that base, and if the base is tagged before the runner returns, the runner is out as well, resulting in a double play. If the runner remains on the base until the ball is touched, or returns to the base after the catch but before the defense can put him out, he is said to tag up and may attempt to advance to the next base at his own risk. If there are less than two batters out and runners on 1st and 2nd bases and the batter hits a pop fly in the infield, the batter is automatically out to prevent unfair play by the fielders. Unfair play may result from infielders deliberately dropping the ball to try and achieve a double play. This rule is called the infield fly rule.
Offensive strategy is fairly straight forward, revolving around hitting the ball to let the batter reach base safely and to advance the base runners towards home plate to score runs. Defensive strategy can be more complex, with particular situations calling for different positioning and tactical decision making. For both sides, there can be a trade-off between outs and runs: the offense can sacrifice a batter to advance runners, while the defense may allow a runner to score if the remaining runners can be put out in a double play.
The field is defined by 'foul lines' that meet at a right angle at 'home plate'. The minimum length of the baselines varies classification of play (see below for official measurements). A fence running between the baselines defines the limits of the field; this fence is equidistant from home plate at all points.
Behind home plate is a 'backstop'. It must be between 25 and 30 feet (7.62 and 9.14 meters) behind home plate depending on the type of division that is playing.
'Home Plate' is one corner of a diamond with 'bases' at each corner. 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.
The infield consists of the diamond and the adjacent space in which the infielders (see below) normally play. The outfield is the remaining space between the baselines and between the outfield fence and the infield. The infield is usually "skinned" (dirt), while the outfield has grass in regulation competitions.
Near the center of the diamond is the pitching plate. In fast pitch, a skinned circle 16 feet (4.88 meters) in diameter known as the pitching circle is around the pitching plate.
A field is officially supposed to have a warning track between 15 and 12 feet (5 and 4 meters) from the outfield fence. However, if the game is being played on a field larger than required, no warning track is required before the temporary outfield fencing.
Located in foul territory outside both baselines are two 'Coach's Boxes'. Each box is behind a line 15 feet (5 meters) long located 12 feet (3 meters) from each baseline.
, or a mixture of cork
and rubber
, or a polyurethane
mixture, or another approved material.
In 2002, high-visibility yellow "optic" covering, long-used for restricted flight balls in co-ed recreational leagues, became standard for competitive play. Yellow is the color of official NCAA and NAIA softballs. Yellow softballs are fast becoming the standard for all levels of play for girls' and women's play in particular. White balls are also allowed, but are much more common in slow pitch than in fast pitch.
In Chicago
, where softball was invented, it remains traditional to play with a ball 16 inches (41 centimeters) in circumference. The fielders do not wear gloves or mitts. A 16" softball when new is rough and hard, with hand and finger injuries to fielders frequent if they do not "give" when receiving a ball, but the ball "breaks in" slightly during a game and continues to soften over time with continued play. A well-broken-in ball is called a mush ball and is favoured for informal "pick-up" games and when playing in limited space, such as a city street (because the ball does not go as far). A 16-inch ball is also used for wheelchair softball.
Caps, visors, and headbands are optional for female players, and do not have to be the same color. Caps are mandatory for male players. A fielder who chooses to wear a helmet (see below) is not required to wear a cap.
Including for softball players, most female players use "sliding shorts" otherwise known as compression shorts for other sports like soccer, football etc. These shorts help to protect the upper thigh when sliding into a base. Other,additional sliding equipment used are "sliders". These are somewhat padded shinguards that extend usually from the ankle to the knee of the wearer and wrap all the way around the leg(s). They protect the shin, calf, etc. from getting bruised or damaged while sliding into homeplate and make it much more comfortable to slide into the plate. Most male players use long, baseball-style pants.
At the back of the uniform,an Arabic numeral from numbers 1 through 99 must be visible. Numbers such as 02 and 2 are considered identical. Also, on the back of the uniforms players' names are optional.
Jewelry, excepting medic-alert-style bracelets and necklaces, can not be worn during a game. Those must be taped to players wearing them.
All players are required to wear shoes. They may have cleats or spikes. The spikes must extend less than 0.75 inch (19 mm) away from the sole. Rounded metal spikes are illegal, as are ones made from hard plastic or other synthetic materials. High school athletes are sometimes permitted to wear metal cleats such as in Ohio.
Many recreational leagues prohibit the use of metal cleats or spikes to reduce the possible severity of injuries when a runner slides feet-first into a fielder. At all youth (under 15) levels, in co-ed (the official terminology for mixed teams) slow pitch, and in modified pitch, metal spikes are usually not allowed. All uniforms must be tucked in and look presentable
In fast pitch, the catcher must wear a protective helmet with a face-mask and throat protector, shin guards and body protector. Shin guards also protect the kneecap.
In slow pitch, the catcher must wear a helmet and mask at youth levels. At adult levels, there is no formal requirement for the catcher to wear a mask, although the official rules recommend it. A female catcher may optionally wear a body protector in slow pitch.
In any form of softball, any player (other than fast pitch catchers on defense) can wear a protective face mask or face guard. As usual, it must be in proper condition and not damaged, altered, or the like. This is intended to prevent facial injuries.
in American football
. The number of umpires on a given game can range from a minimum of one to a maximum of seven. There is never more than one "plate umpire"; there can be up to three "base umpires", and up to a further three umpires positioned in the outfield. Most fast pitch games use a crew of two umpires (one plate umpire, one base umpire).
Official umpires are often nicknamed "blue", because of their uniforms – in many jurisdictions, most significantly ISF, NCAA and ASA games, umpires wear navy blue slacks, a light powder blue shirt, and a navy baseball cap. Some umpires wear a variant of the uniform: some umpires in ASA wear heather gray slacks and may also wear a navy blue shirt; umpires from the USSSA wear red shirts with black shorts; National Softball Association
(NSA) umpires wear an official NSA white-colored umpire shirt with black pants or black shorts; NSA Fast-Pitch umpires wear the white NSA umpires shirt and heather gray slacks. Regardless of what uniform is worn, all umpires in the same game are required to have matching clothing.
Decisions are usually indicated by both the use of hand signals, and by vocalizing the call. Safe calls are made by signaling with flat hands facing down moving away from each other, and a verbal call of "safe". Out calls are made by raising the right hand in a clenched fist, with a verbal call of "out". Strikes are called by the plate umpire, who uses the same motion as the out call with a verbal call of "strike". Balls are only called verbally, with no hand gesture. The umpire also has the option of not saying anything on a ball. It is understood that when he stands up, the pitch was not a strike. Foul ball
s are called by extending both arms up in the air with a verbal call of "foul ball", while fair balls are indicated only by pointing towards fair territory with no verbal call. No signal is given for balls that are obviously foul and for closer calls that are not borderline; a mere acknowledgement signal is given.
All decisions made by the umpire(s) are considered to be final. Only decisions where a rule might have been misinterpreted are considered to be protestable. At some tournaments there might be a rules interpreter or Tournament Chief Umpire (TCU) (also known as the Umpire In Chief, or UIC) available to pass judgment on such protests, but it is usually up to the league or association involved to decide if the protest would be upheld. Protests are never allowed on what are considered "judgment calls" – balls, strikes, and fouls.
In the event of a tie, extra innings are usually played until the tie is broken except in certain tournaments and 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.
Play begins with the umpire saying "Play Ball". After the batter is ready and all fielders (except the catcher) are in fair territory, the pitcher stands at the pitching plate and attempts to throw the ball past the batter to the catcher behind home plate. The throw, or pitch, must be made with an underarm motion often called the "windmill" motion: the ball must be released below the hip when the hand is no farther from the hip than the elbow to get it in the strike zone.
A windmill motion is done by extending the throwing hand around the body and releasing the ball at about hip level at maximum speeds. In girls' fastpitch, 12u pitchers usually throw in the low to mid 30's (mph) or mid 40's (km/h), 14u is in the low to mid 40's or mid 60's (km/h), 16u is when you will see girls throwing mid to high 50's and sometimes low 60s. At the 18u level, girls are much more powerful and can throw anywhere between high 50's to mid 60's or sometimes there will be a girl throwing in the higher 60's it is these girls who are mainly recruited to play Division 1 college softball. However, speed is not always the most important factor in fastpitch softball! Pitchers can throw balls that curve inwards (screwball) and outwards (curveball) on right-handed batters. There are also riseballs that move upwards and out of the strikezone (as an attempt to force the batter to swing or cause them to hit a weak pop-up), drop balls and drop curves (to cause the batter to hit groundballs; this is important at the higher levels where strikeouts occur less often). The other common pitches are change-up and fastballs. 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. Pitchers use deception as a primary tactic for getting batters out as the reaction times from 40' (43' for 14U-college) only provides approx 4 sec or less to react to the thrown pitch.
The pitcher tries to throw the ball so that it passes through the "strike zone". However, in advanced play a highly-skilled pitcher may deliberately pitch a ball outside the strike zone if she believes the batter is likely to swing. In other instances, such as when an extremely powerful hitter comes up to bat and they are followed by a weaker hitter, a pitcher may deliberately walk the first batter based on the calculation that the next batter will be an easy out. 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.
