Why is it called a softball?
The name “softball” dates back to 1926. The name was coined by Walter Hakanson of the YMCA at a meeting of the National Recreation Congress. (In addition to “indoor baseball”, “kitten ball”, and “diamond ball”, names for the game included “mush ball”, and “pumpkin ball”.)
What is a softball question?
In the US, a “softball question” is asked because it would be intentionally easy to answer. It’s not an intellectual judgement, just a question formulated to be intentionally easy for that particular person to answer.
Is softball a girl?
The conventional wisdom is that baseball is for boys and men, and softball is for girls and women. Softball, though, is a completely distinct sport, with different pitching — underhand — and different equipment, including a larger ball.
Why is a softball yellow?
The biggest reason for making softballs bright yellow is that they are easier to see. The distance between the pitching mound and the batter’s box is approximately 14 feet shorter in softball than in baseball, giving the hitter less time to react to the pitch.
What is the fastest softball pitch ever thrown by a girl?
The fastest recorded softball pitch is 77 mph (123.9 km/h), achieved by Monica Abbott (USA) on 16 June 2012 in a National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) game for the Chicago Bandits against the Carolina Diamonds in Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA.
Is Softball easy to learn?
Softball is a fun game in which people of all ages can participate. Although not everyone can have a top-notch coach to help teach them the basics, learning how to play softball on your own is easy and enjoyable!
Is softball a hard sport?
Hitting a softball is the hardest thing to do in sports. It has been scientifically proven that the softball hitter has less time to react to a pitch, because of the distance and the velocity, than does the baseball hitter.
What hurts more a softball or baseball?
These two sports seem the same with similar fields, same amount of players, and the same objective. People often conclude that base ball is harder due to pitching, hitting, and the distance of the field. However, it is scientifically proven that softball is harder than baseball.
Can a boy play softball?
Team sport: Both boys and girls can play baseball on kids’ co-ed teams, and both boys and girls can also play softball. Single-sex scholastic teams are also common, with the familiar junior varsity and varsity set-up. Exceptional athletes can go on to play professional baseball or softball.
What is a 70 mph softball pitch in baseball?
Top softball pitchers like Jennie Finch can throw roughly 70 miles per hour, the equivalent of a low-90s fastball thrown from 60 feet away. There are, of course, many hundreds of human beings who can hit a low-90s fastball. But most of them play professional baseball, and nearly all of them are men.
Is it harder to hit a softball?
While baseballs are thrown at a higher speed and can be more difficult, the smaller field in softball gives the batter less time to react; making it more difficult to hit the ball. Even though speed and distance do play a large factor, it’s not the biggest.
How far can you hit a softball?
The distance for women’s and coed slow pitch, and for women’s and men’s fast pitch, is 250 feet or more. One of the farthest home run hitters in softball history is National Softball Hall of Fame member Bruce Meade of Bradenton, Florida. In 1978, Meade hit a ball 510 feet in Amarillo, Texas.
How hard is a softball?
Softball is statistically more challenging than baseball. You have less time to react to pitches, you have less time to get to the bases, it’s much harder to hit the ball farther, and you have to hit a pitch that they don’t have in baseball; the riseball.
What is a softball made of?
Softballs are made of three components: The Center: Softball centers are generally composed of polyurethane, but sometimes have a cork center. The Cover: Softball manufacturers use either leather, synthetic materials or rubber coverings, which are glued or cemented to the softball’s center.
What was softball first called?
Softball began in 1887 when George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, invented “indoor baseball”. By the spring of 1888, the game had spread outdoors. It was originally called either mushball, kittenball or indoor baseball, but by the 1920s it had acquired the name of softball.
How many stitches is a 12 softball?
88 stitches
How many stitches are in softball?
Like sphere, the baseball and softball are not uniformly smooth but are characterized by the yin—yang pattern of raised approximately 108 stitches for baseballs and 88 to 96 stitches for softballs. The stitches, seams and their orientations can make the airflow around these balls complex and unpredictable.
What color are the stitches on a softball?
STITCHING AND SEAMS Seams typically tend to be either red, black, blue or monochromatic with the leather.
Why do baseballs have stitches?
The raised red cotton stitching that holds the cowhide covering of the ball together serves more than just an ornamental function. Without it, the ball wouldn’t travel as far or as fast. When the ball is airborne, the stitching disturbs the boundary layer, the paper-thin layer of air closest to the surface of the ball.