Softball Vs. Baseball: What Are The Similarities And Differences

July 4, 2024, 9:43 pm

Why must women play a watered-down version of a game that has worked hard to be more inclusive after a long history of exclusivity? The barrels for baseball bats are around 2-⅝' around where softball bats are 2-¼' in diameter. During World War II, when baseball saw nearly its entire employee base get shipped out to Europe, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League entered the scene to provide a rabid fan base some relief. Another difference has to do with the size of the ball. Rather than be lauded for their abilities, the women's leagues were fielded for laughs and advertising ventures. Fast pitch players must hit a ball traveling at about 70mph. In some softball leagues, there are limits to the types of bats that can be used. This shortens the infield and takes into account the shorter pitching distances.

A Ball Smaller Than A Baseball Plate

All-female teams such as the New York Bloomer Girls and the Fort Wayne Daisies formed shortly after the turn of the 20th century and only added to the image that women were frail and much too girly to seriously compete on a baseball field. All I'm saying is, the girls deserve a chance, so let's give it to them. On the other hand, softball players that go out and play baseball will realize very quickly that the extra dimensions of the field create the need for more athleticism to cover more ground and make longer throws to get runners out! Instead of encouraging a coed venture like that one, why not just create a girls baseball team?

Softball is actually a misnomer, as the ball used in the game is no softer than a baseball, just larger. In slow-pitch softball, you are not allowed to steal or take off until the ball has been put in play. In baseball, if you throw close to 90 MPH you will get the attention of college scouts and at the pro levels, pitchers are now throwing close to 95 MPH with consistency due to the advancement in training techniques. Let's take a look at the key differences between baseball and softball to give more insight on which one is harder: Contents. Shorter Distance from the Pitcher's Mound to Home Plate. The was the biggest obstacle looming for women interested in playing baseball was that their talents simply didn't hold water, not against the novelty of women playing baseball and the entertainment factor of it all. Imagine a fast-pitch softball pitcher with an actual baseball in her hands, instead of that giant neon monstrosity. With softball, more emphasis is placed on how the game is pitched than how it is fielded. To many people's surprise, softball players have a shorter reaction time due to the fact that pitchers leap off the mound and typically release the ball from 37 feet, which gives hitters facing a 70 MPH fastball. Is softball the girl version of baseball? Soon, overhand pitching took over as well, and the only remaining difference between the girls and the guys was the size of the field. In fact, at that time, softball wasn't for women at all. In softball, the distance between the pitcher's mound and home plate is also much shorter than in baseball.

Adults have taken to playing softball mainly because it is less stressful on the pitching arm. Mounds in baseball are raised 10 inches from home plate which creates a downward trajectory on the ball that is coming at hitters. The first softball, a spur of the moment creation in that long-ago first game, was a boxing glove tied into the shape of a ball. For many, baseball is a sport typically played by boys and softball is mostly played by girls. However, since the pitcher's mound and the home plate are much closer than in baseball, (40 feet versus 60 feet) the player must react to the pitch just as quickly.

A Ball Smaller Than A Baseball Bats

As you can see the normal softball field is much smaller than a baseball field, which creates a different perspective in how players position themselves on the fields in the two sports. An orthopedic surgeon from Florida, Dot Richardson, hit the first Olympic softball home run ever to win the game for the United States, an achievement she calls her most memorable. When Title IX, the 1972 law that required equal funding to both male and female sports teams, finally appeared, women were given fair ground on nearly every sport. Perhaps it would transform softball as we know it. What is illegal in slow-pitch softball? The United States team took the first gold medal in the sport, beating China in the gold medal game 3-1. Players can steal bases in softball but they have to wait until the pitcher has released the ball, which makes it much more difficult to get a head start toward the base, unlike baseball. On Thanksgiving Day in 1887, a group of men were impatiently awaiting the score of the Harvard-Yale football game and decided to create an ad hoc indoor version of baseball to keep themselves entertained. A smaller infield also affects how the defense is played. In Softball, you will see more bunting and players trying to take advantage of the short distances.

I'm not sure that's the right way to go about it either, though. After being an Olympic sport for the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic games, softball was recently dropped from the 2012 London Olympics by a tied vote of 52-52 with one member abstaining. In softball, the mound is flat which means that softball pitchers are typically throwing the ball at an upward trajectory as it heads toward hitters. The rules of slowpitch are pretty similar to regular softball with the exception that pitchers must throw a ball that is at least 6 feet and no higher than 12 feet. Recreation and Sports|. In softball, you will see more slap hitting of the ball as players try to get a head start to first base and slap the ball toward an opening they see in the field. Home to Pitchers Mound||43 feet|. So not only do women work with a smaller field, they use the oversized ball as well. In softball, the pitching mound is level making it easier for the pitcher to keep the ball within the strike zone. In 1996, women's fast pitch softball made its first appearance at the Atlanta Olympic Games.

Other Popular Articles:; Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of, Inc, or its affiliates. Or why not lower the net a foot or two for the girls basketball players, or maybe even let the girls swim team compete in smaller pools with shorter laps? Softball, like most every sport, is a game that was founded by chance. Perhaps confusion on the part of the Olympic committee caused them to drop women's fast-pitch softball from the London games.

A Ball Smaller Than A Baseball Reference

This is slower than baseball, but certainly much faster than the meandering slow pitch game. Many truly love their softball and pursue the game with an almost fanatic passion. Both sports are equally exciting for all age groups. Why is women's baseball called softball? One of the biggest things you will notice between softball and baseball is the size of the field. In baseball, pitchers have the additional responsibility of trying to keep runners close to the base so they do not steal bases. However, like baseball, softball seems to inspire devoted fans and players. Baseball swings have evolved as more data has become available and are using an upward launch angle on the ball to try and drive the ball out of the ballpark. The Length of the bases also is another major difference between softball and baseball.
Comments are closed. Softball games are also two innings shorter than baseball games. The hardest positions in softball are normally pitching and shortstop due to the fact that both positions require so much responsibility in the flow of the game. But with the shorter distance to home plate, does baseball or softball have to react to the ball faster than the other? Today's softball is 12" in diameter, significantly bigger than the standard base ball at 9", and all white.

The undersized field still made its way to the softball diamond, though, where the length between bases and the overall field size is significantly smaller than its baseball counterpart, about 50 percent smaller. And give them a beach ball to kick around, while you're at it? An entertaining matchup from years ago was famous softball pitcher Jenny Fitch facing off against Albert Pujols: Baseball swing vs Softball swing. It's entertaining and fun to watch, but I don't understand why it is even necessary. The history of both sports is very interesting and dates back to the 1800s. If you went to a professional softball league and then went to watch a high school baseball game, you would probably say that softball is the harder sport! Whatever their motivations, we hope that the committee will reconsider and reinstate women's fast pitch softball. This may be true in some areas, but the fact is both boys and girls thrive in either sport. The game evolved over time, finding its niche as a co-ed activity usually played in non-competitive environments, although several men's leagues were formed during the early part of the 20th century. Unfortunately, the Olympic committee doesn't seem very interested in recasting this important ballot.