A pitch which is not a strike and which the batter does not swing at what is a "ball". The number of balls and strikes is called the "count". The number of balls is always given first, as 2 and 1, 2 and 2, and so on. A count of 3 and 2 is a "full count", since the next ball or strike will end the batter's turn at the plate, unless the ball goes foul.
Various illegal acts done by the pitcher, such as "crow-hopping" are called an illegal pitch. "Crow hopping" consists of the pitcher not having her push-off foot on the ground before and during release. The umpire sticks his right arm out straight to the side and clenches his fist. This results in a ball being awarded to the batter, and any runners on base advancing to the next base. Image to the right demonstrates a legal pitch as the push-off foot has not left the ground. The ball must be released simultaneously with the lead leg step.
In 16-inch softball, the pitch is lobbed. Umpires will make calls based on where the ball lands behind the plate. A pitch in "the well" is considered a perfect pitch.
In fast pitch softball, there are various types of pitches. Some are: the fastball, changeup, dropball, riseball, screwball, curveball, dropcurve, dropchange.
At higher levels of play, pitchers aim for the inner and outer corners of the plate when throwing fastballs. Pitchers also vary throwing fastballs at different heights to make hitting the ball even harder for the individual up at bat. Similarly, both the dropball and the riseball are pitches that change heights. To the batter, the dropball appears to be coming in level but then as the ball reaches the plate, the pitch drops, trying to force the batter to hit the top of the ball. This should result in the batter hitting a groundball. When pitchers throw riseballs, batters see the ball coming in straight, but when the ball reaches the plate, it rises. The purpose of the riseball is to have the batter hit an easy pop-fly or strike out. Another pitch that breaks at the last minute is the curveball. When pitchers throw curveballs they snap their wrist and follow their arm across their body, making the ball curve to the outside of the plate. Pitchers can also make the ball curve to the inside of the plate by snapping their wrist the opposite direction (away from their body).The one pitch that drastically changes speed is the changeup, disrupting the batter’s timing.
Fast pitch pitches may reach high speeds; At the 1996 Summer Olympics
one pitch reached 73.3;miles per hour (118 kilometers per hour). Male pitching can reach speeds around 85 miles per hour (137 kilometers per hour).
The offensive team sends one "batter" at a time to home plate to use the bat to try to hit the pitch forward into fair territory. The order the players bat in, known as the "batting order", must stay the same throughout the game. Substitutes and replacements must bat in the same position as the player they are replacing. In co-ed, male and female batters must alternate.
The batter stands facing the pitcher inside a "batter's box" (there is one on each side of the plate tom compensate for either right or left handed batters). The bat is held with both hands, over the shoulder, and away from the pitcher(90 degree angle). The ball is usually hit with a full swinging motion in which the bat may move through more than 360 degrees. The batter usually steps forward with the front foot, the body weight shifts forward, as the batter simultaneously swings the bat. When swinging, the back foot should look like it is squishing a bug. A bunt (baseball) is another form of batting. There are different types, including a[sacrifice bunt], or [slap bunt]. No matter what way the batter hits the ball, they must be inside the batter's box when the bat makes contact with the ball. If the batter steps out of the box while swinging, the batter is out.
Once the ball is hit into fair territory the runner must try to advance to first base or beyond. While running to first base, the batter is a "batter-runner". When she safely reaches first (see below) she becomes a "base-runner" or "runner".
A batted ball hit high in the air is a "fly ball". A fly ball hit upward at an angle greater than 45 degrees is a "pop fly". A batted ball driven in the air through the infield at a height at which an infielder could play it if in the right position is a "line drive". A batted ball which hits the ground within the diamond is a "ground ball". If a batted ball hits a player or a base, it is considered to have hit the ground.
The batter is out if: three strikes are called (a "strikeout"); a ball hit by the batter is caught before touching the ground (a "flyout"); the batter goes to a base that is already tagged ("tagged" or "tag play"); a fielder holding the ball touches a base which is the only base towards which the batter may run before the batter arrives there (a "force out" or "force play"); or in certain special circumstances. There is also a not so common occurrence when the batter has 2 strikes and foul tips a pitch. If the catcher doesn't catch the ball, the batter has the chance to run to first base and the catcher can throw the batter out at first base.
If the player hits the ball and advances to a base without a fielding error or an out being recorded, then that is called a "base hit". The bases must be reached in order counterclockwise, starting with first base. After hitting the ball the batter may advance as many bases as possible. An advance to first base on the one hit is a "single", to second base is a "double", to third base is a "triple", and to home plate is a "home run". Home runs are usually scored by hitting the ball over the outfield fence, but may be scored on a hit which does not go over the fence. A home run includes any ball that bounces off a fielder and goes over the fence in fair-territory (depending upon association and local league rules) or that hits the foul pole. If a batted ball bounces off a fielder (in fair territory) and goes over the fence in foul territory, or if it goes over the fence at a location that is closer than the official distance, the batter is awarded a double instead.
If a runner becomes entitled to the base where another runner is standing, the latter runner must advance to the next base. For example, if a player hits the ball and there is a runner on first, the runner on first must try to advance to second because the batter-runner is entitled to first base. If the batter reaches first base without being put out, then that player can then be forced to run towards second base the next time a ball is driven into fair territory. That is because the player must vacate first base to allow the next batter to reach it, and consequently can only go to second base, where a force out may be recorded.
Runners may advance at risk to be put out: on a hit by another player; after a fly ball has been caught, provided the player was touching a base at the time the ball was first touched or after; or (in fast pitch) automatically, when a pitch is delivered illegally.
Runners advance without liability to be put out: when a walk advances another player to the runner's current base; or automatically in certain special circumstances described below.
In fast pitch, runners may try to get a "stolen base" by running to the next base on the pitch and reaching it before being tagged with the ball. The point at which a runner can steal a base varies. In fast pitch, the runner is allowed to begin stealing a base when the ball is released from the "windmill" pitching motion, but until recently, stealing was forbidden in slow pitch because a runner has the opportunity to get a larger head start while the slow pitch is making its way to the batter. As a result of rule changes initiated by the Independent Softball Association which later made its way to the Amateur Softball Association and the International Softball Federation in the 21st century, most levels of slow pitch permit stealing bases, provided the runner starts when the ball either touches the ground or crosses the plate. This rule encourages pitchers to be more responsible with the pitch and catchers to play defense, as balls which miss the catcher are now grounds to have stolen bases.
No matter what level of play, all baserunners must keep one foot on a base until the pitcher throws the ball or until the ball crosses the front edge of home plate (depends on association).
In fast pitch, if the catcher drops strike three (a "passed ball") with less than two outs, the batter can attempt to run to first base if first base is unoccupied. The catcher must then attempt to throw the ball to first base ahead of the runner. If he or she cannot, the runner is safe. With two outs, the batter can attempt to run to first whether or not it is already occupied.
Depending on the league in slow pitch only a foul ball with two strikes on the batter means the batter is out. Stealing in 16-inch softball is severely restricted, as a runner may only steal the base in front of them if it is open, and if they are thrown at, "à la" pickoff move or snap throw. This results in many inexperienced players being thrown or doubled off when they attempt to advance on a wild pickoff at another baserunner.
A run is not scored if the last out is a force out or occurs during the same play that the runner crosses home plate. For instance, if a runner is on third base prior to a hit, and he or she crosses home plate after an out is made, either on the batter or another runner, the run is not counted.
If the game is tied, play usually continues until a decision is reached, by using the international tie-breaker rule. Starting in the top of the eighth inning, the batting team starts with a base-runner on second base, which is the player who is the last available to bat (in other words, the batter who last took their position in the batter's box; regardless whether they were the last out or another runner was put out).
In games where one team leads by a large margin, the run ahead rule
may come into play in order to avoid embarrassing weaker teams. In fast pitch and modified pitch, a margin of 15 runs after three innings, 10 after four, or 7 after five is sufficient for a win to be declared for the leading team. In slow pitch, the margin is 20 runs after four innings or 15 after five innings. In the NCAA
, the required margin after 5 innings is 8 runs. The mercy rule takes effect at the end of an inning. Thus, if the team batting first is ahead by enough runs for the rule to come into effect, the team batting second is given their half of the inning to try to narrow the margin.
A game may be lost due to a "forfeit". A score of 7-0 for the team not at fault is recorded (generally one run is awarded for each inning that would have been played). A forfeit may be called due to any of these circumstances: if a team does not show up to play; if one side refuses to continue play; if a team fails to resume play after a suspension of play ends; if a team uses tactics intended to unfairly delay or hasten the game; if a player removed from the game does not leave within one minute of being instructed to do so; if a player that cannot play enters the game and one pitch has been thrown; if a team does not have, for whatever reason, enough players to continue; or if after warning by the umpire, a player continues to intentionally break the rules of the game. This last rule is rarely enforced as players who break rules after being warned are usually removed.
The plate umpire may suspend play because of darkness or anything that puts players or spectators in danger. If five innings have been played, the game is recorded as it stands. This includes ties. If fewer than four innings have been played, the game is not considered a "regulation" game.
