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78-646: During the late 1970s and early 1980s, several men's professional slow-pitch softball leagues were formed in the United States to build on the growth and talent in the booming men's amateur game during this period. The American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) was the first such league, launching in an era of experimentation in professional sports leagues. The APSPL was formed in 1977 by former World Football League front-office executive Bill Byrne with former New York Yankees star Whitey Ford as commissioner. Jay Friedman, owner of Erie Sheet Metal, launched

156-417: A ball, a broom handle serving as a bat. This first contest ended with a score of 41–40. The ball, being soft, was fielded barehanded. Hancock is credited as the game's inventor for his development of a 17-inch ball and an undersized bat in the next week. The Farragut Club soon set rules for the game, which spread quickly to outsiders. Envisioned as a way for baseball players to maintain their skills during

234-435: A brief stoppage at any time when the ball is not in play (called a time out), or immediately following a play once its outcome is clear. The game is played in usually seven innings . Each inning is divided into a top half , in which the away team bats and tries to score runs, while the home team occupies the field and tries to record three outs ; then a bottom half , when the teams' roles are reversed. Some leagues play with

312-482: A foul ball does result in a strikeout. In some associations and leagues, bunting is not allowed and results in an out. Also, if a player has two strikes, swinging and partially hitting the ball can result in an out if the catcher manages to catch the tipped ball. The batter attempts to swing the bat and hit the ball fair (into the field of play). After a successful hit the batter becomes a base runner (or runner) and must run to first base. The defense attempts to field

390-576: A league-leading 15 triples) represented the Jaybirds on the 1977 all-pro team. Doc Booker (.603, 14 HRs, 47 RBIs), Steve Loya (.480, 37 HRs, 84 RBIs) and Jack Gansheimer (.502, 44 HRs, 114 RBIs) had strong years for Cleveland as well. Cleveland finished the 1978 season with a 32-32 (.500) record, advancing to the playoffs, defeating the Philadelphia Athletics 2–1 in the first round. The Detroit Caesars again got in their way, defeating

468-456: A mass between 5 and 5 + 1 ⁄ 4 ounces (142–149 g). ) The ball is covered in two pieces of leather or similar synthetic covering that are roughly the shape of a figure-8 and sewn together along a continuous seam. The core of the ball may be made of long fiber kapok , a mixture of cork and rubber , a polyurethane mixture, or another approved material. Before 1993, white balls were standard at all levels of play. In that year,

546-404: A mass between 6.25 and 7.0 oz (177 and 198 g), while children under 12 use a ball with a circumference of 11 ± 0.125 in ( 27.9 ± 0.3 cm ) with a mass between 5.875 and 6.125 oz (166.6 and 173.6 g). A 12-inch circumference ball is generally used in slow pitch. (For comparison, a baseball is 9 to 9 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches (229–235 mm) in circumference and has

624-441: A new, fluorescent optic yellow colored ball was first used in college softball. Yellow softballs have become the standard for all levels of play; white balls are also still allowed but are very uncommon today. In Chicago , where softball was invented, it remains traditional to play a variant of slow-pitch with a ball 16 inches (41 centimeters) in circumference . The fielders do not wear gloves or mitts. A 16-inch softball when new

702-447: A reduced number of innings or with a time limit, rather than the traditional seven innings. To start play, the offense sends a batter to home plate . The batting order must be fixed at the start of the game, and players may not bat out of turn. The defense's pitcher stands atop the rubber and pitches the ball towards home plate using an underhand motion. In fast pitch, the pitcher is allowed to take one step back prior to releasing

780-504: A shorter version of baseball pants. At the back of the uniform, an Arabic numeral from numbers 0 through 99 must be visible. Numbers such as 02 and 2 are considered identical. Also, on the back of the uniform's players' names are optional. Minnesota Norsemen The Minnesota Norsemen were a professional softball team that played in the American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL) during

858-434: A smaller barrel, which reduces mass and allows higher swing speed. Although there are a variety of bats used, there are several that are banned due to performance enhancement. For example, with a thinner wall, the ball recoils faster off the bat, allowing it to travel further. Many bats may be "doctored" or "juiced" by being end loaded, shaved, or painted. End loading of a cap refers to the addition of weight manually placed at

