Softball was invented as an indoor game and initially played in the winter months. The first women's team was created in Chicago in 1895 and the sport moved outdoors. For a time, softball was called "kitten ball." Rules were standardized in 1925 and the name softball was adopted. Softball demonstrations by both men and women took place at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair and the governing body for the sport, the Amateur Softball Association, was founded in the same year.
Elite fast pitch softball was played at the inaugural Women's World Championship in 1965, and fast pitch softball debuted at the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996.
Softball Gloves
Softball gloves and bats are usually the same for both fast and slow pitch, states the WomensSportsInformation.com. The real differences in softball gloves depend less on whether you play slow- or fast-pitch softball and more on the position you play, your age and the level of competition.
BestSoftballMitts.com reinforces the concept that gloves are basically the same for slow pitch and fast pitch. When shopping for softball mitts, whether it be for competitive play or just for fun, the style of your new mitt will depend on the position that you play.
Fast Pitch Vs. Slow Pitch
Fast pitch is much closer to baseball that slow pitch. The mound is closer to the plate and pitchers use a windmill motion to deliver power pitches. In fast pitch, base runners can lead off the base, steal, and score on passed balls. WomensSportsInformation.com states that speed and power are equally important in fast-pitch softball. Bunting is also allowed in the fast-pitch game. Fast pitch also has designated hitters and pinch runners.
Type of Glove
The right type of glove depends on the position you play. A third baseman and a catcher, for example, use different kinds of gloves. Softball gloves can be open- or closed-webbed. If you can see through the glove when it is held open, it is open-webbed. These gloves are often preferred by infielders and sometimes by outfielders, because they make it easier to transfer the ball to your throwing hand. Pitchers and most outfielders like closed-web gloves. It's easier for a pitcher to hide the ball and disguise the type of pitch that is coming, and it gives outfielders extra support for catching fly balls. First basemen and catchers need specific features on their gloves as well.
Leather Vs. Synthetic
High-quality softball gloves are made of leather. Heavier leather gloves may take longer to break in, but they are often higher in quality and last longer. There are cheap softball mitts that are made of vinyl or plastic. They may be okay for occasional players or for young players just starting out.
Gloves for Kids
BestSoftballMitts.com emphasizes the importance of finding a good-fitting glove. A child may grow into a glove that is too big, but in the meantime he might develop bad fielding techniques or lose confidence in his ability and not enjoy the game as much. Youngsters may not need an expensive glove, but they need one that is "snug on the hand and easy to squeeze and control," according to the site.
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