Games that are not regulation or are regulation ties are resumed from the point of suspension. If it is a championship game, it is replayed from the beginning. Team rosters may be changed.
is the individual who throws the ball from the side of the diamond or the pitcher's mound. In baseball, the mound is elevated, but in softball the mound is not elevated. The pitcher usually throws the ball in the strike zone
. In softball, the pitcher uses an underarm motion to pitch the ball towards the strike zone. As soon as the pitcher makes a throw, the fielders are ready to field balls that are hit in the middle of the diamond. Pitchers usually tend to be tall, very flexible and have good upper body strength. Pitchers can be righthanded or lefthanded.
is always behind the hitter in semi-crouched position at home plate. The catcher recovers pitches from the pitcher. The catcher also throws balls to other bases to throw out runners. At home plate, the catcher is responsible for making some of the team's outs by retiring base runners attempting to score. In most games, catchers provide a visual or finger clue as to what the next pitch should be. Catchers are usually very strong, agile, think fast and possess fast reflexes. Catchers need a lot of muscle to make powerful and fast throws. They are one of the most important players in the game. Catchers rule the field; they control the plays and tell everyone where to be and when to be there. They are most likely the team captain or share the responsibility with the pitcher.
is the position to the right of the first base. The major role of the first baseman is to make fielding plays on all balls hit towards first base. The first baseman also helps prevent steals
from first to second base. The first base is usually involved in every hit that occurs on the playing field. Individuals at first base have quick hands and are always on the lookout to catch the player off base.
plays in between the first baseman and the gap at second. If the ball is hit to the left side of the field, second covers second base. If the ball is hit on their side of the field, they back up the fielder, cover first, or field the ball depending on where it is hit.The second baseman also is the cut off on balls hit to the right side of the outfield. The second baseman also throws directly to the catcher to prevent runners from scoring. Mostly, when the ball is hit to the left side of the field, the second basemen plays second for shortstop.
fields all balls hit to the infield between the second and third bases. This individual also helps cover second base and is frequently involved in force play
s, double play
s and frequently throws the ball to the catcher to throw out runners at home plate. Most short stops are very quick, agile and think fast. Shortstops may play in a restricted zone but are faced with many types of hits and interact closely with the 2nd base, 3rd base and home plate. Often double plays are due to quick thinking by the short stop.
covers all hits to the third base and receives balls from the outfield. The third base person also frequently throws the ball to the catcher trying to run out the runner at home plate. The individual at third base usually thinks fast because of the types of hits that commonly occur in that zone. Quick thinking can often stop runners from scoring or can result in double plays. Third Base is probably the most defensive position on defense.
Co-recreational leagues, where men and women play on the same team, often adopt rules intended to reduce gender inequality, under the assumption that men will be generally more powerful and/or skilled. For example rules may stipulate that there must be an equal number of men and women on the team, or that batting order alternate male and female batters. One possible rule requires male batters to "switch hit". Some leagues even use different balls for male and female batters. While these modified rules are common, there are questions as to their place in modern adult sports.
Some leagues require teams to use limited flight softballs. These softballs, when hit, will not go as far as regular softballs. Other leagues limit the number of runs which can be scored in an inning. Five is a common limit.
By allowing these and other modifications, softball can be enjoyed by children, teenagers, and adults. Senior leagues with players over the age of 60 are not uncommon.
An example of a rule modification is the "offensive pitcher" (or "self pitch") often found in informal games where the emphasis is on the social rather than the competitive aspects of the game. The pitcher aids the batter by attempting to give the easiest pitch to hit. There are no walks, and a batter is normally given a fixed number of pitches to attempt to hit (usually 3 or 4). The batter is considered to strike out if she fails to hit the ball into fair territory after the given number of pitches. The pitcher does not act as a fielder, and a rule is often made that if a batted ball touches the pitcher, the batter is out.
In some leagues the number of pitches to walk or strikeout can be reduced. For instance, one strike is an out, and two balls is a walk. This is common in leagues where doubleheaders are played, or in late season leagues when reduced daylight is an issue. It results in shorter games, as players are more apt to swing, even at marginal pitches, rather than risk striking out on one pitch.
Many leagues also include a second first base immediately adjacent to the main one. This is usually orange and the batter running through first base is supposed to run straight through it. This minimizes the chances of a collision. By the same token some leagues have an alternate home plate and rule that plays at home are always force plays. In these cases there is typically a white line drawn approximately 1/3 of the way down the baseline that is considered a point of no return. This is designed to reduce the "Pickle" which can put a great strain on the ankles and knees of older baserunners.
Only the wall behind the batter is considered foul territory. The other walls are considered fair. If a ball hits a wall and is caught before it lands, the batter flies out. Usually, there is a small area on one of the walls that results in a home run being awarded if the batted ball hits it.
Pitching is generally a little slower because of the indoor turf, or pitched through a pitching machine.
The placement of the fielders is different. The pitcher also acts as the second baseman. There is sometimes a catcher.
There is no limit to the number of batters a team may have available, although only so many can bat in one inning.
holds world championships, held every four years, in several categories. The ISF is the international governing body
. The Amateur Softball Association
is the National Governing Body of Softball for the United States pursuant to the 1976 Amateur Sports Act. Due to the popularity of the sport, there are a multitude of governing bodies such as the United States Specialty Sports Association
, International Softball Congress
and the National Softball Association
.
The ISF holds world championship
tournaments in several categories. The tournament in each category is held every four years - 2 years from 2010. The most recent tournament was XII Women's World Championship in June, 2010. All World Championships use a Page playoff system
and are in fastpitch. There are also several World Cups held at 4 year intervals in different categories.
Australia are the current Men's World Champions, having won the title in 2009. Prior to that, New Zealand had won the previous three tournaments. The current Junior Men's World Champion is Australia, which has won the last four championships. In the Women's World Championships the United States is the most dominant team, having won three of the past four Olympic tournaments
and the past seven World Championships. The current Junior Women's World Champion is the United States.
Women's softball made its first Olympic appearance in 1996 and made its final Olympic appearance in the 2008 games.
, health, personal achievements and pleasure. Australia has excellent softball teams which are a reflection of its coaching, education and training system.
n country.
Softball is played, at some level, in over a hundred countries around the world. The International Softball Federation has 113 member countries, (excluding dependent territories).
In many US cities, adult softball teams are organized by bars and clubs, hence the popular term "beer-league softball". The teams can be men's, women's or co-ed, and skill levels can range from novice to elite, with league composition reflecting that. These leagues are almost exclusively slow-pitch.
Competitive fastpitch softball
for girls is growing increasingly popular. All over the USA, there are thousands of teams that compete year-round at tournaments. During most of these tournaments the biggest goal is not winning the tournament, but attempting to get as many college coaches as possible to observe (a) particular player or players. Competitive teams are now beginning around eight years old, if not younger. Depending on the team they can travel all over the USA or even out of the country such as to Canada
, the summer and fall for many weeks and days at a time.
There are many different sanctioning bodies of softball: USSSA, ASA, ISA, NSA, WSL, and SASL just to name a few. One of the biggest is the Amateur Softball Association
, also known as ASA. It 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.
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand. Softball is played on a smaller diamond than in baseball; a softball field's average distances from home plate to the center, left and right field fences are 220 feet (67 meters) for females and 250 feet (75 meters) for males (the corresponding baseball field average distances are 410 and 325 feet [125 and 99 meters]). Despite the game's name, the standard softball is not soft; in fact, it is harder than a baseball.
History
George Hancock
George Hancock (softball)
George Hancock, at the time a reporter for Chicago Board of Trade, invented the game of softball in 1887. The first game was played indoors, inside the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago. Someone found a boxing glove and threw it and someone else hit it with a stick. George Hancock shouted "Let's play...
is credited as the game's inventor for his development of ball and an undersized bat in the next week. The Farragut Club soon set rules for the game, which spread quickly to outsiders. Envisioned as a way for baseball players to maintain their skills during the winter, the sport was called "Indoor Baseball". Under the name of "Indoor-Outdoor", the game moved outside in the next year, and the first rules were published in 1889.
In 1895 Lewis Rober, Sr. of Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
organized outdoor games as exercise for firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s; this game was known as kitten ball (after the first team to play it), lemon ball, or diamond ball. Rober's version of the game used a ball 12 inches (305 mm) in circumference, rather than the 16-inch (406 mm) ball used by the Farragut club, and eventually the Minneapolis ball prevailed, although the dimensions of the Minneapolis diamond were passed over in favor of the dimensions of the Chicago one. Rober may not have been familiar with the Farragut Club rules. The first softball league outside the United States was organized in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1897.
The name "softball" dates back to 1926. The name was coined by Walter Hakanson of the YMCA at a meeting of the National Recreation Congress. (In addition to "indoor baseball", "kitten ball", and "diamond ball", names for the game included "mush ball", and "pumpkin ball".) The name softball had spread across the United States by 1930. By the 1930s, similar sports with different rules and names were being played all over the United States and Canada. The formation of the Joint Rules Committee on Softball in 1934 standardized the rules and naming throughout the United States.
