SOFTBALL

INTRODUCTION/HISTORY
-Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field.
-The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hancock.

 1887: The earliest known softball game was played in Chicago, Illinois, on Thanksgiving Day, 1887
 It took place at the Farragut Boat Club at a gathering to hear the outcome of the Yale
University and Harvard University football game.[2] When the score was announced and bets were
settled, a Yale alumnus threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter. The Harvard fan grabbed a stick
and swung at the rolled up glove.[3] George Hancock, a reporter there, called out "Play ball!" and the
game began, with the boxing glove tightened into a ball, a broom handle serving as a bat.
 1889: Hancock creates rules to be used by the “Mid Winter Indoor Baseball League of Chicago,” but
the game spreads through the fire departments in the area.
 1990: The game becomes known as “kittenball” and moves outdoors. Names for the game
included indoor baseball, diamond ball, mush ball, and pumpkin ball.
 1926: The name "softball" became official. The name was coined by Walter Hakanson of
the YMCA[4] at a meeting of the National Recreation Congress.
 1934: The Amateur Softball Association is officially recognized by the National Recreation Congress.
Rules were formalized, and the game was truly nationalized.
 1965: The first international softball tournament, the Women’s Softball World
Championship, is held in Australia.
 1996: Softball becomes an Olympic sport
 2004: The first professional fastpitch league was formed in the United States named
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), formerly the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL),
 2012: Softball is no longer recognized as an Olympic sport
 2013: A merger between the International Baseball Federation (IBAF) and International Softball
Federation (ISF), the world governing bodies for baseball and softball, created the World Baseball
Softball Confederation (WBSC) which now serves as the overarching world governing body for the
sports of baseball, softball, and Baseball5.
 2021: Softball rejoins the Olympic Games as a sport

PLAYING FIELD
The typical distance between the bases for a softball field is 60 feet. Pitcher’s Mound. The distance from
Pitcher’s Mound to Home Plate vary by age and type of softball field also. For adult slow pitch this distance
can range from 35 to 53 feet.

PLAYERS/ POSITIONS
1. Pitcher (P)
Pitchers are the #1 scorers on a softball team.
The objective of a pitcher is to throw the ball
from the pitcher’s mound to the catcher so that
the batter cannot bat the ball, eventually
striking him out. However, pitches need to be
legal, meaning that the throw must be within
the batter’s strike zone (from the batter’s
shoulders to knees).

2. Catcher (C)- The objective of a catcher is to

catch the balls that the pitcher throws. 

3. First Base (1B)- The objective of a first baseman is to stand at first base on the right side of
the pitcher. As the batters always try to proceed to the first base, they are in contact with the
ball.

4.  Second Base (2B)- The objective of a second baseman is to catch balls at the second base,
field groundballs alongside the shortstop, and help burn players where ever it is needed,
especially with the first baseman.
5. Third Base (3B)- The objective of a third baseman is to secure third base. In addition, they
need to throw the ball with great power and accuracy for long distances. In most instances, the
third baseman is responsible for throwing the ball to home plate when an opposing player is
running to score.

6.  Shortstop (SS)- Shortstops are arguable the hardest and most important positions in softball.
The objective of a shortstop is to catch and field the infield and play well with the whole team.

7. Left Field (LF)- The left fielder is considered the easiest position on the outfield, but they still
require a great catching and throwing arm.

-The objective of a left fielder is to catch balls that go beyond the infield and throw it to where
it is required.

8.  Center Field (CF)- Centerfield is the hardest outfield position to play. The objective of the
center fielder is to cover the largest area of the outfield, which requires fast speed, excellent
catching skills, long reach, and a strong throwing arm.

9. Right Field (RF)- The objective of a right fielder is to cover the right side of the outfield.
EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES
 BALL
How big is a softball? What is the diameter?
- There are 2 sizes of softballs. 

An 11-inch ball is used during a fast pitch softball game and a 12-inch ball is used for a slow
pitch softball game.

The 12-inch ball is slightly softer than the 11-inch ball. 

An 11-inch softball has a diameter of 3.5 inches and a 12-inch softball has a
diameter of 3.8 inches.

How much does a softball weigh?