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936-498: A stellar regular season in 1982, finishing 46-17 (.730), winning the Eastern Division and receiving a first-round bye in the playoffs. But Cleveland ran into a hot Detroit Softball City club and lost in the semi-finals 3-2 despite impressive power displays from Dana Andry (7 HRs) and Mike Macenko (5 HRs). Milwaukee, with World Series MVP Dick Laba (.667 BA), would win the 1982 UPSL World Series against Detroit 5-1. Making

1014-455: Is a contrast-colored "double base" or "safety base" intended to prevent collisions between the first baseman and the runner. The runner runs for the foul portion of the double base after hitting the ball while the fielding team tries to throw the ball to the fair portion before the runner reaches the safety base. However, not all softball diamonds have these safety bases and they are much more common in women's softball than in men's. The double base

1092-504: Is a direct descendant of Hancock's original game. Defensive players are not allowed to wear fielding gloves. Sixteen-inch softball is played extensively in Chicago, where devotees such as newspaper columnist Mike Royko consider it the "real" game, and New Orleans. In New Orleans, sixteen-inch softball is called "Cabbage Ball" or "batter ball" and is a popular team sport in area elementary and high schools. The first cork-centered softball

1170-403: Is also recorded any time the batter does not swing at a pitch that crosses home plate within an area known as the strike zone . In fast pitch, to be within the strike zone, the pitch must cross over home plate, and as it crosses it must be above the knees and slightly below the shoulders (roughly the armpit or the shirt logo). The strike zone therefore varies from batter to batter. In slow pitch,

1248-420: Is also used for wheelchair softball. The bat used by the batter can be made of wood, aluminum, or composite materials such as carbon fiber. Sizes may vary but they may be no more than 34 inches (86 cm) long, 2.4 inches (6 cm) in diameter, or 38 ounces (1.1 kg) in mass. The standard barrel diameter for both slow pitch and fast pitch softball bats is 2 + 1 ⁄ 4 inches. Many players prefer

1326-446: Is commonly played recreationally, while women's fastpitch softball was a Summer Olympic sport and can be played professionally . Softball was not included in the 2024 Summer Olympics but will return for the 2028 Summer Olympics . Depending on the variety being played and the age and gender of the players, the particulars of the field and equipment will also vary. While distances between bases of 60 feet are standard across varieties,

1404-399: Is more complex, as particular situations (number of outs and positions of base-runners) and particular batters call for different positioning of fielders and different tactical decisions. The defense may decide to allow a run if it can achieve one or multiple outs. The playing field is divided into fair territory and foul territory . Fair territory is further divided into the infield , and

1482-460: Is required in the U-18 Women's Softball World Cup . The infield consists of the diamond and the adjacent space in which the infielders (see below) normally play. The outfield is the remaining space between the baselines and between the outfield fence and the infield. The infield is usually "skinned" (dirt), while the outfield has grass in regulation competitions. Near the center of the diamond

1560-417: Is rough and hard, with hand and finger injuries to fielders frequent if they do not "give" when receiving a ball, but the ball "breaks in" slightly during a game and continues to soften over time with continued play. A well-broken-in ball is called a mush ball and is favored for informal "pick-up" games and when playing in limited space, such as a city street (because the ball does not go as far). A 16-inch ball

1638-486: Is smaller than the catcher's, typically 12 inches to 13 inches for fast pitch softball or 12 to 15 inches for slow pitch. An infielder's glove is the smallest, typically from 11.5 inches to 13 inches. A pitcher's glove is typically 11.5 to 12.5 inches for fast pitch or 11.5 to 13 inches for slow pitch. No part of the glove is allowed to be the same color as that of the ball, including that of its seams. Pitchers are also not allowed to have any white on their gloves including

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1716-405: Is the pitching plate, or colloquially "rubber". In fastpitch, a circle 16 feet (4.9 meters) in diameter known as the pitching circle is marked around the pitching plate. A field is officially required to have a warning track between 15 and 12 feet (4.6 and 3.7 meters) from the outfield fence. However, if the game is being played on a field larger than required, no warning track is required before

1794-416: Is usually composed of a dirt or brick dust infield that contains the shape and running areas of a diamond and a grass outfield . However, the field can consist of other solid and dry surfaces such as artificial turf or asphalt. There are four bases on the infield: First base , second base , third base , and home plate . The bases are arranged in a square and are typically 60 feet (18 m) apart. Near