Sixteen-inch softball
16-inch softball
16-inch softball is a variant of softball, but using a bigger, squishier ball with no gloves or mitts on the fielders. Although it most closely resembles the original game as developed in the 19th century by George Hancock, today it remains popular almost exclusively in Chicago...
, also sometimes referred to as "mushball" or "super-slow pitch", is a direct descendant of Hancock's original game. Defensive players are not allowed to wear fielding gloves. Sixteen-inch softball is played extensively in Chicago, where devotees such as the late Mike Royko
Mike Royko
Michael "Mike" Royko was a newspaper columnist in Chicago, who won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for commentary...
consider it the "real" game, 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.
By the 1940s, fast pitching began to dominate the game. Although slow pitch was present at the 1933 World's Fair, the main course of action taken was to lengthen the pitching distance. Slow pitch achieved formal recognition in 1953 when it was added to the program of the Amateur Softball Association
Amateur Softball Association
The Amateur Softball Association is a volunteer, non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was founded in 1933 with a tournament held in Chicago that was organized by Leo Fischer and Michael J. Pauley. The following year the 1934 National Recreation Congress recognized the ASA. ...
, and within a decade had surpassed fast pitch in popularity.
The first British women's softball league was established in 1952.
In 1991, women's fast-pitch softball was selected to debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. The 1996 Olympics also marked a key era in the introduction of technology in softball; the IOC funded a landmark biomechanical study on pitching during the games.
In 2002, sixteen-inch slow pitch was written out of the ISF official rules, although it is still played extensively in the United States under The Amateur Softball Association of America, or ASA rules.
The 117th meeting
117th IOC Session
The 117th International Olympic Committee Session was held for the first time in Singapore from 2 July to 9 July 2005. The meeting was particularly significant as two important decisions were made through voting during the session - namely the selection of the hosting city for the 2012 Summer...
of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, held in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in July 2005, voted to drop softball and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
as Olympic sports
Olympic sports
Olympic sports, as defined by the International Olympic Committee, are all the sports contested in the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. The Summer Olympics, as of 2012, will include 26 sports, with two additionall sports due to be added in 2016...
for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
Other sanctioning bodies of softball are AAU http://www.aausoftball.org, NSA http://www.playNSA.org, PONY http://www.PONY.org, ASAhttp://www.ASAsoftball.com, ISC http://www.iscfastpitch.com, and USSSA http://www.usssa.com/sports/.
Overview
Softball is played between 2 teams on a large field, with nine or ten players from one team on the field at a time. The field is usually composed of a dirt or brickdust infieldInfield
Infield is a widely used term in sports terminology, its meaning depends on the sport in which it is used.- In baseball :In baseball the baseball diamond plus a region beyond it , has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-covered outfield...
which contains the quadrilateral shape and running areas, and a grass outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
. However, the field also can consist of all dirt, grass, artificial turf, or, in areas such as New York City, asphalt . There are 4 bases on the infield (first base, second base, third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
,and home plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
); the bases are arranged in a square and are typically 45 to 65 feet (13,7 to 19,8 meters) apart. Near the center of this square is the pitcher's circle, and within the circle is the "rubber", a small flat rectangular area. The object of the game is to score more runs (points) than the other team by batting (hitting) a ball into play and running around the bases, touching each one in succession. The ball is a sphere of light material, covered with leather or synthetic material. It is 10 to 12 inches (or rarely, 16 inches) (28 to 30.5 centimeters) in circumference. The game is officiated by one or more neutral umpires. Players and umpires are generally free to ask for a brief stoppage at any time when the ball is not in play, or immediately following a play once its outcome is clear.
The game is played in a series of innings, usually seven.Some play with a time limit. Youth leagues sometimes have 6 innings. An inning is one series of both teams playing offense and defense. Each inning is divided into a top half and a bottom half indicating which team is playing which role. The offense bats and attempts to score runs, while the defense occupies the field and attempts to record outs in a variety of ways. After the defense records 3 outs, the half inning is over and the teams switch roles.
To start play, the offense sends a batter to home plate. The batting order must be fixed at the start of the game, and players may not bat out of turn. The defense's pitcher stands atop the rubber and throws the ball towards home plate using an underhanded motion. The batter attempts to hit the pitched ball with a bat, a long, round, smooth stick made of wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
, metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
or composite
Composite material
Composite materials, often shortened to composites or called composition materials, are engineered or naturally occurring materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties which remain separate and distinct at the macroscopic or...
. A pitch must cross the plate within a small area known as the strike zone, which is the area between the knees and the shoulders, and it must be within certain height restrictions. The strike zone therefore varies from batter to batter, and the umpire behind home plate is the sole arbiter of what is or is not a valid pitch. A pitch which does not cross the strike zone is a ball, and if the batter reaches 4 balls, the batter is awarded the first base. A pitch which crosses the strike zone is a strike, and a batter who reaches 3 strikes is out (a strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
), and the next batter in the order comes to bat. A strike is also recorded on any pitch that the batter swings at and misses entirely, and also on a pitch that is hit foul (out of play). A foul ball may or may not result in a strikeout dependent upon what association and local league rules. However, bunting a foul ball does result in a strikeout. Bunting is not allowed and results in an out in some associations and leagues.
The batter attempts to swing the bat and hit the ball fair (into the field of play). After a successful hit the batter becomes a baserunner (or runner) and must run to first base. The defense attempts to field the ball and may throw the ball freely between players, so one player can field the ball while another moves to a position to put out the runner. The defense can tag the runner, by touching the runner with the ball while the runner is not on a base. The defense can also touch first base while in possession of the ball; in this case it is sufficient to beat the batter to first base and an actual tag of the batter is unnecessary. A runner is said to be thrown out when the play involves two or more defensive players. Runners generally cannot be put out when touching a base, but only one runner may occupy a base at any time and runners may not pass each other. When a ball is batted into play, runners generally must attempt to advance if there are no open bases behind them; for example, a runner on first base must run to second base if the batter puts the ball in play. In such a situation, the defense can throw to the base that the lead runner is attempting to take (a force out), and the defense can then also throw to the previous base. This can result in a multiple-out play: a double play is two outs, while a triple play, a very rare occurrence, is three outs. Runners with an open base behind them are not forced to advance and do so at their own risk; the defense must tag such runners directly to put them out rather than tagging the base.
A ball which is hit in the air and caught before hitting the ground is an immediate out, regardless of whether the ball would have landed fair or foul. A fly ball is a ball hit high and deep, a pop fly is a ball hit high but short, and a line drive is a ball hit close to the horizontal. In any such situation, runners must remain on their bases until the ball is touched by a defensive player or hits the ground. If a runner leaves the base before a fly ball, pop fly, or line drive is touched or contacts the ground, the defense can throw the ball to that base, and if the base is tagged before the runner returns, the runner is out as well, resulting in a double play. If the runner remains on the base until the ball is touched, or returns to the base after the catch but before the defense can put him out, he is said to tag up and may attempt to advance to the next base at his own risk. If there are less than two batters out and runners on 1st and 2nd bases and the batter hits a pop fly in the infield, the batter is automatically out to prevent unfair play by the fielders. Unfair play may result from infielders deliberately dropping the ball to try and achieve a double play. This rule is called the infield fly rule.
Offensive strategy is fairly straight forward, revolving around hitting the ball to let the batter reach base safely and to advance the base runners towards home plate to score runs. Defensive strategy can be more complex, with particular situations calling for different positioning and tactical decision making. For both sides, there can be a trade-off between outs and runs: the offense can sacrifice a batter to advance runners, while the defense may allow a runner to score if the remaining runners can be put out in a double play.
Game play
The playing field is divided into 'fair territory' and 'foul territory'. Fair territory is further divided into the 'infield', and the 'outfield', and the territory beyond the outfield fence.The field is defined by 'foul lines' that meet at a right angle at 'home plate'. The minimum length of the baselines varies classification of play (see below for official measurements). A fence running between the baselines defines the limits of the field; this fence is equidistant from home plate at all points.
Behind home plate is a 'backstop'. It must be between 25 and 30 feet (7.62 and 9.14 meters) behind home plate depending on the type of division that is playing.
'Home Plate' is one corner of a diamond with 'bases' at each corner. 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.
The infield consists of the diamond and the adjacent space in which the infielders (see below) normally play. The outfield is the remaining space between the baselines and between the outfield fence and the infield. The infield is usually "skinned" (dirt), while the outfield has grass in regulation competitions.
Near the center of the diamond is the pitching plate. In fast pitch, a skinned circle 16 feet (4.88 meters) in diameter known as the pitching circle is around the pitching plate.
A field is officially supposed to have a warning track between 15 and 12 feet (5 and 4 meters) from the outfield fence. However, if the game is being played on a field larger than required, no warning track is required before the temporary outfield fencing.
Located in foul territory outside both baselines are two 'Coach's Boxes'. Each box is behind a line 15 feet (5 meters) long located 12 feet (3 meters) from each baseline.