-An 11-inch softball weighs between 5.785 ounces and 6.125 ounces. 
-A 12-inch softball weighs between 6.125 ounces and 7 ounces. 
 Bat
  GLOVES
The size of the gloves cannot exceed 36 centimeters

 UNIFORM
- To increase bond among players in a team, uniforms are provided. Each team wears different
uniforms. Uniforms include helmets, head bands, visors, caps, shoes, shocks, shirt and pant,
tight sliding undershorts etc.
For female players, uniforms like headbands and caps are optional. These are mandatory for
male players but those who wear a helmet are not required to wear headbands or caps.
  PROTECTIVE GEAR

Wearing and using the right gear can help prevent

injuries. Safety rules for most leagues include:

 Batting helmets must be worn

whenever a player is at bat,
waiting to bat, running the bases,
or helping coaches at first or third
base. Some leagues may even
require pitchers to wear them.
Helmets should cover both ears
and have an approved face guard
attached that fits comfortably. If
the helmet has a chin strap, it
should be fastened securely.
 Catchers should always wear helmets with face masks, throat guards, full-length chest
protectors, shinguards, and catchers' mitts. Guys who play
catcher should wear an athletic cup.
 Softball spikes should have molded plastic cleats rather than metal ones. Most youth
leagues don't allow metal spikes.

Some players also like to wear:

 sliding pads or sliding pants to protect against scrapes and cuts

 batting gloves that can keep hands from getting sore while hitting

 RULES AND REGULATIONS

https://www.rookieroad.com/softball/the-top-10-rules/
1. Running the Bases- Runners must step on each base as they advance from one to another. Within the
sport of softball, there are four bases (first base, second base, third base, and home plate). The bases
also must be advanced in numerical (counter-clockwise) order and cannot be skipped around. Only
when the runner is deemed safe by the home plate official is the team awarded a run. Multiple runs can
be scored on the same play as long as all runners touch each base.
Runners are also able to advance multiple bases on a single hit.
When a player stands on a base, they are considered safe and cannot be ruled out unless they leave the
base

2. 3 outs per team per inning

- Each team is allowed three outs while at bat each inning. An inning is made up of two halves, the top
half of the inning is when the away team bats, and the bottom half is when the home team bats. An out
is when the opposing team catches a fly ball, strikes out a batter, or throws out a runner. Each team
wants to limit the number of outs they get while batting and get three outs as fast as possible while in
the field.

3. 3 strikes and you're out

- Each at-bat, a batter is allowed three strikes before they are called out. This is known as a strike out,
which is not the desired outcome for a batter. The umpire behind home plate judges whether a pitch is a
strike or a ball. To be determined as a strike, a pitch must fall within the strike zone, an imaginary area
over home plate between the batter's knees and the bottom of the shoulders. If the batter swings at any
pitch thrown and does not make contact with the ball, that is automatically a strike as well. Players can
strike out swinging (miss the ball, swing) or strike out looking (umpire calls strike with no swing).
4. 4 balls is a walk
- If the pitcher throws four balls before getting three strikes or having the batter hit the softball into
play, the batter is awarded first base. If there is another runner already present at first base, they are
allowed to advance as well. Balls are pitches thrown outside of a batter's strike zone. For pitchers, walks
are never preferred, and they usually mean longer at-bats with more pitches. A walk is commonly also
referred to as "base on balls".

5. 7 innings in a game
- There are seven full innings played in a softball game, and whichever team has the most runs at the
end of the seven innings is deemed the winner. Each inning has two parts consisting of three outs each,
for a total of six outs in each inning. If there is a tie at the end of the seven innings, depending on the
league type, additional extra innings will be played to determine a
winner. This is one of the key differences between softball and baseball, as a standard baseball game
consists of nine innings.

6. 9 players per team

- Each team is allowed nine active players per game. There are nine positions within the sport of softball,
and these nine players must take up these positions. There is also a set batting order for these nine
players. The order is set for each game and continuously cycles throughout the innings. Teams may have
additional reserve players, which can be substituted into the lineup in case players are injured or the
team needs a fresh batter.

7. Pitchers must throw underhand

- Unlike in baseball, pitchers in softball must throw the ball in an underhand motion, with their hand
below their hip. The pitcher must, with both feet, make contact with the pitcher's plate prior to
throwing a pitch, and no part of the wind-up can involve any stopping or forward motion.

8. Foul balls are soft balls hit out of play

- Foul balls are any softballs hit out of the regulation field off play. On the right and left sides of the field,
there is a foul line drawn in white chalk. Balls hit outside of this line are called foul, and runners cannot
advance on these balls. If a batter hits a foul ball, they receive one strike but cannot strike out on a foul
ball. If the batter fouls a ball with two strikes, then an additional pitch is thrown, and the strike count
remains the same. If a foul ball is caught without hitting the ground, the batter is out.

