- No one is sure where or when the game of softball originated. However, there are some theories. One of the theories is that the game we know as softball evolved from 16th century games called townball and rounders, which were played by the British. It has been theorized that these two games were descendants of the games played by cavemen that involved "bats" and "balls" or sticks and rocks.
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Learning the rules to softball makes it easier to play.Though the ages of the players may vary, the game is played the same way for men and women, the elderly and the young. All of the same rules apply, regardless of who is playing the game. Some softball programs run year-round, while others only run in the spring. -
Pitchers have rules they must adhere to.There are a few rules to remember when playing softball. It's important to understand how the game is played in order to be successful. First of all, each game consists of seven innings. (There can be more innings if the game is tied at the end of the 7th inning.) One inning gives each team a chance to bat.
The diamond on the field is made up of lines that connect the bases, called the baseline. The bases are placed 60 feet apart. The area inside of the baseline is called the infield. The outfield is the area inside the playing field, but outside of the baseline.
If a ball goes outside of the first or third baseline, then that is considered a foul ball. If there are runners on other bases when a foul ball is hit, the runners must stay in place---they cannot advance to the next base. In turn, the batter who hit the foul ball gets to try again, unless the ball was caught while it was in the air, which would mean that the batter has been tagged as "out." -
A softball field is no different from a baseball field.There are general rules to the game of softball, however, there are also specialized rules for players, depending on what position they are playing. For example, pitchers have their own set of rules, as do batters.
Pitchers must have both feet planted on the pitcher's mound and can take only one step forward when pitching the ball. In addition, the pitcher must throw the ball in an underhand motion and he or she must have the ball cupped in both hands at the beginning of the pitch.
Batters also have rules to follow throughout the game. If three strikes have been called against the batter, then he or she is considered to be "out." If a fly ball is caught, then the batter is also called out. A batter can also be called out if he or she is not standing in the batter's box.
Base running rules are pretty simple to remember. First of all, the runner must run the bases in order from first base to home base. In addition, the runner must touch each base as he or she approaches or passes it.
If a runner is off of their base, then they can be called out. A runner can't make an attempt to run to the next base until the pitcher has completely thrown the ball and it has left his or her hands. If a fly ball has been caught, the runner has to tag the base being occupied before he or she can advance to the next base. If there are two base runners on the move, the second base runner cannot pass a runner ahead of them. Also, base stealing is not permitted, though it is often attempted. Runners are considered tagged out if, before reaching the base, they are tagged with the ball; the ball is caught at first base before the runner gets there; or in an effort to avoid being tagged, they run more than three feet outside of the baseline. - Softball is often seen as a sport for females, while baseball is considered a masculine sport. This is a misconception. The ball used in softball is larger than the one used in baseball and is made of different materials. However, the game is played the same and the rules that apply to playing baseball also apply to softball.