1872-476: The 2020 Summer Olympics held in 2021. Other sanctioning bodies of softball are AAU, NSA, PONY, Babe Ruth League , ASA , ISC, USSSA and Triple Crown. Fastpitch softball is played between two teams on a large field, with nine players (in 10u and above; 8u and below is usually played with ten players on a field at once) from one team on the field at a time. Slow-pitch softball is played with ten fielders but can be played with nine if needed. The softball field

1950-506: The American Softball Association Hall of Fame played for Cleveland - Steve Loya (inducted in 1993) and Mike Macenko (inducted in 2007). Macenko is also a member of United States Slowpitch Softball Association (USSSA) Hall of Fame. The Jaybirds had a record of 32-24 (.571) in the inaugural 1977 APSPL season. They defeated Milwaukee Copper Hearth 2–1 in the first round of the playoffs before losing 2–1 to

2028-606: The Chicago Storm in the off-season, but Minnesota just missed out on the playoffs in 1979 with a 32-32 (.500) record, 8.5 game behind Midwestern Division winners Milwaukee Schlitz . Milwaukee defeated the Kentucky Bourbons in the World Series 5–3. The series were broadcast nationwide as the first televised event on the new start-up sports network ESPN . Gene Parrish was the only Norseman to make

2106-692: The Cleveland Cavaliers of the NBA that year. Also in 1980, Stepien held a promotional event for the league in Cleveland in which he dropped softballs from the 52nd floor of Terminal Tower to be caught by outfielders from the Competitors. The balls were estimated to be traveling at 144 mph by the time they reached the street, damaging cars and injuring several spectators. One ball was caught by Cleveland outfielder Mike Zarefoss. In 1981

2184-424: The outfield . The field is defined by foul lines that meet at a right angle at home plate . The minimum length of the baselines varies classification of play (see below for official measurements). A fence running between the baselines defines the limits of the field; distance from home plate to the fence varies by field. The widest part of the field is the distance between the foul poles , which are erected where

2262-687: The 16-inch (41 cm) ball used by the Farragut club, and eventually the Minneapolis ball prevailed, although the dimensions of the Minneapolis diamond were passed over in favor of the dimensions of the Chicago one. Rober may not have been familiar with the Farragut Club rules. Fire Station No. 19 in Minneapolis, Rober's post from 1896 to 1906, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in part for its association with

2340-681: The 1977 all-league team for Minnesota. Bob Boyson (.578 BA), Dale Palm (42 HRs) and Mike Perfetti (437, 33 HRs, 68 RBIs) had solid seasons in support for the Goofy's. Benny Holt of the Chicago Storm (softball) won the triple crown and league MVP, with the Detroit Caesars winning the first professional softball World Series trophy. Minnesota in 1977 briefly featured former Minnesota Twin and 1965 American League MVP Zoilo Versalles , who played until early July before hanging up his softball spikes. The Goofy's were sold mid-season and renamed

2418-579: The 1978 and 1979 seasons. The team had played as the Minnesota Goofy's in the 1977 season, changing names for 1978. They played their home games at Midway Stadium in St. Paul, Minnesota . During the late 1970s and early 1980s, several men's professional slow-pitch softball leagues were formed in the United States to build on the growth and talent in the booming men's amateur game during this period. The American Professional Slo-Pitch League (APSPL)

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2496-517: The APSPL all-star team in 1979, batting .511 on the season. Parrish, John Locke (33 HRs) and manager Rich Finke represented Minnesota on the mid-season All-Star roster. Bob Lurtsema , former Minnesota Vikings defensive end, pitched for the Norseman in 1979. Political infighting and inconsistent commitment from other team owners in the APSPL led Norsemen owner Steve Doran to disband the team at

2574-517: The APSPL in 1977, finishing with a record of 24-30 (.445) and out of the inaugural playoffs. Initial owner Joe Houle ran into financial challenges running the team and sold to Steve Doran mid-season. The Goofys had lost 16 games in a row, Doran fired Manager Dennis Willey and brought in Terry Fredericks to lead the team to finish the season. Minnesota Joe Russell (35 HRs, 111 RBIs) and Gene Parrish (batted .622 with 115 runs scored) made

