Origins of Softball

Here is a description Softball History and how it started. These games were called Rounders and Townball. Rounders is the sixteenth century British version of a bat and ball game that dates back to "the dawn of time". In theory, it is a descendant of the bat and ball games played by our "cavemen" ancestors. This theory is a result of the observation that there is no culture in the world that does not have some form of a bat and ball game.

Played in England as long ago as the 16th Century, Rounders was a popular pastime. A version of Rounders is still played by folks in the U.K and Ireland. By the 19th Century in America, the game had undergone many changes, and was commonly called Townball. Today we play still another variant called Baseball.

The object of Rounders is as such: Each time a Defender successfully completes a foray and returns to the Castle with his gleanings (more food or weapons, etc.), he scores for his team. Tally is kept by marking a stroke for each score. In other words, Each Runner who makes it back into the Castle scores a "Tally". At the end of the game, the team with the highest tally (the most runs scored) wins. The game ends after each team has been In the same number of times -- there is no limit but exhaustion or darkness to the number of "In"ings.

Some of the Rules of Rounders:

1.Infinite Swings. The Striker (the person hitting or "striking" the ball) has no limit on the number of tries to hit the ball. He keeps trying until the ball comes in contact with the stick.

2.Ball Must be Fed Where Striker Wishes. The Feeder (the person throwing or "feeding" the ball to the Striker) must throw the ball where the Striker wants it. If the Striker is unhappy with a Feeder, the Striker may request a new Feeder.

3.Any Hit - RUN! Any time the ball contacts the stick, even a "tip", it is a valid hit and the Striker must run. The ball may be struck anywhere. The Runners at the Sanctuaries may begin running as soon as the ball is struck -- whether it is a good hit or an Out doesn't matter, once the Runner begins to run, KEEP GOING!

4.Run Clockwise! Upon hitting the ball, the Striker then must run clockwise around the Sanctuaries. The runner does not need to touch any of the Sanctuaries and may run anywhere as long as he passes outside of each Sanctuary.

5.Striker is Out. The Striker is out if the hit is caught in the air or on one bounce.

6.Runner is Out. The Runner is out if he is plugged (hit with a thrown ball) while running. He is not out if he grasps a Sanctuary (that he hasn't used before - see Rule 7) before he is plugged. Note: the Striker becomes a Runner as soon as he begins running.

7.Sanctuarys Work Once. Once a Runner has touched a Sanctuary, he may not let go of it and then grasp it again - it has been used up for that Runner. (The idea here is that you are hiding -- if you suddenly pop out of hiding, everybody sees where you were hiding and it doesn't do you much good to try to hide there again.)

8.In until Out. A player is "In" until he has been gotten out. This also applies to the Castle - all players who are "In" must remain in the Castle (they are "Defenders"), if they step out they are "Out".

9.Undefended Castle is Vulnerable. If there are no Defenders in the Castle (for instance, the last Defender just struck the ball and is now a Runner) the Attacking team (the team in the outfield) may capture the Castle by plugging the Castle Stone.

10.Everybody Out. The teams change sides when the entire Defending team is Out, or when the Castle has been captured.

11.Two Rounders. If the last Defender hits the ball and makes it all the way back into the Castle in one run (a "Rounder") twice in a row then everyone on his team is back In again.

12.No Blockades. No Attacking team member may get in the way of a Runner in an attempt to prevent him from grasping a Sanctuary or proceeding around the Sanctuaries.

The Ball was made from four pieces of leather that were sewn together into the shape of a Ball. Before the ball was completely sewn shut, it was stuffed with whatever is handy. Use raw wool for a very bouncy, soft ball; old wool sock snippets for a less bouncy, less soft, but still a far travelling ball; leather snippets for a heavy, dead ball (for smaller fields and older players); or old nylons for a dead, soft ball (for smaller fields and young players).

The Stick or Bat was a piece of wood 12" long or longer. Any shape will do, but flat sided ones seem to be the most popular. Make sure there is some sort of knob at the bottom to keep it from flying out of the Striker's hands.

By the 19th Century in America, the game had undergone many changes, with regional variations abounding. Called "Townball" (because each town had their own version) or "Stickball", it was played all across America. You can see soldiers playing it in photographs from the Civil War. Our modern baseball is a variant of the version played in Cooperstown, New York. There is an active Townball organization in Cooperstown today, the Leatherstocking Base Ball Club. The Object of the game is the same as Rounders except instead of returning to a Castle, in Townball, you return to a Fort. The rules were basically the same except the Striker is called the Batter and the Feeder is called the Pitcher in Townball. The Sanctuaries are called Hideouts in Townball. 

These extra rules however were added to Townball:

1.Hanging Out by the Hideout. If the runners have all stopped running and are hovering near a hideout, and if the Pitcher has the ball in his control by his stone, the play shall be deemed ended and the Runners shall grasp the hideouts and the next Defender is up. If either the runner has not stopped running or the Pitcher is not in control by his stone, the ball is still in play.

2.Pulling Up the Hideouts. If a Runner, in his or her exuberance, pulls out the Hideout stake, that Runner is automatically Out! Notify someone of a loose stake before this happens to you.

3.Letting Go of the Hideout Between Plays. If a Runner mistakenly lets go of a Hideout after the play has ended but before the Defender has hit the ball, that Runner is automatically Out!

The ball and stick used in Townball were basically the same as the ones used in Roundball. You can now see the slight similarities between these games as they developed from Roundball, to Townball and then into Softball. The descriptions of Rounders and Townball were written by Chris Monser.

Softball is a version of baseball (itself a version of Rounders, via Townball) that is played by mixed-sex mixed-ability teams; although it can be played at a very serious level in a highly organized way, it is also very suitable for recreational play. It needs only a modest outlay in equipment, and can be played in more or less any wide open space (there is also a winter indoor version).

Softball was invented around the beginning of the 20th century by American professional baseball players who wanted to keep in practice during the off-season late fall and winter months; the substitute game was played indoors. Toward the end of the second decade of the century, Canadian amateur players began to play the new game outdoors, on playgrounds or other suitable fields; the game then rapidly became popular in Canada and obtained a foothold in the United States. Extensive interest in softball began in the United States about 1930. The first national amateur softball tournament took place in Chicago, Illinois, in 1933 in connection with the world's fair then being held in that city. After about 20 years, when fast pitching began to dominate the game, slow-pitch softball was developed in order to give batters a better chance at hitting the ball.