9. Runners must stay within the base path

- While advancing around all four bases, runners must stay within the designated base path, or they will
be called out. Between each base, an imaginary straight line is drawn, and runners are allowed to run up
to three feet on either side of this line (base path). This gives players some space to avoid potential tags
by fielding players while still containing them within the base path. The base path is not a set line and is
created by the runner once they begin to run towards a base.

10. Getting hit by a pitch means a free base

- When a batter is hit by a ball thrown by the pitcher outside of the strike zone, they are awarded first
base. It does not matter what the strike or ball count is; it's an automatic base. Runners on bases are
also able to advance a base if necessary.
Hitting a batter with a pitch is usually an accident on the side of the pitcher, but it can be seen as poor
sportsmanship if it seems intentional. The batter should always try to avoid being hit by a pitch, but that
is often easier said than done.
TERMS:
1. Ball: a legally pitched ball that does not enter the strike zone (four balls equals a walk).
2. Grounder: A ball that is hit on the ground.
3. Force out: when the runner has to advance to the next base to make room for the following
base runner.
4. Fly ball: ball hit up in the air to the outfield.
5. On deck: the next batter.
6. Pop up: ball hit up in the air to the infield.
7. Strike: term used when a ball is swung at and missed or is called when the ball enters the
strike zone and is not swung at all.
8. Strike zone: the ball passes the batter over the plate between their chest and knees.
9. Infield: The infield is that portion of the field in fair territory which includes areas normally
covered by infielders.
10. Outfield: The part of the field beyond the diamond, or infield. It is occupied by the fielders
and it is farthest from the batsman.
11. Foul Lines: Two lines (first and third base line) that distinguish fair territory from foul
territory.
12. Fair Territory: Fair territory is that part of the playing field within and including the first and
third base foul lines from home plate to the extreme playing field fence and perpendicularly
upward.
13. Batter’s Box: Box marked with chalk near home plate that a batter must stay within while
batting. 14. Bases: Home plate is one corner of a diamond with bases at each corner.
15. Pitcher’s Mound: Located near the center of the diamond it is the spot from where the
pitcher throws the ball.
16. Double play: A play in which the defense records two outs.
17.Triple Play: A play during which the defense records three outs.
18. Tag Out: A base runner that is not on a base when she or he is tagged by a player with the
ball. The defense must create three "outs" before it can switch to defense. Outs can be by strike
out, force out, fly out or tag out.
19. Hit: A batted ball that allows a batter to safely reach base.
20. Home Run: Fair ball hit over the outfield fence between the two foul poles.
21. Run: An offensive player safely tags home plate.
22. Strike Out: Occurs during an at-bat when a batter accumulates three strikes, at which point
the atbat ends and the player is called out.
23. Umpires make the decisions about play in a softball game. Most games use a crew of two
umpires (one plate umpire, one base umpire). The umpire's decisions are usually indicated by
both the use of hand signals, and by vocalizing the call.
24. Safe: Called when a base runner reaches a base without getting tagged out or avoids a force
out.
25. Walk: Player advances to 1st base when 4 consecutive pitches were called as balls.
26. Line drive: Ball hit with a trajectory almost parallel to the ground.
27. Sacrifice: A batter strategically hits the ball into an out situation to advance or score a
runner. Usually a “sacrifice bunt” or “sacrifice fly.”
How many umpires are there in the softball game?
In a game of softball, the number of umpires depends on the requirement of the match. The
number can range from at least one umpire up to seven umpires in a single game.

Among the seven umpires, there can be over three base umpires, three outfield (line) umpires,
and only one home plate umpire. Usually, a fastpitch softball game has one base umpire and
one plate umpire.

Home Plate Umpire (1)

Among all the umpires, home plate umpires play a vital role. They must call, strike, pitch, or
foul. These umpires see everything happening in the game and detect whether every player is
following the game rules strictly.

Base Umpire (3)

Their responsibility is to watch the base from the first to the third. They call whether the runner
is out or safe. Also, they keep an eye on the pitcher and check if they are following the game
rules and doing everything legally.

Outfield Umpire (3)

In the smaller league, outfield umpires are not present usually. Their duty is to check whether
the ball that reached the line is foul or fair. Any ball that goes beyond the white line is foul and
that remains inside is fair.

REFERENCES: https://www.pinetarpress.com/umpire-in-softball/
https://www.cpschools.org/cms/lib/MI01001578/Centricity/Domain/217/Softball%20Rules.pdf
https://www.rookieroad.com/softball/history/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softball
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