Softball

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. Water is not good for it. In 2002, sixteen-inch slow pitch was removed from the official rules. As it is not washable, but must be cleaned carefully with special suede cleaners, it is unsuitable for everyday use. In 1991, Women's fast-pitch was selected to debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Due to its textured nature, suede becomes dirty very quickly. After World War II, Canadian soldiers introduced softball to The Netherlands. Unlike standard leather, suede has a brushed texture and resembles fabric.

Slow pitch was invented to give batters a better chance to hit the ball. Suede is actually a type of very soft leather made from calfskin. In the 1940s, fast pitching started to dominate the game. Suede is a type of specialized leather used to make boots, clothing and fashion accessories such as handbags. Sixteen inch softball is played extensively in Chicago, Illinois. Defensive players are not allowed to wear fielding gloves; however, a sixteen inch softball is actually soft, and can be fielded safely with bare hands.

Sixteen-inch (406 mm) softball, also sometimes referred to as "mush ball" or "Super-slow pitch" is a direct descendant of Hancock's original game. Standard rules were agreed on only after the formation of the Amateur Softball Association in 1933. The name softball dates from 1926 (in addition to indoor baseball, kitten ball, and diamond ball, names for the game included mush ball, and pumpkin ball). The first softball league outside the United States was organized in Toronto in 1897.

Rober may not have been familiar with the Farragut Club rules. Rober's version of the game used a twelve-inch (305 mm) ball rather than the sixteen-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 favour of the dimensions of the Chicago one. of Minneapolis organized outdoor games as exercise for firefighters; this game was known as kitten ball (after the first team to play it), pumpkin ball, or diamond ball. In 1895 Lewis Rober, Sr.

The Farragut Club soon set rules for the game, which spread quickly to outsiders. Hancock developed a ball and an undersized bat in the next week. The ball, being soft, was fielded barehanded rather than with gloves like those which had been introduced to baseball in 1882. A broom handle was used as a bat.

Hancock took a boxing glove and tied it into a ball. The other person grabbed a stick and swung at it. When the score was announced, one person threw a boxing glove at another. Yale and Harvard alumni had gathered at the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago to hear the score of the annual football game.

It was intended to be a way for baseball players to keep in practice during the winter. The first version of softball was invented in Chicago, Illinois in 1887 by George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, as a winter version of baseball. Softball is also popular in Japan and Australia. It is played by both genders socially as well as competitively, and was an Olympic sport for women from 1996 until the IOC removed baseball and softball from their list of Olympic sports in 2005.

An estimated 56 million Americans will play at least one game of softball during a year. Softball is the most popular participant sport in the United States. The Japanese, Canadian, and Chinese national teams are also reasonably competitive. In Women's fast pitch, the United States and Australia are by far the most dominant teams.

The tournament in each category is held every four years. The ISF holds world championship tournaments in several categories. There is no limit to the number of batters a team may have available. There is no catcher.

The pitcher also acts as the second baseman. The placement of the fielders is different. The count starts at 1 ball, 1 strike. Pitching is generally of the slow form.

Usually, there is a small area of on one of the walls that results in a home run being awarded if the batted ball hits it. If a ball hits a wall and is caught before it lands, the batter flies out. The other walls are considered fair. Only the wall behind the batter is considered foul territory.

There are no "official" rules for the indoor form, but some general conventions are given below. It is most similar to slow pitch. The indoor form is sometimes called Arena Softball. Despite the fact that it was originally intended to be played indoors, softball is usually played outdoors.

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. The batter is considered to strike out if she fails to hit the ball into fair territory after the given number of pitches. There are no walks, and a batter is normally given a fixed number of pitches to attempt to hit (usually 3 or 4). The pitcher aids the batter by attempting to give the easiest pitch to hit.

An example of a rule modification is the "offensive pitcher" often found in informal games where the emphasis is on the social rather than the competitive aspects of the game. Senior leagues with players over the age of 60 are not uncommon. By allowing these and other modifications, softball can be enjoyed by children, teenagers, and adults. Five is a common limit.

Other leagues limit the number of runs which can be scored in an inning. These softballs, when hit, will not go as far as regular softballs. Some leagues require teams to use limited flight softballs. In some leagues, the number of home runs that can be hit by a team are limited.

One reason for the popularity of softball is the ease of modification of the 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. Team rosters may be changed. If it is a championship game, it is replayed from the beginning. Games that are not regulation or are regulation ties are replayed from the point of suspension.

If fewer than four innings have been played, the game is not considered a regulation game. This includes ties. If five innings have been played, the game is recorded as it stands. The plate umpire may suspend play because of darkness or anything that puts players or spectators in danger.