2652-609: The APSPL merged with NASL to create the United Professional Softball League (UPSL) , but only the Milwaukee franchise came from the NASL to the new league as the other NASL teams folded. No Cleveland team played in the 1981 season. The merged league competed for two seasons with the Competitors returning in 1982. The Competitors franchise and the league disbanded after the 1982 season. Two members of

2730-655: The Cleveland Jaybirds in the inaugural 1977 APSPL season. Don Rardin, Sr., owner of the Kentucky Bourbons , owned 50% of the Jaybirds as well. The team began play at Rose Field in the Brookside Reservation in Cleveland. Ted Stepien bought the team in 1978 and would change the name to the Cleveland Stepien's Competitors for the 1979 season. Stepien had opened a series of private dining rooms called Competitors Clubs in Cleveland and

2808-585: The Detroit Caesars 4–0 with Bert Smith honored as series MVP. Ron Ford of Detroit was the league MVP. John Locke (.582, 65 HRs, 136 RBIs), Bob McMahon (.556, 59 HRs, 120 RBIs), Joe Russell (53 HRs), Dale Palm (.614, 70 HRs, 166 RBIs) and Gene Parrish (.634 BA, 23 HRs, 90 RBIs)) of Minnesota made the all-league team. Lou Boone hit 45 home-runs for the Norsemen and Gordie Handevidt batted .541 in support. The team added APSPL all-pro Buddy Haines from

2886-554: The Farragut Boat Club at a gathering to hear the outcome of the Yale University and Harvard University football game. When the score was announced and bets were settled, a Yale alumnus threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter. The Harvard fan grabbed a stick and swung at the rolled-up glove. George Hancock , a reporter there, called out "Play ball!" and the game began, with the boxing glove tightened into

2964-516: The Jaybirds 2-0 (27-22, 30-24) in a high scoring series. Detroit would repeat as APSPL champions, defeating the Minnesota Norsemen 4–0 with series MVP Bert Smith hitting 15-16 (.940). Jim Bizzell (.566, 45 HRs, 108 RBIs) of Cleveland made the all-APSPL team. Jaybird Bobby Reid (.519, 24 HRs, 88 RBIs, 120 runs scored) was solid again and Dana Andry (.517, 44 HRs, 117 RBIs) provided additional power for Cleveland. The team, now playing as

3042-621: The Norseman for 1978. With the sale of the Goofys, new ownership finalized a rebranding as the Minnesota Norsemen and greatly improved the team on-the-field for 1978. The Norseman finished the 1978 season with a record of 40-24 (.625), receiving a first round bye in the APSPL playoffs. They defeated the Cincinnati Suds in the second round 2–0 to advance to the professional softball World Series. Minnesota lost to

3120-503: The Stepien's Competitors, in 1979 and finished the year 33-31 (.516), again advancing to the playoffs. Cleveland lost in the first round 3–0 to eventual the eventual champions Milwaukee Schlitz , with World Series and league MVP Rick Weiterman, who defeated Kentucky 5–3 in the championship. Of note, the games were broadcast nationwide on the new start-up sports network ESPN as their first live games covered. Roger Wilt of Cleveland made

3198-579: The United States by 1930. By the 1930s, similar sports with different rules and names were being played all over the United States and Canada . A tournament held in 1933 at the Chicago World's Fair spurred interest in the game. By 1936, the Joint Rules Committee on Softball had standardized the rules and naming throughout the United States. Sixteen-inch softball , also sometimes referred to as "mush ball" or "super-slow pitch" and

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3276-553: The all-APSPL team in 1979. Fred Miller (.477, 29 HRs, 86 RBIs) had a stellar year and Jim Bizzell (37 HRs), Dana Andry (31 HRs) and Dave Watson (26 HRs) added power to the Competitors line-up. Instability in other markets and internal political fighting saw three teams (Fort Wayne, Cleveland and Milwaukee) leave the APSPL in 1980 to form the North American Softball League (NASL) under the leadership of Stepien. Cleveland went 31-32 (.492) in 1980, advancing to

3354-611: The all-NASL team. The APSPL and the NASL then merged to form the United Professional Softball League in 1981, although only Milwaukee came to the new league from the NASL as the other franchises disbanded. Stepien disbanded all 6 of his NASL teams for the 1981 UPSL season, moving his efforts to the National Slo-Pitch Conference (NSPC), an amateur softball competition that was drawing significant team sponsorship and talent from

