Softball Invented

• Softball was initially an indoor sport that was developed in 1887 by George W. Hancock of the Farragut Boat Club. It was taken outside in 1895 by Lewis Rober, who was with the Minneapolis Fire Department. Until the early 1930s, there were over ten different sets of softball rules. By 1933, the Amateur Softball Association was founded, which helped to standardize the game rules.
  
  

Similar to Baseball

• Softball is similar to baseball. Both baseball and softball involve a bat and a ball, a playing field and two teams. But the rules to the game are slightly different, as is the equipment. Today there are two types of softball: fast pitch and slow pitch.
  
  

Differing Rules

• With softball, the ball must be pitched underhanded, the players who are on a base must not run to another base until the ball has left the pitcher's hand, and regulation softball games have 7 innings, unlike baseball, which has 9. In softball, the infield is smaller than it is in baseball.
  
  

Softball vs. Baseball

• The equipment is also different. A softball is larger and softer than a baseball. The softball is covered with cow or horse hide, and filled with a mixture of rubber and cork. The first softball measured 17 inches, yet by the 1900s a 12-inch softball was being used.
  
  

Difference in Bats

• Softball bats also differ from baseball bats. Both can be made from wood or metal, yet major league baseball only allows wooden bats to be used. A softball bat can be no thicker than 2 1/4 inches and cannot be longer than 34 inches. In baseball, the bat can be up to 42 inches, and its diameter cannot be thicker than 2 2/3 inches.
  
  

Softball Bat

• The shapes of the bats also vary. The baseball bat is a long, rounded piece of wood or metal, while the fast pitch softball bat is shaped like a bottle and tends to be lighter. The softball bat also has unique markings. It displays the Amateur Softball Association's logo, and a Bat Performance Factor rating of 1.20.
  
  

Designed for the Game

• For younger ball players, using a baseball or softball bat for either game will not cause a significant problem. Yet, as a player gets older, the bats will make a difference. A softball bat is not designed to withstand the pitches of a baseball, and could likely result in a cracked bat. Using a fast pitch softball bat in a slow pitch game could also cause damage to the bat. Each bat, the baseball, fast pitch softball and slow pitch softball are specifically designed for the balls and pitches used in each game.