This last rule is rarely enforced as players who break rules after being warned are usually removed. 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. A score of 7-0 for the team not at fault is recorded. A game may be lost due to a forfeit.

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 and narrow the margin. The mercy rule takes effect at the end of an inning. In the NCAA, the required margin after 5 innings is 8 runs. In slow pitch, the margin is 20 runs after four innings or 15 after five innings.

In fast pitch and modified pitch, a margin of 20 runs after three innings, 15 after four, or 10 after five is sufficient for a win to be declared for the leading team. In games where one team leads by a large margin, the mercy rule may come into play in order to avoid embarrassing weaker teams. first) bats instead. If that player was scheduled to bat, the player scheduled to bat next (i.e.

Starting in the top of the eighth inning, the batting team starts with the person scheduled to bat last starts out as a runner on second base. If the game is tied, play usually continues until a decision is reached. 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. The team with the most runs after seven innings wins the game.

A run is not scored in these circumstances:. 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 scored when a player has touched all four bases in order, proceeding counterclockwise around them. With two outs, the batter can attempt to run to first whether or not it is already occupied.

If he or she cannot, the runner is safe. The catcher must then attempt to throw the ball to first base ahead of the runner. 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. No matter what level of play, all baserunners must keep one foot on a base until the pitcher throws the ball.

Stealing is forbidden in slow pitch because a runner would get a huge head start while the slow pitch is making its way to the batter. 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. If there is a wild throw (throw that should have been handled by a fielder with ordinary effort) each runner is awarded two bases. 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.

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 caught or after; or automatically, when a pitch is delivered illegally; or on an error by a fielder. 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. 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. 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 a runner becomes entitled to the base where another runner is standing, the latter runner must advance to the next base. If a batted ball, bounces off a fielder and goes over the fence in foul territory, hits the fence, a fielder, and then goes over, or if it goes over the fence at a location that is closer than the official distance, the batter is awarded a double instead. A home run includes any ball that bounces off a fielder and goes over the fence in fair-territory or that hits the foul pole. 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.

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. After hitting the ball the batter may advance as many bases as possible. The bases must be reached in order counterclockwise, starting with 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 missing player is recorded as being "put out.". If a team is, for whatever reason, unable to do this, an out is recorded wherever two players of the same gender bat back-to-back. In co-ed slow pitch, teams must alter male and female batters. A double play is when two runners are put out during a single continuous action; a triple play is when three runners are put out.

If the ball is thrown to first base (that is, to a fielder standing on first base and is holding the ball) before the batter can reach it, the batter is out. A batter that drives a ball forward into fair territory must run to first base. The most common type of force play is made at first base. 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 is touched by the ball or by a glove holding the ball while the batter is away from a base (tagged); 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.

If a batted ball hits a player or a base is considered to have hit the ground. A batted ball which hits the ground within the diamond is a ground ball. 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 fly ball hit upward at an angle greater than 45 degrees is a pop fly.

A batted ball hit high in the air is a fly ball. In neither case does she have any liability to be put out. If four balls are called (a base on balls or walk) the batter advances to first base. When she safely reached first (see below) she becomes a baserunner or runner.

While running to first base, the batter is a batter-runner. Once the ball is hit into fair territory the runner must try to advance to first base or beyond. The batter usually steps forward with the front foot and swings the bat. The ball is usually hit with a full swinging motion in which the bat may move through more than 360 degrees.

The bat is held with both hands, over the shoulder away from the pitcher. The batter stands facing the pitcher inside a batter's box (there is one on each side of the plate). In co-ed, male and female batters must alternate. Substitutes and replacements must bat in the same position as the player they are replacing.

The order the players bat in, known as the batting order, must stay the same throughout the game. 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. Various illegal acts done by the pitcher, such as leaping or crow-hopping result in a ball being awarded to the batter. If the ball lands foul, it is a dead ball and no plays may be made until the pitcher receives the ball again, and the home plate umpire says, "Play ball.".

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. The number of balls is always given first, as 2 and 1, 2 and 2, and so on. The number of balls and strikes is called the count. A pitch which is not a strike and which the batter does not swing at is a ball.

A pitch that the batter swings at is also a strike, as is any hit ball that lands in foul territory (unless two strikes have already been called). A pitch that passes through that zone is a strike. The strike zone is slightly different in different forms of softball. The pitcher tries to throw the ball so that it passes through the strike zone.

The throw, or pitch, must be made with an underarm motion: the ball must be released below the hip when the hand is no farther from the hip than the elbow. 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. Play begins with the umpire saying "Play ball". 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.

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 the event of a tie, extra innings are usually played until the tie is broken. Batting second is advantageous. The most common rule is that the home team bats second.

