Softball was developed by George Hancock in 1887 on a cold winter day in Chicago. Inside the Farragut Boat Club, Amateur Softball Association of America recounts in its history of the game, Hancock developed what he called "inside baseball." Today, softball is played outside and is a popular summer pastime, particularly in the United States.
Field and Equipment
A regulation softball field has home plate placed 25 to 30 feet from the backstop. The pitcher’s mound is located 43 feet directly in front of home plate, and the baselines to first base, second, third, and home plate all measure 60 feet. The baselines leave the bases at 90-degree angles, and the maximum distance from home plate to the outfield fence is 235 feet.
The bat in softball can be made of metal or wood, must be 34 inches long or less, and cannot weigh more than 38 ounces. The ball used is smooth-seamed and contains a core of International Softball Federation-approved materials. Any player may wear a glove, but only catchers and first basemen may wear mitts.
Field Positioning
Prior to the start of the game, which team bats is determined by a coin toss, or, in collegiate or other competition, the visiting team bats first. The team choosing to bat will send a player to the batting box at home plate. The team fielding is comprised of a catcher behind home plate, a pitcher on the pitching mound, a player at each remaining base, a shortstop between second and third base, and three players in the outfield.
Pitching
The pitcher must start with her hips in line with first and third base, and both feet on the pitcher’s plate in the center of the pitcher’s mound. After taking the signal from the umpire to play, the pitcher has five seconds to deliver the ball to the catcher.
The pitcher rotates her arm backward in a windmill motion, as if doing a backstroke, and delivers an underhand pitch when her arm comes back to the fore. The catcher must stay in the catcher’s box until the ball is released. The ball must cross home plate below the chest and above the kneecap to be considered a “strike.” Outside of this area is a “ball.”
Batting
After the pitch is delivered, the batter receives a strike if any part of the ball crosses the strike zone and she does not hit it. If the batter swings and misses a ball that is outside of the strike zone, it is a strike. If a batter does not swing at a ball that is outside of the strike zone, it is a ball.
A batter is “out” if she receives three strikes. If she receives four balls while batting, she is “walked” automatically to first base. If a batter hits a ball, she must run to as many bases as possible before the ball is returned to the pitcher or the baseman of the next consecutive base. If the ball is hit into the air and caught before it touches the ground, the batter is out. If a defensive player with the ball touches the base an offensive player is advancing toward before she arrives, that player is out, if it is a force play, or if the player with the ball tags the runner.
Winning
A softball game consists of seven innings. In each inning, both teams receive three outs while at bat. The team with the higher score at the end of the innings is declared the winner. A team scores a run when a player touches all of the bases in consecutive order without getting out.
If the score is tied at the end of seven innings, extra innings are played until a clear winner is determined at the end of full inning.
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