Official baseline dimensions
| Fast Pitch Baselines | Slow Pitch Baselines | Wheelchair Baselines |
|---|---|---|
| 60 feet (18.29 m) | 60 feet (18.29 m) or 65 feet (19.81 m) or more depending on the association and level of play | 50 feet (15.24 m) |
Fast pitch pitching distances
| College and Adult | Under 18 | Under 16 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male |
| 43 feet (13.11 m) | 46 feet (14.02 m) | 43 feet (13.11 m) or 40 feet (12.19 m) | 46 feet (14.02 m) | 43 feet (13.11 m) or 40 feet (12.19 m) or 35 feet (10.67 m) | 46 feet (14.02 m) There is a little league distance also...35 feet for minors, 40 feet for majors middle school is also 43 feet |
Slow pitch pitching distances
| Adult | Under 18 | Under 15 | Wheelchair | Kid | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | Male | Female | Male | ||||
| 50 feet (15.24 m) | 50 feet (15.24 m) | 50 feet (15.24 m) | 46 feet (14.02 m) | 50 feet (15.24 m) | 28 feet (8.53 m) | 96 feet (29.26 m) | |
Equipment
Equipment required in softball includes a ball, a bat, gloves, uniforms and protective gear, including helmets for the offensive team and a helmet, shin guards, and chest protector for the defensive catcher. Also cleats, sliding shorts and knee sliders for when shorts are worn for softball.Ball
Despite the sport's name, softballs are not especially soft. The size of the ball varies according to the classification of play; the permitted circumferences in international play are 12±0.125 in (30.5±0.3 cm), in weight between 6.25 oz (178 g) and 7.0 oz (198.4 g) in fast pitch; 11±0.125 in (29.7±0.3 cm), weight between 5.875 oz (166.5 g) and 6.125 oz (173.6 g) in slow pitch. For comparison, the rules of Major League Baseball stipulate the ball must weigh no less than 5 ounces (142g) and no more than 5 and 1/4 ounces (149g). A 12-inch circumference ball is generally used in slow pitch, although in rare cases some leagues (especially recreational leagues) do use a 14-inch circumference ball. Some balls have a raised seam, and others do not. The ball is most often covered in white or yellow leather in two pieces roughly the shape of a figure-8 and sewn together with red thread, although other coverings are permitted. The core of the ball may be made of long fiber kapokKapok
Ceiba pentandra is a tropical tree of the order Malvales and the family Malvaceae , native to Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and to tropical west Africa...
, or a mixture of cork
Cork (material)
Cork is an impermeable, buoyant material, a prime-subset of bark tissue that is harvested for commercial use primarily from Quercus suber , which is endemic to southwest Europe and northwest Africa...
and rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
, or a polyurethane
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
mixture, or another approved material.
In 2002, high-visibility yellow "optic" covering, long-used for restricted flight balls in co-ed recreational leagues, became standard for competitive play. Yellow is the color of official NCAA and NAIA softballs. Yellow softballs are fast becoming the standard for all levels of play for girls' and women's play in particular. White balls are also allowed, but are much more common in slow pitch than in fast pitch.
In Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where softball was invented, it remains traditional to play with a ball 16 inches (41 centimeters) in circumference. The fielders do not wear gloves or mitts. A 16" softball when new is rough and hard, with hand and finger injuries to fielders frequent if they do not "give" when receiving a ball, but the ball "breaks in" slightly during a game and continues to soften over time with continued play. A well-broken-in ball is called a mush ball and is favoured for informal "pick-up" games and when playing in limited space, such as a city street (because the ball does not go as far). A 16-inch ball is also used for wheelchair softball.
Bat
The bat used by the batter can be made wood, or composite materials (carbon fiber, etc.).Sizes may vary but they may be no more than 34 inches or 86 cm long, 2.25 inches or 6 cm in diameter, or 38 oz. or 1.2 kilograms in weight. In fast pitch softball, wooden bats are not allowed. The Slowpitch and Fastpitch softball bat barrel standard is 2 inches. Many players prefer a smaller barrel that lightens weight and provides more swing speed.Gloves
All defensive players wear fielding gloves, made of leather or similar material. Gloves have webbing between the thumb and forefinger, known as the "pocket". The first baseman and the catcher may wear mitts; mitts are distinguished from gloves in that they have extra padding, and no fingers. In 2007, ASA and other organizations revised their rules regarding gloves and mitts, allowing any player to use a glove or mitt. No part of the glove is allowed to be the same color as that of the ball, including that of its seams. Gloves used in softball are usually larger than the ones used in baseball. No glove can be larger than 14" (36 cm) can be used in ASA sanctioned play.Uniform
Each team wears distinctive uniforms. The uniform includes a cap and/or visor, a shirt (usually no sleeves), tight sliding undershorts, socks, and shorts or pants; these are the components for which standards are set.Caps, visors, and headbands are optional for female players, and do not have to be the same color. Caps are mandatory for male players. A fielder who chooses to wear a helmet (see below) is not required to wear a cap.
Including for softball players, most female players use "sliding shorts" otherwise known as compression shorts for other sports like soccer, football etc. These shorts help to protect the upper thigh when sliding into a base. Other,additional sliding equipment used are "sliders". These are somewhat padded shinguards that extend usually from the ankle to the knee of the wearer and wrap all the way around the leg(s). They protect the shin, calf, etc. from getting bruised or damaged while sliding into homeplate and make it much more comfortable to slide into the plate. Most male players use long, baseball-style pants.
At the back of the uniform,an Arabic numeral from numbers 1 through 99 must be visible. Numbers such as 02 and 2 are considered identical. Also, on the back of the uniforms players' names are optional.
Jewelry, excepting medic-alert-style bracelets and necklaces, can not be worn during a game. Those must be taped to players wearing them.
All players are required to wear shoes. They may have cleats or spikes. The spikes must extend less than 0.75 inch (19 mm) away from the sole. Rounded metal spikes are illegal, as are ones made from hard plastic or other synthetic materials. High school athletes are sometimes permitted to wear metal cleats such as in Ohio.
Many recreational leagues prohibit the use of metal cleats or spikes to reduce the possible severity of injuries when a runner slides feet-first into a fielder. At all youth (under 15) levels, in co-ed (the official terminology for mixed teams) slow pitch, and in modified pitch, metal spikes are usually not allowed. All uniforms must be tucked in and look presentable
Protective equipment
A helmet must have two ear flaps, one on each side. Helmets and cages that are damaged or altered are forbidden. Helmets must be worn by batters and runners in fastpitch. Helmets are optional in slowpitch. In NCAA fastpitch softball you have the option to wear a helmet with or without a face mask. Most travel ball teams for fast pitch softball require the batter to wear a helmet with a face mask.In fast pitch, the catcher must wear a protective helmet with a face-mask and throat protector, shin guards and body protector. Shin guards also protect the kneecap.
In slow pitch, the catcher must wear a helmet and mask at youth levels. At adult levels, there is no formal requirement for the catcher to wear a mask, although the official rules recommend it. A female catcher may optionally wear a body protector in slow pitch.
In any form of softball, any player (other than fast pitch catchers on defense) can wear a protective face mask or face guard. As usual, it must be in proper condition and not damaged, altered, or the like. This is intended to prevent facial injuries.
Umpires
Decisions about plays are made by umpires, similar to a refereeReferee
A referee is the person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view and making on the fly decisions that enforce the rules of the sport...
in American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. The number of umpires on a given game can range from a minimum of one to a maximum of seven. There is never more than one "plate umpire"; there can be up to three "base umpires", and up to a further three umpires positioned in the outfield. Most fast pitch games use a crew of two umpires (one plate umpire, one base umpire).
Official umpires are often nicknamed "blue", because of their uniforms – in many jurisdictions, most significantly ISF, NCAA and ASA games, umpires wear navy blue slacks, a light powder blue shirt, and a navy baseball cap. Some umpires wear a variant of the uniform: some umpires in ASA wear heather gray slacks and may also wear a navy blue shirt; umpires from the USSSA wear red shirts with black shorts; National Softball Association
National Softball Association
The National Softball Association “is a sporting governing body. The NSA gives softball teams the opportunity to play in qualifying tournaments for State, National Regional and World Series Tournament play. Also in certain NSA qualifying tournaments, teams are able to win a berth into the NSA...
(NSA) umpires wear an official NSA white-colored umpire shirt with black pants or black shorts; NSA Fast-Pitch umpires wear the white NSA umpires shirt and heather gray slacks. Regardless of what uniform is worn, all umpires in the same game are required to have matching clothing.
Decisions are usually indicated by both the use of hand signals, and by vocalizing the call. Safe calls are made by signaling with flat hands facing down moving away from each other, and a verbal call of "safe". Out calls are made by raising the right hand in a clenched fist, with a verbal call of "out". Strikes are called by the plate umpire, who uses the same motion as the out call with a verbal call of "strike". Balls are only called verbally, with no hand gesture. The umpire also has the option of not saying anything on a ball. It is understood that when he stands up, the pitch was not a strike. Foul ball
Foul ball
In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that:* Settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base, or* Bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or...
s are called by extending both arms up in the air with a verbal call of "foul ball", while fair balls are indicated only by pointing towards fair territory with no verbal call. No signal is given for balls that are obviously foul and for closer calls that are not borderline; a mere acknowledgement signal is given.
