History of Softball

History of Softball
By: Kelsea Placey

                                     

    Softball is my favorite game and in this term's local history project I am going to show the history of softball. The history of softball is by far the clearest of all documented sports related histories. There is a lot of history about softball, and one that everyone should know is that it developed as a younger version of baseball, but people are always asking “Who invented softball?” Although one man came up with a version of the game in 1887, another modified the game in 1895. A young Chicago gentleman, George Hancock, is considered the inventor of the game. Hancock told the group that they should play a ball game. He shaped a boxing glove into a ball and tied it. Then, he mapped out the infield diamond to fit the inside the gym. A man from Yale grabbed a stick/broom handle to use as a bat. A boating club, a boxing glove and a football game were the key parts in the very first game of softball, which was first invented on Thanksgiving day in Chicago in 1887, and it all happened at Yale University. A man in the fans from Yale then hit the boxing glove with a broom handle, and in conclusion it resulted in an indoor baseball game. Throughout time this game became very popular, and developed into a winter sport in Chicago. By 1889, a winter program for baseball was formed, and when the seasons passed and the weather became warmer, softball was taken outside to the real field. It is odd to say that softball history originated indoors and was developed by men. The original game was loosely based on a shortened version of baseball with a smaller field and a larger ball. Thankfully just about everything with softball has changed today. Softball can be played by men, but it is thought of as a woman's sport. It is particillary played in the United States, and is a very popular sport today. The first women's softball team was formed in 1895 at Chicago's West Division High School. The basic equipment that was used was a huge 17-inch ball and a stick-like bat. No gloves were worn, and the catcher didn't even have to wear a mask. The ball was very soft, compared to the balls that softball players use today. The distance between bases was greatly reduced from baseball, being only 27 feet apart. Also, the pitcher was about 22 feet from home plate, and today it is 43 feet. Sandbags served as bases, and  players were allowed to slide into them and push them along in the slide. In today's softball game, the bags are rubber, and you can slide, but there are chances of getting hurt. The bases are into the ground, and don't come out very easily. The game involved nine players, with two shortstops,  and right, and only two outfielders, left and right. It is recommended that there is a first baseman, a second baseman, shortstop, third baseman, a pitcher, catcher, a left fielder, right fielder, and a center fielder in today's game. A lot has changed in the game of softball since 1887. After talking with coach J.D, I've realized that there are many things that have changed since 1887. There are ways that pitchers were pitching back then, where today they would be illegal, and the pitcher would have to step out of the game. He says that softball has become a very serious sport in the past 10 years, and it has become more of a woman sport, rather than a men sport. On the field, things have changed also. For example, the pitchers mound has became farther away from home plate, for a couple of good reasons. Girls today are becoming more active than they used to be, so they moved it farther away so that the girls would have more of a challenge, instead of having everything be easy for them. Softball is becoming more unique as the years go by, and from what we see, softball players are happy with the changes that have been made.