History of Softball

Where did the game come from?

Softball is a smaller but faster variation of baseball. It is popular and does not need as much space as softball.

In 1887, George Hancock of the Farragut Boat Club of Illinios, Chicago realised that baseball, which was growing rapidly at the time, would be even more popular if it could be played indoors.

Hancock drew up a set of rules for a scaled down version of baseball, and called it 'Indoor Baseball'. The game became popular on its own, and was moved outside.

Lewis Rober of the Minneapolis Fire Department fixed the first definite rules of softball and called the game 'Kitten Ball'. It was renamed 'Mush Ball' before Walter Hakanson named it 'Softball' in 1926.

The spread of softball

The game became very popular during the depression of the 1930's and after a national softball tournament at the Chicago World Fair in 1933, the first set of standard rules were drawn up.

The same year, the Amateur Softball Association of America was formed, and the first championships were held.

In the early 1950's, softball became one of the most popular participation sports in the United States and it became international when the International Softball Federation was formed in 1950.

By 1965, the game was played in over fifty countries. The first world championships for women were held in Melbourne, Australia in 1965, and the men's championships were held 1966.

Softball

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