3432-465: The all-pro team for the Competitors were Paul Wright (.566 BA), Steve Blanchett (.558, 42 HRs, 120 RBIs), Mike Macenko (.440, 63 HRs, 140 RBIs) and UPSL MVP Dana Andry (.618, 65 HRs, 128 RBIs, 125 runs scored, 46-17 pitching). The UPSL and the Competitors folded at the end of the season ending the era of men's professional softball in the US. Softball Softball is a popular variation of baseball ,

3510-406: The ball and may throw the ball freely between players, so one player can field the ball while another moves to a position to put out the runner. The defense can tag the runner, by touching the runner with the ball while the runner is not on a base. The defense can also touch first base while in possession of the ball; in this case it is sufficient to beat the batter to first base and an actual tag of

3588-420: The ball during the forward movement. The batter attempts to hit the pitched ball with a bat , a long, round, smooth stick made of wood , metal or composite . If the pitcher throws three strikes against a batter, then the batter is out and the next batter in the order comes up to bat. A strike is recorded any time a batter swings at and misses a pitch or when a batter hits a ball foul (out of play). A strike

3666-444: The ball must land on a carpet or marked area behind the plate, therefore standardizing the strike zone. A pitch outside the strike zone is a ball . If the batter reaches four balls, the batter is awarded the first base in what is known as a "walk". The umpire behind home plate is the sole arbiter of balls and strikes. A foul ball may or may not result in a strikeout dependent upon what association and local league rules. However, bunting

3744-439: The batter is unnecessary. A runner is said to be "thrown out" when the play involves two or more defensive players. Runners generally cannot be put out when touching a base, but only one runner may occupy a base at any time and runners may not pass each other. When a ball is batted into play, runners generally must attempt to advance if there are no open bases behind them; for example, a runner on first base must run to second base if

3822-430: The batter puts the ball in play. In such a situation, the defense can throw to the base that the lead runner is attempting to take (a force out ), and the defense can then also throw to the previous base. This can result in a multiple-out play: a double play is two outs, while a triple play , a very rare occurrence, is three outs. Runners with an open base behind them are not forced to advance and do so at their own risk;

3900-422: The center of this square is the pitcher's circle , and within the circle is the "rubber", a small flat rectangular plate a foot and a half in length. The rubber distance from the plate in fastpitch can be as short as 35 feet for 10u players up to 43 feet for ages 14 and older. In slow pitch softball, the rubber distance can be 43, 46 or 50 feet depending on age level and the league one is playing in. The object of

3978-441: The defense from recording multiple force outs by deliberately dropping an easy catch. Offensive strategy is mostly just to hit the ball skillfully to let the batter reach base and advance other runners around the bases to score runs. The count of balls and strikes indicates how aggressive the batter should be. The offense may try to sacrifice , with the batter deliberately making an out in order to advance runners. Defensive strategy

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4056-403: The defense must tag such runners directly to put them out rather than tagging the base. A ball hit in the air and caught before hitting the ground, in fair or foul territory, puts the batter out. A fly ball is a ball hit high and deep, a pop fly is a ball hit high but short, and a line drive is a ball hit close to the horizontal. After the catch, runners must return to their original bases; if

4134-400: The defense throws the ball to that base before the runner returns, the runner is out as well, resulting in a double play. A runner who remains on the base until the ball is touched, or returns to the base ( tags up ) after the catch, may try to advance to the next base, at the risk of being tagged out between bases. As in baseball, the infield fly rule applies in some game situations to prevent

4212-446: The defensive catcher. Also cleats, sliding shorts, face masks and knee sliders may be worn for softball. Despite the sport's name, the ball is not actually soft, though it does have a lower density and greater coefficient of restitution than a baseball. The size of the ball varies according to the variety played and age of the participants. The circumference for fastpitch for adults is 12 ± 0.125 in ( 30.5 ± 0.3 cm ), with

4290-525: The difference being that it is played with a larger ball, on a smaller field, and with only underhand pitches (where the ball is released while the hand is primarily below the ball) permitted. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level . The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hancock . There are two rule sets for softball generally: slow-pitch softball and fastpitch . Slow-pitch softball

4368-432: The early days of softball, players often played bare-handed or with rudimentary gloves. It wasn't until the sport evolved that manufacturer started creating gloves tailored for softball's larger ball size. Softball Pitching Styles were originally overhand: While modern softball emphasizes underhand pitching, early games allowed overhand throws. The First Softball Uniforms included dresses: In women's softball leagues during

