History of Softball

The history of softball is by far the clearest of allmen. It took the women's leagues much longer to
documented sports related histories. Meaning thatgain credibility and the real crossover was the
football history, soccer and golf among othergrowth in popularity of baseball. As baseball
sports all have much more convoluted beginningsbecame much more popular the male players
compared to softball history. It is a relativelyshifted to it while the women began to make
young sport that was originated in Chicago insoftball there own. Now a day's both men and
1887. The story has it that after receiving thewomen of all ages can enjoy the sport.
score of the Yale and Harvard football game thatThroughout the 1900's leagues and tournaments
a group of young men jumped up and one youngbegan to pop up everywhere. The National
man threw a boxing glove at another whoChampionship was first played in Chicago in 1933
proceeded to hit it with a pole. George Hancockand it included both male and female competitors.
who is often credited with creating the game thenThe sixties and seventies saw professional
drew out a diamond on the floor and took theleagues come and go for women. The slow pitch
handle of a broom to use as a stick. They tiedgame evolved on the international level with the
more boxing gloves up to be used as anSoftball World Championships in 1965. It ultimately
oversized ball. Suffice that it is odd to say thatset the platform for the Olympics which greatly
softball history originated indoors and wasimproved softball history. The game began to
developed by men. The original game was looselyshift as players became much bigger and stronger
based on a shortened version of baseball with aand less pitching and defense were incorporated.
smaller field and a larger ball. Shortly after this Mr.The officials and high ranking decision makers of
Hancock painted permanent lines in thethe leagues around the world began to make a
gymnasium, prepared some new rules and coinedshift to fast pitch softball beginning around the
the sport indoor baseball.1980's and 90's. At first the changes were met
Softball history's popularity grew rapidly andwith much resistance but the game has since
Hancock then formed a publication on all of theembraced the changes.
rules of the game. Canada adopted the sport as itFast pitch has altered the appearance of the
was easy to play indoors. Then the game took agame dramatically. The sport is much more a
turn on the outdoor fields in the summer and wasgame of speed and defense rather than offense
called indoors/outdoors.and power and it has also produced much more
Different teams and leagues began to grow allmedia coverage and growth in the sport than
over the northeast. Chicago while credited withever.
the development saw teams popping up inThe game of softball is appealing to so many
Minnesota, New York and Massachusetts. Thenlevels of our society. Young men and women can
the great gold rush took easterners west to gainenjoy the game on either a social or competitive
riches and along with them they brought therelevel. The thousands of softball leagues around the
sports, which helped develop the west coastscountry provide for a great social backdrop.
teams.College teams flourish and the international scene
Women's softball was also developed in Chicagois more popular than ever. Softball history has
and West Division High was the first to have acome such a long way in the last hundred years
team in 1895. They played mostly indoors andfrom poles and boxing gloves to international
were not initially recognized as comparable to thenotoriety, so goes the history of softball.