Baseball and softball seem to be basically like the same sport, but there is actually a great deal of differences in them. Both sports are extremely competitive. They both bring fun entertainment and superior exercise to both male and female. There has always been that debate of the similarities and differences between baseball and softball and them being Americas favorite pastime.
These two sports may have numerous differences, but they are similar in many ways. They are both played with hard, circular balls. They both requires gloves to catch or stop the balls. They each have nine players on the field defensively. The concept of the game is the same, they each have a pitcher and must hit the ball. They have four bases that they must run around in order to score runs. Umpires are needed in both sports to officiate the game. If players are hit by a pitch, they are awarded a base.
Baseball is known as a sport for males. There are 30 major league baseball teams. The pitching is all done overhand and on an elevated mound that ranges to a nine-foot radius. In the professional leagues, only wood bats may be used (RulesofSport.com 2016). The maximum diameter for their bats is 2 ¾ inches. The distance from the pitching mound to home plate is 60 feet 6 inches (iSPORT 2018). The color of the ball is white, and it is nine inches in circumference. The average MLB player salary is $3.27 million per season (iSPORT 2018). In baseball, a player can lead off or try to steal bases when the ball is live (Wikipedia 2018). The number of innings played are nine. The normal length between all the bases are ninety feet and the homerun fences are 250 feet.
Softball was created by George Hancock in 1887 and was known as indoor baseball which copied baseballs rules and regulations (iSPORT 2018). As the years went by, softball was once recognized as its own sport. Softball has a professional league called the National Pro Fastpitch and only has four teams. The pitching is done underhand, on flat ground which radiates to eight feet in diameter. A softball bat is known to be slenderer and the maximum diameter is 2 ¼ inches. Wood, metal and composite bats are used. The distance from the pitching mound to home plate ranges anywhere from 35 to 43 feet. The color of the ball is yellow, and it is twelve inches in circumference. The average professional National Pro Fastpitch players salary is $2,000 – $5,000 a season (iSPORT 2018). A player can only attempt to steal a base once the ball has been released from the pitcher’s hand (Wikpedia 2018). The number of innings played is seven. The length between the bases are sixty feet and the homerun fences are minimum 220 feet.
While baseball and softball seem very much alike, there are quite a few differences. Either way, they are both fun sports to play and entertaining to watch. They both take skills and require a lot of practice to be successful. Baseball and softball are known to be a ballpark of fun and excitement!