All decisions made by the umpire(s) are considered to be final. Only decisions where a rule might have been misinterpreted are considered to be protestable. At some tournaments there might be a rules interpreter or Tournament Chief Umpire (TCU) (also known as the Umpire In Chief, or UIC) available to pass judgment on such protests, but it is usually up to the league or association involved to decide if the protest would be upheld. Protests are never allowed on what are considered "judgment calls" – balls, strikes, and fouls.
Gameplay
A softball game can last anywhere from 3 to 9 innings, depending on the league, rules, and type of softball; however 7 innings is the most common. In each inning, each team bats until three batters have been put out (see below). The teams take turns batting. Officially, which team bats first is decided by a coin toss, although a league may decide otherwise at its discretion. The most common rule is that the home team bats second. Batting second is advantageous.In the event of a tie, extra innings are usually played until the tie is broken except in certain tournaments and 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.
Pitching
A windmill motion is done by extending the throwing hand around the body and releasing the ball at about hip level at maximum speeds. In girls' fastpitch, 12u pitchers usually throw in the low to mid 30's (mph) or mid 40's (km/h), 14u is in the low to mid 40's or mid 60's (km/h), 16u is when you will see girls throwing mid to high 50's and sometimes low 60s. At the 18u level, girls are much more powerful and can throw anywhere between high 50's to mid 60's or sometimes there will be a girl throwing in the higher 60's it is these girls who are mainly recruited to play Division 1 college softball. However, speed is not always the most important factor in fastpitch softball! Pitchers can throw balls that curve inwards (screwball) and outwards (curveball) on right-handed batters. There are also riseballs that move upwards and out of the strikezone (as an attempt to force the batter to swing or cause them to hit a weak pop-up), drop balls and drop curves (to cause the batter to hit groundballs; this is important at the higher levels where strikeouts occur less often). The other common pitches are change-up and fastballs. 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. Pitchers use deception as a primary tactic for getting batters out as the reaction times from 40' (43' for 14U-college) only provides approx 4 sec or less to react to the thrown pitch.
The pitcher tries to throw the ball so that it passes through the "strike zone". However, in advanced play a highly-skilled pitcher may deliberately pitch a ball outside the strike zone if she believes the batter is likely to swing. In other instances, such as when an extremely powerful hitter comes up to bat and they are followed by a weaker hitter, a pitcher may deliberately walk the first batter based on the calculation that the next batter will be an easy out. 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.
A pitch which is not a strike and which the batter does not swing at what is a "ball". The number of balls and strikes is called the "count". The number of balls is always given first, as 2 and 1, 2 and 2, and so on. A count of 3 and 2 is a "full count", since the next ball or strike will end the batter's turn at the plate, unless the ball goes foul.
Various illegal acts done by the pitcher, such as "crow-hopping" are called an illegal pitch. "Crow hopping" consists of the pitcher not having her push-off foot on the ground before and during release. The umpire sticks his right arm out straight to the side and clenches his fist. This results in a ball being awarded to the batter, and any runners on base advancing to the next base. Image to the right demonstrates a legal pitch as the push-off foot has not left the ground. The ball must be released simultaneously with the lead leg step.
In 16-inch softball, the pitch is lobbed. Umpires will make calls based on where the ball lands behind the plate. A pitch in "the well" is considered a perfect pitch.
In fast pitch softball, there are various types of pitches. Some are: the fastball, changeup, dropball, riseball, screwball, curveball, dropcurve, dropchange.
At higher levels of play, pitchers aim for the inner and outer corners of the plate when throwing fastballs. Pitchers also vary throwing fastballs at different heights to make hitting the ball even harder for the individual up at bat. Similarly, both the dropball and the riseball are pitches that change heights. To the batter, the dropball appears to be coming in level but then as the ball reaches the plate, the pitch drops, trying to force the batter to hit the top of the ball. This should result in the batter hitting a groundball. When pitchers throw riseballs, batters see the ball coming in straight, but when the ball reaches the plate, it rises. The purpose of the riseball is to have the batter hit an easy pop-fly or strike out. Another pitch that breaks at the last minute is the curveball. When pitchers throw curveballs they snap their wrist and follow their arm across their body, making the ball curve to the outside of the plate. Pitchers can also make the ball curve to the inside of the plate by snapping their wrist the opposite direction (away from their body).The one pitch that drastically changes speed is the changeup, disrupting the batter’s timing.
Fast pitch pitches may reach high speeds; At the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
one pitch reached 73.3;miles per hour (118 kilometers per hour). Male pitching can reach speeds around 85 miles per hour (137 kilometers per hour).
Batters
The batter stands facing the pitcher inside a "batter's box" (there is one on each side of the plate tom compensate for either right or left handed batters). The bat is held with both hands, over the shoulder, and away from the pitcher(90 degree angle). The ball is usually hit with a full swinging motion in which the bat may move through more than 360 degrees. The batter usually steps forward with the front foot, the body weight shifts forward, as the batter simultaneously swings the bat. When swinging, the back foot should look like it is squishing a bug. A bunt (baseball) is another form of batting. There are different types, including a[sacrifice bunt], or [slap bunt]. No matter what way the batter hits the ball, they must be inside the batter's box when the bat makes contact with the ball. If the batter steps out of the box while swinging, the batter is out.
Once the ball is hit into fair territory the runner must try to advance to first base or beyond. While running to first base, the batter is a "batter-runner". When she safely reaches first (see below) she becomes a "base-runner" or "runner".
A batted ball hit high in the air is a "fly ball". A fly ball hit upward at an angle greater than 45 degrees is a "pop fly". A batted ball driven in the air through the infield at a height at which an infielder could play it if in the right position is a "line drive". A batted ball which hits the ground within the diamond is a "ground ball". If a batted ball hits a player or a base, it is considered to have hit the ground.
Getting the batter out
Advancing around the bases
If a runner becomes entitled to the base where another runner is standing, the latter runner must advance to the next base. For example, if a player hits the ball and there is a runner on first, the runner on first must try to advance to second because the batter-runner is entitled to first base. If the batter reaches first base without being put out, then that player can then be forced to run towards second base the next time a ball is driven into fair territory. That is because the player must vacate first base to allow the next batter to reach it, and consequently can only go to second base, where a force out may be recorded.
Runners may advance at risk to be put out: on a hit by another player; after a fly ball has been caught, provided the player was touching a base at the time the ball was first touched or after; or (in fast pitch) automatically, when a pitch is delivered illegally.
Runners advance without liability to be put out: when a walk advances another player to the runner's current base; or automatically in certain special circumstances described below.
Special circumstances
If there is a "wild throw" in which the ball goes out of the designated play area, each runner is awarded the base they were going to, plus one extra base.In fast pitch, runners may try to get a "stolen base" by running to the next base on the pitch and reaching it before being tagged with the ball. The point at which a runner can steal a base varies. In fast pitch, the runner is allowed to begin stealing a base when the ball is released from the "windmill" pitching motion, but until recently, stealing was forbidden in slow pitch because a runner has the opportunity to get a larger head start while the slow pitch is making its way to the batter. As a result of rule changes initiated by the Independent Softball Association which later made its way to the Amateur Softball Association and the International Softball Federation in the 21st century, most levels of slow pitch permit stealing bases, provided the runner starts when the ball either touches the ground or crosses the plate. This rule encourages pitchers to be more responsible with the pitch and catchers to play defense, as balls which miss the catcher are now grounds to have stolen bases.
No matter what level of play, all baserunners must keep one foot on a base until the pitcher throws the ball or until the ball crosses the front edge of home plate (depends on association).
In fast pitch, if the catcher drops strike three (a "passed ball") with less than two outs, the batter can attempt to run to first base if first base is unoccupied. The catcher must then attempt to throw the ball to first base ahead of the runner. If he or she cannot, the runner is safe. With two outs, the batter can attempt to run to first whether or not it is already occupied.
Depending on the league in slow pitch only a foul ball with two strikes on the batter means the batter is out. Stealing in 16-inch softball is severely restricted, as a runner may only steal the base in front of them if it is open, and if they are thrown at, "à la" pickoff move or snap throw. This results in many inexperienced players being thrown or doubled off when they attempt to advance on a wild pickoff at another baserunner.
Scoring runs
A "run" is scored when a player has touched all four bases in order, proceeding counterclockwise around them. They need not be touched on the same play; a batter may remain safely on a base while play proceeds and attempt to advance on a later play.A run is not scored if the last out is a force out or occurs during the same play that the runner crosses home plate. For instance, if a runner is on third base prior to a hit, and he or she crosses home plate after an out is made, either on the batter or another runner, the run is not counted.
Ending the game
The team with the most runs after seven innings wins the game. The last (bottom) half of the seventh inning or any remaining part of the seventh inning is not played if the team batting second is leading.If the game is tied, play usually continues until a decision is reached, by using the international tie-breaker rule. Starting in the top of the eighth inning, the batting team starts with a base-runner on second base, which is the player who is the last available to bat (in other words, the batter who last took their position in the batter's box; regardless whether they were the last out or another runner was put out).