4446-433: The end of the barrel to distribute more weight at the tip. Shaving bats require machine use in order to remove the inner walls of the bat to improve elasticity. Lastly, illegal bats may be painted to resemble legal ones. All defensive players wear fielding gloves, made of leather or similar material. Gloves have webbing between the thumb and forefinger, known as the "pocket". Gloves used in softball are typically larger than

4524-490: The eventual champion Detroit Caesars in the semi-finals. It was a competitive series against the league-best Caesars as pitcher Shelly Hoffman took advantage of the spacious Trechter Park in Cincinnati to negate the power-bats of Detroit and outfielder Jim Vaccarina made some stellar defensive plays to upset Detroit in the opener of the best of three series. Detroit roared back in the second game (22-5), and Cleveland lost

4602-406: The field being smaller and the bases and the fielders being closer to home plate. Softball is pitched underhand from flat ground, whereas baseball is pitched overhand on what they call a 'mound'. A baseball mound is typically a pile of dirt with a rectangular pitching rubber on top, where the pitcher will then throw overhand and downward to the batter. The Original Softball Gloves were Bare Hands: In

4680-580: The foul lines meet the fence and are about 310 to 420 feet (94 to 128 m) apart depending on the length of the foul lines. Home plate is one corner of a diamond with bases at each corner. The bases are cushions 15 inches (38 cm) square, of canvas or a similar material, and not more than 5 inches (13 cm) thick. The bases are usually securely fastened to the ground. The bases are numbered counterclockwise as first base, second base, and third base. Often, but not always, outside first base (that is, in foul territory) and adjacent and connected to it, there

4758-456: The game is to score more runs (points) than the other team by batting (hitting) a ball into play and running around the bases, touching each one in succession. The ball is a sphere of light material, covered with leather or synthetic material. It is 11 to 12 inches (28–30 cm) (or, rarely, 16 in or 41 cm ) in circumference. The game is officiated by one or more neutral umpires . Players and umpires are generally free to ask for

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4836-442: The mid-20th century, players often wore skirts or dresses as part of their uniforms. This attire was mandated to maintain a "feminine' appearance. The Sport was once called "Kitten Ball": Before settling on the name "softball," the sport went through several names, including "kitten ball", "mush ball", and "pumpkin ball". The earliest known softball game was played in Chicago , Illinois, on Thanksgiving Day, 1887. It took place at

4914-489: The ones used in baseball to account for the larger ball. No glove larger than 14 in (36 cm) can be used in ASA (American Softball Association) sanctioned play. While extremely rare in recreational play, there are sometimes different size gloves for different positions on the field. Catchers and first baseman have what is called a mitt, whose pockets are larger than other gloves. These are more padded. An outfielder's glove

4992-408: The pitcher's plate ranges from 35 to 43 feet away from home plate, and the home run fence can be 220 to 300 feet away from home plate. The ball itself is typically 11 or 12 inches (28 or 30 centimetres) in circumference, though this also depends on specifics of the competition. Softball rules vary in certain aspects from those of baseball. The game moves at a faster pace than traditional baseball due to

5070-612: The playoffs where the Stepien's Competitors lost to the Detroit Auto Kings , also owned by Stepien, 4–1 in the first round. Milwaukee would win the NASL World Series over Detroit 5–2 with Schlitz outfielder Ken Parker (.586, 16 RBIs) honored as series MVP. Ron Olesiak (.555, 34 HRs, 124 RBIs) of Chicago Nationwide Advertising was the league MVP. Doc Booker (.483, 23 HRs, 70 RBIs), Dana Andry (34 HRs, 85 RBIs) and Benny Holt (.533, 42 HRs, 95 RBIs) of Cleveland made

5148-602: The professional game. Stepien fielded the Nationwide Advertising team in the 1981 competition, keeping much of the team from the 1980 NASL Cleveland team together, and finished 2nd to powerhouse Howard's Western Steer out of North Carolina in the 1981 NSPC. 1981 NSPC Championship Highlights The bulk of that 1981 Nationwide Advertising team would return to the professional ranks as the Cleveland Competitors for 1982 UPSL season. Cleveland had

