Softball Vs. Baseball
By: Lauren Downs
It’s the American Pastime! The sport everyone looks at and thinks about guys in pants pitching the ball, but they never realize there is a sport out there almost exactly like baseball. The people who do know about softball believe it is the “girl” version of baseball, when in reality it is a sport all on its own. The rules and field may be the same between these two sports but there is many differences between these two sports.
All of these differences make these two sports their own. With softball, there are two types, male softball and women’s softball. Where with baseball the males and females who choose to play are combined into one sport. Although both may start at a young age in life for children, the size of the balls change. For baseball the ball is always the same size of 9 to 9.25 inches. Though with softball the ball grows as the age levels advances up. The ball may start from about 10 inches up to 12 inches. Even with the title “soft”ball the ball is not soft. It may be slightly softer than a baseball but it is not soft as the title implies.
Not only are the two balls different, but also along with the fielding for these sports is as well.
Although each of these games are played with an infield and outfield, about the same length in field, and the same number of players, but in reality the field is not the same. Baseball sets their first bases at about 90 feet with a pitchers’ mound at about 60 feet and 6 inches. Softball is about 30 feet shorter with their home to first base at 60 feet and a pitchers’ mound at 40 to 42 feet. Although the length is not much of significance, the game can be altered because of these changes. If the bases in softball were moved to 90 feet and baseball to 60 feet, the possibility of getting on base in softball will decline due to the fact that the ball does not go as far as a baseball, and if the bases were moved for baseball players could possibly get hurt more often for the baseball is flying at them faster than a softball could giving them less reactant time. The pitching would also become a problem. Softballs weigh more than a baseball making them travel less. With that, pitchers would have a problem trying to be able to get a ball at 60 feet to the plate as a strike. At 40 feet the ball is able to gain speed and be accurate for the mass the ball has.
These differences sets these two sports apart from one another. The may have the same rules and field type, but there is much that make them their own. Both may have been in the Olympics together, but they can not be compared to one another. Softball may take after baseball but the sport has become one of its own as time elapses with the sport.