In games where one team leads by a large margin, the run ahead rule
Mercy rule
A mercy rule, also well known by the slightly less polite term slaughter rule , brings a sports event to an early end when one team has a very large and presumably insurmountable lead over the other team...
may come into play in order to avoid embarrassing weaker teams. In fast pitch and modified pitch, a margin of 15 runs after three innings, 10 after four, or 7 after five is sufficient for a win to be declared for the leading team. In slow pitch, the margin is 20 runs after four innings or 15 after five innings. In the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
, the required margin after 5 innings is 8 runs. The mercy rule takes effect at the end of an inning. Thus, if the team batting first is ahead by enough runs for the rule to come into effect, the team batting second is given their half of the inning to try to narrow the margin.
A game may be lost due to a "forfeit". A score of 7-0 for the team not at fault is recorded (generally one run is awarded for each inning that would have been played). A forfeit may be called due to any of these circumstances: if a team does not show up to play; if one side refuses to continue play; if a team fails to resume play after a suspension of play ends; if a team uses tactics intended to unfairly delay or hasten the game; if a player removed from the game does not leave within one minute of being instructed to do so; if a player that cannot play enters the game and one pitch has been thrown; if a team does not have, for whatever reason, enough players to continue; or if after warning by the umpire, a player continues to intentionally break the rules of the game. This last rule is rarely enforced as players who break rules after being warned are usually removed.
The plate umpire may suspend play because of darkness or anything that puts players or spectators in danger. If five innings have been played, the game is recorded as it stands. This includes ties. If fewer than four innings have been played, the game is not considered a "regulation" game.
Games that are not regulation or are regulation ties are resumed from the point of suspension. If it is a championship game, it is replayed from the beginning. Team rosters may be changed.
Positions
There are nine players out on the field at one time. Although the pitcher and catcher have the ball the most, each person has a specific job. In the infield there is the pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, and third baseman. In the outfield there is left fielder, center fielder, and right fielder. In slow pitch softball there is an extra outfielder in the out field, who is specified as a roamer. Normally, the defensive team will play with four outfielders, meaning there is a left fielder, left-center fielder, right-center fielder, and right fielder.Pitcher
The pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
is the individual who throws the ball from the side of the diamond or the pitcher's mound. In baseball, the mound is elevated, but in softball the mound is not elevated. The pitcher usually throws the ball in the strike zone
Strike zone
In baseball, the strike zone is a conceptual right pentagonal prism over home plate which defines the boundaries through which a pitch must pass in order to count as a strike when the batter does not swing.-Definition:...
. In softball, the pitcher uses an underarm motion to pitch the ball towards the strike zone. As soon as the pitcher makes a throw, the fielders are ready to field balls that are hit in the middle of the diamond. Pitchers usually tend to be tall, very flexible and have good upper body strength. Pitchers can be righthanded or lefthanded.
Catcher
The catcherCatcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
is always behind the hitter in semi-crouched position at home plate. The catcher recovers pitches from the pitcher. The catcher also throws balls to other bases to throw out runners. At home plate, the catcher is responsible for making some of the team's outs by retiring base runners attempting to score. In most games, catchers provide a visual or finger clue as to what the next pitch should be. Catchers are usually very strong, agile, think fast and possess fast reflexes. Catchers need a lot of muscle to make powerful and fast throws. They are one of the most important players in the game. Catchers rule the field; they control the plays and tell everyone where to be and when to be there. They are most likely the team captain or share the responsibility with the pitcher.
First baseman
The first basemanFirst baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
is the position to the right of the first base. The major role of the first baseman is to make fielding plays on all balls hit towards first base. The first baseman also helps prevent steals
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
from first to second base. The first base is usually involved in every hit that occurs on the playing field. Individuals at first base have quick hands and are always on the lookout to catch the player off base.
Second baseman
The second basemanSecond baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
plays in between the first baseman and the gap at second. If the ball is hit to the left side of the field, second covers second base. If the ball is hit on their side of the field, they back up the fielder, cover first, or field the ball depending on where it is hit.The second baseman also is the cut off on balls hit to the right side of the outfield. The second baseman also throws directly to the catcher to prevent runners from scoring. Mostly, when the ball is hit to the left side of the field, the second basemen plays second for shortstop.
Shortstop
The shortstopShortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
fields all balls hit to the infield between the second and third bases. This individual also helps cover second base and is frequently involved in force play
Force play
In baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled to vacate his time-of-pitch base—and thus try to advance to the next base—because the batter became a runner. A runner at first base is always forced to attempt to advance to second base when the batter becomes a runner...
s, double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s and frequently throws the ball to the catcher to throw out runners at home plate. Most short stops are very quick, agile and think fast. Shortstops may play in a restricted zone but are faced with many types of hits and interact closely with the 2nd base, 3rd base and home plate. Often double plays are due to quick thinking by the short stop.
Third baseman
The third basemanThird baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
covers all hits to the third base and receives balls from the outfield. The third base person also frequently throws the ball to the catcher trying to run out the runner at home plate. The individual at third base usually thinks fast because of the types of hits that commonly occur in that zone. Quick thinking can often stop runners from scoring or can result in double plays. Third Base is probably the most defensive position on defense.
Outfielders
The Outfielders are players that cover the grassy area behind the infield. Outfielders are named for their positions in the field relative to home plate. Traditional outfield positions include a Left Fielder, a Center Fielder, and a Right Fielder. These players usually back up the plays made by the infielders and make plays when the ball is hit past or over the infield. Because their positions cover a greater range than those of infielders, outfielders tend to have strong throwing arms. Outfielders are responsible for throwing fielded balls to a player known as a cut-off person (usually a second baseman or short stop). In this way, the outfielders more efficiently return the ball to the infield with the goal of preventing baserunners from advancing to additional bases. In some leagues/ organizations, four outfield players are utilized by each team, with the Center Field position being shared between two players known as the Left-Center Fielder and the Right-Center fielder.Modification of rules
One reason for the popularity of softball is the ease of modification of its rules, thereby allowing the game to be adapted to a variety of skill levels. For example, in some slow pitch softball leagues a batter starts at bat with a count of one ball one strike. In some leagues, the number of home runs that can be hit by a team are limited. In other leagues, stealing of bases is prohibited. Some groups allow for a more defensive game by making home plate a force out for first base. This reduces scoring evenly on both sides, and allows for some margin of error.Co-recreational leagues, where men and women play on the same team, often adopt rules intended to reduce gender inequality, under the assumption that men will be generally more powerful and/or skilled. For example rules may stipulate that there must be an equal number of men and women on the team, or that batting order alternate male and female batters. One possible rule requires male batters to "switch hit". Some leagues even use different balls for male and female batters. While these modified rules are common, there are questions as to their place in modern adult sports.
Some leagues require teams to use limited flight softballs. These softballs, when hit, will not go as far as regular softballs. Other leagues limit the number of runs which can be scored in an inning. Five is a common limit.
By allowing these and other modifications, softball can be enjoyed by children, teenagers, and adults. Senior leagues with players over the age of 60 are not uncommon.
An example of a rule modification is the "offensive pitcher" (or "self pitch") often found in informal games where the emphasis is on the social rather than the competitive aspects of the game. The pitcher aids the batter by attempting to give the easiest pitch to hit. There are no walks, and a batter is normally given a fixed number of pitches to attempt to hit (usually 3 or 4). The batter is considered to strike out if she fails to hit the ball into fair territory after the given number of pitches. The pitcher does not act as a fielder, and a rule is often made that if a batted ball touches the pitcher, the batter is out.
In some leagues the number of pitches to walk or strikeout can be reduced. For instance, one strike is an out, and two balls is a walk. This is common in leagues where doubleheaders are played, or in late season leagues when reduced daylight is an issue. It results in shorter games, as players are more apt to swing, even at marginal pitches, rather than risk striking out on one pitch.
Many leagues also include a second first base immediately adjacent to the main one. This is usually orange and the batter running through first base is supposed to run straight through it. This minimizes the chances of a collision. By the same token some leagues have an alternate home plate and rule that plays at home are always force plays. In these cases there is typically a white line drawn approximately 1/3 of the way down the baseline that is considered a point of no return. This is designed to reduce the "Pickle" which can put a great strain on the ankles and knees of older baserunners.
Indoor play
Despite the fact that it was originally intended to be played indoors, softball is usually played outdoors. 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.Only the wall behind the batter is considered foul territory. The other walls are considered fair. If a ball hits a wall and is caught before it lands, the batter flies out. Usually, there is a small area on one of the walls that results in a home run being awarded if the batted ball hits it.
Pitching is generally a little slower because of the indoor turf, or pitched through a pitching machine.
The placement of the fielders is different. The pitcher also acts as the second baseman. There is sometimes a catcher.
There is no limit to the number of batters a team may have available, although only so many can bat in one inning.