Officially, which team bats first is decided by a coin toss,[4] although a league may decide otherwise at its discretion. The teams take turns batting. In each inning, each team bats until three batters have been put out (see below). A softball game consists of at least 7 innings^[3].

Protests are never allowed on what are considered "judgment calls" – balls, strikes, safes and outs. At some tournaments there might be a rules interpreter or Tournament Chief Umpire (TCU) 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. Only decisions where a rule might have been misinterpreted are considered to be protestable. All decisions made by the umpire(s) are considered to be final.

Foul balls 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. Balls are only called verbally, with no hand gesture. Strikes called by the plate umpire, who uses the same motion as the out call with a verbal call of "strike". Out calls are made by raising the right hand in a clenched fist,with a verbal call of "out".

Safe calls are made by signalling with flat hands facing down moving away from each other, and a verbal call of "safe". Decisions are usually indicated by both the use of hand signals, and by vocalising the call. Regardless of what uniform is worn, all umpires in the same game are required to have matching clothing. Canadian umpires can wear either a light blue or red shirt.

Some umpires wear a variant of the uniform: umpires from the United States Slo-Pitch Softball Association (USSSA), for example, wear red shirts with black shorts. Official umpires are often nicknamed "blues", because of their uniforms – in many jurisdictions, most significantly ISF games, umpires wear navy blue slacks, a light powder blue shirt, and a navy baseball cap. Most fast pitch games use a crew of two umpires. 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.

The number of umpires on a given game can range from a minimum of one to a maximum of seven. Decisions about play are made by umpires. If the injured player is unable to return, the replacement player becomes a substitute. Her uniform must be replaced if covered with blood.

The replaced player may return at any time during the period of time allotted to treat the injury. Her replacement may act for her for the remainder of the current inning and the entirety of the next. Any player who is bleeding must be removed for the game if her{ref|pronouns}} bleeding cannot be stopped within a reasonable time, or if her uniform becomes covered in blood. Players are replaced due to injury.

Any player can be substituted. A player may be withdrawn from the game and then re-enter once. A team will usually have several possible substitutes and replacement players. The rover usually played behind second base before the center fielder.

Formerly, sixteen-inch slow pitch fielded the same players as fast pitch as well as an Extra Fielder, who was sometimes known as a Rover or Shortfielder. In co-ed, one EP must be female, and one EP must be male. They are not compatible with designated players, as they do not bat in place of anyone. A team may also have one (two in co-ed) Extra Players (EP).

In co-ed, male and female players must be distributed throughout the field as follows: The catcher and pitcher must be of opposite sex; there must be two male and two female outfielders; and two male and two female infielders. In slow pitch, the fielding team field the same players as in fast pitch, except for the center fielder may be replaced by a left center fielder and a right center fielder. The DP bats in place of any fielder, who is known as the designated fielder (DEFO). A team may also have a tenth player, officially known as a designated player who only bats.

The right, center, and left fielders play in the outfield. The catcher plays behind home plate, squatting to receive the pitch. The pitcher stands at the pitching point in the centre of the diamond. The shortstop plays between second and third base.

The second baseman normally plays between first and second base. The first and third basemen play in the vicinity of their bases. The basemen, the shortstop, the pitcher and the catcher play in the infield. In fast pitch softball the fielding team fields nine players: the left fielder, center fielder, right fielder, the pitcher, catcher, first baseman^[2], second baseman, third baseman, and shortstop.

Depending on the level of play, a team may have nine, ten, eleven, or twelve players, plus substitutes and replacements. At adult levels, there is no formal requirement for the catcher to wear a mask, although the official rules recommend it.[1]. In slow pitch, the catcher must wear a helmet and mask at youth levels. Shin guards also protect the kneecap.

At the youth level, shin guards are required. A female catcher must wear a body protector at any level of play. In fast pitch, the catcher must wear a protective helmet with as facemask and throat protector. Helmets and facemasks that are damaged or altered are forbidden.

In addition, a player may, if desired, wear a protective plastic facemask. Batting helmets must have two ear flaps, one on each side. All batters are required to wear batting helmets. At all youth (under 15) levels, in co-ed (the official terminology for mixed teams) slow pitch, and in modified pitch, metal spikes are not allowed.

Many recreational leagues prohibit the use of metal cleats or spikes in order to reduce the possible severity of injuries when a runner slides feet-first into a fielder. Detachable metal cleats are forbidden at any level of play. Rounded metal spikes are illegal, as are ones made from hard plastic or other synthetic materials. The spikes must extend less than 3/4 inch (1.9 centimeters) away from the sole.