5226-444: The same uniform. Caps, visors, and headbands are optional for female players, and have to be the same color. Caps are mandatory for male players. A fielder who chooses to wear a helmet or face mask is not required to wear a cap. Many players use "sliding shorts", otherwise known as compression shorts in other sports. These can be outfitted with a pouch for fitting a protective cup for male players. These shorts also help to protect

5304-417: The seams. The umpire has discretion to determine whether any coloring on the glove interferes with or hinders the batter from seeing the ball clearly. Each team wears a distinctive uniform. The uniform may include a cap, a shirt displaying team colors and the players' number, sliding undershorts/compression shorts (optional), socks, and pants/athletic shorts. The team is required to have all of its members wear

5382-634: The shot at the upset 8-6 in the third game with 2-run homer by Caesar Gary Geister in the 4th inning making the difference. Detroit beat the Baltimore Monuments in the finals with Mike Nye of Detroit as the World Series MVP. Triple-crown winner Benny Holt (.690, 89 HRs, 187 RBIs) of the Chicago Storm was the APSPL MVP. Rick Petrunyak (.538, 16 HRs, 70 RBIs, and a league-leading 32 doubles) and Bobby Reid (.535,8 HRS, 53 RBIs and

5460-626: The sport's development. The first softball league outside the United States was organized in Toronto, Ontario , in 1897. 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". ) The name softball had spread across

5538-552: The team name was to promote the restaurants. In 1980, two teams, Milwaukee and Cleveland broke away to form the North American Softball League (NASL) under the leadership of Stepien, who owned 6 of the 8 teams in the league (only Ft. Wayne and Milwaukee had non-Stepien ownership), while the APSPL continued with just 6 teams. The NASL would last just one season. Cleveland moved to playing at Daniel's Field, Willoughby, Ohio in 1980 and Stepien also purchased

5616-425: The temporary outfield fencing. Located in foul territory outside both baselines are two coach's boxes. Each box is behind a line 15 feet (4.6 meters) long located 12 feet (3.7 meters) from each baseline. Equipment required in softball includes a ball, a bat (composite, metal or wooden), gloves, uniforms and protective gear. For example, helmets for the offensive team and a helmet, shin guards, and chest protector for

5694-476: The upper thigh when sliding into a base. "Sliders" may also be worn for similar protection. These are somewhat padded shin guards that extend usually from the ankle to the knee of the wearer and wrap all the way around the leg(s). They protect the shin, calf, etc. from getting bruised or damaged while sliding into home plate and make it much more comfortable to slide into the plate. Some male players use long, baseball-style pants. However, some female players now wear

5772-417: The winter, the sport was called "Indoor Baseball". Under the name of "Indoor-Outdoor," the game moved outside in the next year, and the first rules were published in 1889. In 1895, Lewis Rober Sr. of Minneapolis organized outdoor games as exercise for firefighters ; this game was originally known as kitten ball. Rober's version of the game used a ball 12 inches (30 cm) in circumference, rather than

5850-617: Was created in Hamilton, Ontario , Canada, by Emil "Pops" Kenesky . By the 1940s, fast pitch began to dominate the game. Although slow pitch was present at the 1933 World's Fair , the main course of action taken was to lengthen the pitching distance. Slow pitch achieved formal recognition in 1953 when it was added to the program of the Amateur Softball Association , and within a decade had surpassed fast pitch in popularity. The first British women's softball league

5928-484: Was established in 1953. The National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum was opened in Oklahoma City , United States, in 1957. In 1991, women's fast pitch softball was selected to debut at the 1996 Summer Olympics . The 1996 Olympics also marked a key era in the introduction of technology in softball. The IOC funded a landmark bio-mechanical study on pitching during the games. In 2002, sixteen-inch slow pitch

6006-450: Was the first such league, launching in an era of experimentation in professional sports leagues. The APSPL was formed in 1977 by former World Football League executive Bill Byrne who would go on to form the Women's Professional Basketball League . Former New York Yankees star Whitey Ford was the first league commissioner. The Minnesota Goofy's, named after a local bar, played in

6084-703: Was written out of the International Softball Federation (ISF) official rules, although it is still played extensively in the United States under The Amateur Softball Association of America , or ASA rules. The 117th meeting of the International Olympic Committee , held in Singapore in July 2005, voted to drop softball and baseball as Olympic sports for the 2012 Summer Olympics . They were reinstated for

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