International competition
The International Softball FederationInternational Softball Federation
thumb|Map of member states.|400px|rightThe International Softball Federation is the international governing body for the sport of softball. The ISF is a non-profit corporation recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the General Association of International Sports Federations .The...
holds world championships, held every four years, in several categories. The ISF is the international governing body
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
. The Amateur Softball Association
Amateur Softball Association
The Amateur Softball Association is a volunteer, non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was founded in 1933 with a tournament held in Chicago that was organized by Leo Fischer and Michael J. Pauley. The following year the 1934 National Recreation Congress recognized the ASA. ...
is the National Governing Body of Softball for the United States pursuant to the 1976 Amateur Sports Act. Due to the popularity of the sport, there are a multitude of governing bodies such as the United States Specialty Sports Association
United States Specialty Sports Association
The USSSA is a volunteer, sports governing body, non-profit organization based in Kissimmee, Florida. It was founded in 1968, originally in Petersburg, Virginia....
, International Softball Congress
International Softball Congress
The International Softball Congress is a non-profit association for the promotion and administration of men's and boys fastpitch softball throughout North America with athletes coming from all over the world...
and the National Softball Association
National Softball Association
The National Softball Association “is a sporting governing body. The NSA gives softball teams the opportunity to play in qualifying tournaments for State, National Regional and World Series Tournament play. Also in certain NSA qualifying tournaments, teams are able to win a berth into the NSA...
.
The ISF holds world championship
ISF Women's World Championship
The ISF Women's World Championship is a fastpitch softball tournament for women's national teams held every four years by the International Softball Federation . The number of teams in the tournament began at five in its inaugural event in 1965, went to a high of 28 for the 1994 edition , and now...
tournaments in several categories. The tournament in each category is held every four years - 2 years from 2010. The most recent tournament was XII Women's World Championship in June, 2010. All World Championships use a Page playoff system
Page playoff system
The Page playoff system is a playoff format used primarily in softball and curling at the championship level. Teams are seeded using a round-robin tournament and the top four play a mix of a single-elimination and double-elimination tournament to determine the winner...
and are in fastpitch. There are also several World Cups held at 4 year intervals in different categories.
Australia are the current Men's World Champions, having won the title in 2009. Prior to that, New Zealand had won the previous three tournaments. The current Junior Men's World Champion is Australia, which has won the last four championships. In the Women's World Championships the United States is the most dominant team, having won three of the past four Olympic tournaments
Softball at the Summer Olympics
Softball was introduced as an Olympic sport for women in the 1996 Summer Olympics. On July 11, 2005, the IOC voted to drop baseball and softball from the Olympic program for 2012, a decision that was reaffirmed on February 9, 2006...
and the past seven World Championships. The current Junior Women's World Champion is the United States.
Women's softball made its first Olympic appearance in 1996 and made its final Olympic appearance in the 2008 games.
Australia
Australia softball is played in all states and territories in Australia and at all levels of academic education. The game is widely promoted to maintain fitnessPhysical fitness
Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness , and specific fitness...
, health, personal achievements and pleasure. Australia has excellent softball teams which are a reflection of its coaching, education and training system.
Japan
Japan, like Australia, is quickly catching up to the Americans. Japan has had a long tradition of softball which is played at all levels in the country. Almost every high school and college has a sports program which includes softball. Like baseball, softball in Japan is intensely competitive. Japan's win over the Americans at the 2008 olympics, reflects the advanced level of play in this East AsiaEast Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
n country.
China
China is fast becoming the team to watch in softball. Since the silver medal in the Atlanta Olympics 14 years ago, the Chinese have now made softball a priority at all levels. The game is played in most schools and with a 1.3 billion population; the number of great players is turning out to be a boon for China. The Chinese have frequently toured the USA and have now similar caliber coaching and training programs.Popularity and participation
Softball is the most popular participant sport in the United States, as it is estimated that 40 million Americans will play at least one game of softball during a year. It is played by men and women both recreationally and competitively.Softball is played, at some level, in over a hundred countries around the world. The International Softball Federation has 113 member countries, (excluding dependent territories).
In many US cities, adult softball teams are organized by bars and clubs, hence the popular term "beer-league softball". The teams can be men's, women's or co-ed, and skill levels can range from novice to elite, with league composition reflecting that. These leagues are almost exclusively slow-pitch.
Competitive fastpitch softball
Fastpitch softball
Fast-pitch softball is a form of softball played commonly by women and men, though coed fast-pitch leagues also exist. The International Softball Federation is the international governing body of softball...
for girls is growing increasingly popular. All over the USA, there are thousands of teams that compete year-round at tournaments. During most of these tournaments the biggest goal is not winning the tournament, but attempting to get as many college coaches as possible to observe (a) particular player or players. Competitive teams are now beginning around eight years old, if not younger. Depending on the team they can travel all over the USA or even out of the country such as to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the summer and fall for many weeks and days at a time.
There are many different sanctioning bodies of softball: USSSA, ASA, ISA, NSA, WSL, and SASL just to name a few. One of the biggest is the Amateur Softball Association
Amateur Softball Association
The Amateur Softball Association is a volunteer, non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was founded in 1933 with a tournament held in Chicago that was organized by Leo Fischer and Michael J. Pauley. The following year the 1934 National Recreation Congress recognized the ASA. ...
, also known as ASA. It 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.
See also
- National Pro FastpitchNational Pro FastpitchNational Pro Fastpitch , formerly the Women's Pro Softball League , is the only professional women's softball league in the United States. The WPSL was founded in 1997 and folded in 2001. The NPF revived the league in 2004 and currently features four teams: USSSA Pride, Akron Racers, Chicago...
, the main professional women's softball league in the United States - International Softball FederationInternational Softball Federationthumb|Map of member states.|400px|rightThe International Softball Federation is the international governing body for the sport of softball. The ISF is a non-profit corporation recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the General Association of International Sports Federations .The...
, the governing body of Softball - Softball AustraliaSoftball AustraliaAustralia's softball history began in 1939 when Gordon Young, Director of Physical Education in NSW, began to promote the game in schools and colleges. In 1942, during World War II, US army sergeant William Duvernet organised softball as a recreation for US nurses stationed in Victoria. Another...
, the governing body of softball in Australia - Comparison of baseball and softballComparison of baseball and softballA comparison of baseball and softball can be made as softball is directly descended from baseball and thus contains many similarities; however there are several pronounced differences....
- RoundersRoundersRounders is a game played between two teams of either gender. The game originated in England where it was played in Tudor times. Rounders is a striking and fielding team game that involves hitting a small, hard, leather-cased ball with a round wooden, plastic or metal bat. The players score by...
- a similar game from which baseball and softball are thought to have evolved - Tee BallTee BallTee Ball or T-Ball is a sport based on baseball and is intended as an introduction for children to develop baseball skills and have fun. The name Tee Ball is a registered trademark while T-Ball is the generic name, although many sources use Tee Ball as a generic title.- Description :In T-Ball, the...
- A reformed version of baseball - DartballDartballDartball is a game in which darts are thrown at a large wooden or homasote board that resembles a baseball field with colored areas which denote bases. Dartball uses baseball-like rules and scoring....
- A game of darts that uses rules similar to softball and is played on a large dartboard that resembles a softball field. - Safe haven games
- Eddie FeignerEddie Feignerright|thumbnail|Eddie Feigner in the early 1980s.Eddie "The King" Feigner was an American softball player. Feigner was born in Walla Walla, Washington as Myrle Vernon King...
- Pekin LettesPekin LettesThe Pekin Lettes is a fast-pitch softball team in Pekin, Illinois, and is the oldest member-sanctioned Amateur Softball Association team in the United States.-History:...
, the oldest member-sanctioned ASA softball team in the United States - BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- Softball in IrelandSoftball in IrelandSoftball is governed in Ireland by the Softball Ireland, itself a member of the International Softball Federation.-History:The year 1982 marked the first softball league in Ireland, the Dublin Softball League. The Irish Softball Association was formed in 1989...
- European Softball FederationEuropean Softball FederationThe European Softball Federation , is the governing body of softball within Europe. The ESF was founded in 1976 with 6 members, which were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain...
- NCAA Division I Softball ChampionshipNCAA Division I Softball ChampionshipThe NCAA Division I Softball Championship tournament is held each year in June and features 64 college softball teams in the United States, culminating in the Women's College World Series , which is played in Oklahoma City....
- Amateur Softball AssociationAmateur Softball AssociationThe Amateur Softball Association is a volunteer, non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was founded in 1933 with a tournament held in Chicago that was organized by Leo Fischer and Michael J. Pauley. The following year the 1934 National Recreation Congress recognized the ASA. ...
External links
- Independent Softball Association (ISA)
- International Softball Congress (ISC)
- Amateur Softball Association (ASA)
- Chicago 16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame
- National Softball Association (NSA)
- United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA)
- Softball Canada
- Softball Australia
- Great British Baseball and Softball Governing Body
- Irish Softball Association
- German Slowpitch Portal
- National Wheelchair Softball Association
- Softball in Ecuador
- South Asian Softball
- Danish Softball Federation