They may have cleats or spikes. All players are required to wear shoes. Jewelry, except for medic-alert-style bracelets and necklaces, cannot be worn during a game. Players' names are optional.

Numbers like 02 and 2 are considered identical. At the back of the uniform an Arabic number from 1-99 must be visible. A fielder who chooses to wear a helmet (see below) is not required to wear a cap. Caps, visors, and headbands are optional for female players, and must be the same colour if more than one is worn.

Caps must be alike and are mandatory for male players. The uniform includes a cap, a shirt, an undershirt, and pants; these are the components for which standards are set. Each team wears distinctive uniforms. Except for the pitcher, whose glove cannot be white or gray (this confuses the batter), gloves and mitts can be any colour.

The first baseman and the catcher may wear mitts; mitts are distinguished from gloves in that they have extra padding, and no fingers. Gloves have webbing between the thumb and forefinger. All defensive players may wear fielding gloves, made of leather or similar material. (1kg) in weight.

It may be no more than 34 in (86 cm) long, 2.25 in (6 cm) in diameter, or 38 oz. The bat used by the batter is made of hardwood, metal, or any of several other approved materials. In 2002, high-visibility yellow "optic" softballs were introduced. 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.

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 size of the ball varies according to the classification of play; the permitted circumferences in international play are 12 in (30 cm) and 11 in (28 cm). Equipment required in softball includes protective gear, a bat, gloves, a ball, helmets, cletes and uniforms. Each box is behind a line 15 feet (5 meters) long located 12 feet (3 meters) from each baseline.

Located in foul territory outside both baselines are two Coach's Boxes. However, if the game is being played on a field larger than required, no warning track is required before the temporary outfield fencing. A field is officially supposed to have a warning track between 15 and 12 feet (5 and 4 meters) from the outfield fence. In fast pitch, a skinned circle 8 feet (2.44 meters) in diameter known as the pitching circle is around the pitching plate.

Near the centre of the diamond is the pitching plate. The infield is usually "skinned" (dirt), while the outfield has grass in regulation competitions. The outfield is the remaining space between the baselines and between the outfield fence and the infield. The infield consists of the diamond and the adjacent space in which the infielders (see below) normally play.

The double base is required in ISF championships. However, not all softball diamonds have these safety bases and they are much more common in women's softball than in men's. 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. It is intended to prevent collisions between the first baseman and the runner.

Outside first base (that is, in foul territory) and adjacent and connected to it is a contrast-coloured "double base" or "safety base". The bases are numbered counter clockwise as first base, second base, and third base. The bases are usually securely fastened in position. 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.

Home plate is one corner of a diamond with bases at each corner. The triangle fits into the right angle formed by the baselines. The sides are 8.5 in (22 cm) long. It is a five-sided figure, a combination of a rectangle and triangle, 17 in (43 cm) wide.

Home plate is made of rubber. It must be between 25 and 30 feet (7.62 and 9.14 meters) behind home plate. Behind home plate is a backstop. A fence running between the baselines defines the limits of the field; this fence is equidistant from home plate at all points.

The minimum length of the baselines varies classification of play (see below for official measurements). The field is defined by two baselines or foul lines that meet at a right angle at home plate. Fair territory is further divided into the infield, the outfield, and the territory beyond the outfield fence. The playing field is divided into fair territory and foul territory.

In this article, unless stated otherwise, references to fast pitch include modified pitch, and references to slow pitch include the sixteen-inch form. There are three general forms of softball: slow pitch, fast pitch, and modified pitch. . The sport's governing body, the International Softball Federation holds world championships, held every four years, in several categories.

This article assumes no knowledge of baseball. Softball is a direct descendant of baseball, which is sometimes referred to as hardball to distinguish the two, but differs from it in several ways. Scoring is accomplished by the batter running and touching a series of four markers on the ground called bases. Softball is a team sport in which a ball, eleven to twelve inches (28 to 30.5 centimeters) in circumference, is thrown by a player called a pitcher and hit by an offensive player called a batter with a round, smooth stick called a bat.

If the last out of an inning is a flyout. If the last out of the inning is a force out at first. Modified Pitch softball places no restrictions on the speed of pitching; however, the technique must meet certain criteria. A form using a larger ball, sometimes called Super-slow Pitch was written out of the official rules in 2002 but is still played informally.

There are two types of slow pitch softball, which use different-sized balls. Slow Pitch softball gives batters more dominance by making it easier for them to hit the ball. Good pitchers are premium players. There are many strikeouts and ground balls, and scores are low.

The pitcher delivers the ball at maximum speed with a flat arc, making the ball difficult to hit. Fast Pitch softball is a very defensive, pitcher-oriented game.