Softball
From Wikinfo
Softball is a team sport for two teams in which the object is to score runs by advancing around a circuit of four bases. It is similar to baseball, but differs from it in several ways, of which the chief three are:
- the ball is pitched exclusively underarm � that is, it is released when the hand is below the hip and no further from the body than the elbow � while in baseball the ball may be released in any position and is usually thrown overarm or sidearm
- the ball is larger, softer, and less dense than a baseball
- the playing field is smaller.
Softball is the most popular participant sport in the United States. An estimated 56 million Americans will play at least one game of softball during a year.
It is played by both genders socially as well as competitively, and is an Olympic sport for women.
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Types of softball
There are two general forms of softball�slow pitch and fast pitch.
In slow pitch softball, a pitched ball must describe an arc with an apogee at least above the batter's head. In order for a strike to be called, the ball still must cross the plate between the batters shoulder and knees. Because of the requirement for an arc, the pitcher must throw the ball relatively slowly.
A regulation game of slow pitch softball requires one more player than a game of fast pitch � an additional outfielder.
The game
a) the field: The playing field is divided into fair territory and foul territory. Fair territory is further divided into the infield, the outfield, and the territory beyond the outfield fence.
The field is similar to a baseball filed, but smaller. It is defined by two baselines which meet at a right angle at home plate. The length of the baselines ranges from a minimum of 220 feet (67m) to a minimum of 300 ft. (91m) depending on the classification of play. A fence running between the baselines defines the limits of the field; this fence is usually farther from the junction of the baselines at its centre than at the baselines.
Home plate is made of rubber. It is a five-sided figure, a combination of a rectangle and triangle) 17 in. (43 cm) wide. The sides are 8.5 in. (22 cm) long. The triangle fits into the right angle formed by the baselines.
Home plate is one corner of a sixty-foot square or 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 securely fastened in position with two sides flush with the sides of the diamond.
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 skinned (dirt), while the outfield has grass in regulation competitions.
b) Players: In fast pitch softball the fielding team fields nine players � the left, centre, and right fielder play in the outfield, while the pitcher, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, and shortstop play in the infield. The basemen play in the vicinity of their bases, while the shortstop plays between the second and third baseman (normally the second baseman plays on the first base side of second base and the shortstop on the second base side). The pitcher stands at the pitching point in the centre of the diamond; for men the pitching point is 46 ft. (14m) from home plate, while for women it is 40 ft. (12m) from home plate. There is no pitcher's mound as in baseball. The catcher plays behind home plate, squatting to receive the pitch.
A slow pitch softball team fields an additional player, the left centre fielder.
The batting team sends one batter at a time to home plate to try to hit a ball thrown by the pitcher forward into fair territory. Once the ball is hit into fair teritory the runner may try to advance to first base or beyond (see below). Once on base the batter becomes a baserunner.
c: Equipment: The size of the ball varies according to the classification of play; the permitted diameters in international play are 12 in. (30 cm) and 11 in. (28 cm.). The ball is most often covered in white 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 fibre kapok, or a mixture of cork and rubber, or a polyurethane mixture, or another approved material.
All players may wear fielding gloves, made of leather or similar material, but only the catcher and first baseman may wear mitts; gloves have fingers, while mitts do not. Gloves have webbing between the thumb and forefinger.
The bat used by the batter is made of hardwood, metal, or any of several other approved materials. It may be no more than 34 in. (86 cm) long, 2.25 in. (6 cm) in diameter, or 38 oz. (1kg) in weight
The uniforms worn by the players vary more than baseball uniforms, in that short pants are allowed. The uniform includes a peaked cap, a shirt, an undershirt, and pants; these are the components for which standards are set.
The players' shoes may have cleats or spikes.
The catcher wears protective equipment, consisting of at least a mask with a grille protecting the face, a throat protector, and a hard safety helmet.
d)Play: The teams take turns batting. Each team bats until three players have been put out, as described below. An inning consists of a turn at bat by each team, with the home team batting second. Seven innings constitute a game.
Play begins with the pitcher attempting to throw the ball to the catcher past the batter at home plate. The throw, or pitch, must be made with an underarm motion � the ball must be relaeased below the hip when the hand is no farther from the hip than the elbow.
A strike is called if the pitch crosses home plate between the batters' armpits and the top of his or her knees without being hit by the batter. A strike is also called if the batter hits the pitch but it falls to the ground anywhere in foul territory (unless two strikes have already been called) or if the batter swings at any pitch and misses.
A pitch which is not a strike and which the batter does not swing at is a ball. If three strikes are called the batter is out. If four balls are called the batter advances to first base. The batter may also advance after hitting the ball into fair territory without being put out.
A player is also out if a ball he or she hit is caught before touching the ground, if he or she is touched by the ball or by a glove holding the ball while away from a base (off base), or if 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), if three strikes are called against the batter before four balls are called, and in certain other circumstances.
The most common type of force play is made at first base. When a batter drives a ball forward into fair territory his or her only choice is to run to first base. If the ball is thrown to first base (that is, to a fielder standing on first base) before the batter can reach it, the batter is out. If the batter reaches first base without being put out, he or she can then be forced at second base the next time a ball is driven into fair territory.
If the player hits the ball and advances to a base without being put out, he or she has achieved a base hit. The bases must be reached in order counterclockwise, starting with first base. An advance to first base is a single, one to second base is a double, one to third base is a triple, and one 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.
When on first, second, or third base the runner may be retired by being forced out, by being touched with the ball while away from a base, and in certain other circumstances (being hit by a batted ball, for example).
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 advance at his or her own risk.
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 home team is leading. If the game is tied, play continues until a decision is reached. In tournament play, to avoid embarrassing weaker teams, mercy rules award the contest to a team which has taken a lead of a specified size before seven innings have been played.
Decisions about play are made by umpires. There must be at least one umpire. If there is only one umpire, he or she stands behind home plate to call balls and strikes, or behind the pitcher facing home plate if there is a runner on base. Additional umpires are stationed at other bases; when there is more than one umpire the home plate umpire remains behind home plate.
Dominance of the pitcher in fast pitch softball
In fast pitch softball the pitcher throws about as hard as a baseball pitcher, so the closeness of the pitcher to home plate makes him or her dominant in elite games. This dominance is reinforced by the requirement that baserunners stand on their base until the ball is pitched, rather than take a lead (advance at their own risk before the ball is thrown) as in baseball. Consequently scores in elite games are low.
Origins and development
The first version of softball was invented in Chicago in 1887 by George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, as a winter version of baseball. The game, known as indoor baseball, was first played at the Farragut Boat Club. Hancock took a boxing glove and tied it into a ball. A broom handle was used as a bat. The ball, being soft, was fielded barehanded rather than with gloves like those which had been introduced to baseball in 1882. The Farragut Club soon set rules for the game, which spread quickly to outsiders.
In 1895 Lewis Rober, Sr. of Minneapolis organized outdoor games as exercise for firefighters; this game was known as kitten ball (after the first team to play it) or diamond ball. Rober's version of the game used a twelve-inch ball rather than the sixteen-inch ball used by the Farragut club, and eventually the Minneapolis ball prevailed. 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 softball name dates from 1926 (in addition to indoor baseball, kitten ball, and diamond ball, names for the game included mush ball, and pumpkin ball). Standard rules were agreed on only after the formation of the Amateur Softball Association in 1933.
Sixteen inch softball, a direct descendant of the original game which uses a ball with a diameter of 16 in., is played almost exclusively in Chicago.
External links
References
- Adapted from the Wikipedia article, "Softball" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softball, used under the GNU Free Documentation License
