What are the Differences Between Softball and Baseball?
What are the Differences Between Softball and Baseball?
META: Take a look at our guide to get yourself ready for your next softball game.
An outsider might look at that title, “the differences between softball and baseball” and initially say, “Well, one’s played by adults, another by kids in school”, and they’d be wrong for a number of reasons. Softball is a sport enjoyed by many of all ages – enough to be an official sport in the Olympics.
And that’s where the rest of the differences come to light. If there is a baseball and softball team at the Olympics, the Olympics judges and managers are going to make sure those differences are clear and regulated. So, what are these differences? Well, it turns out there are a few, as softball is somewhat of an offshoot of baseball. While the primary elements remain the same, everything from the field to the pitcher is affected by the difference. Take a look at our guide to get yourself ready for your next softball game.
The field is different
The baseball field is a relatively larger field than the softball, coming in at 90 feet compared to softball’s 60. But the softball field also allows for a double first base and a fence with a constant distance from the home plate. However, it doesn’t allow for a pitcher’s mound and instead the pitcher has to stick to the rubber in the center only. Plus, the pitching distance is lowered from 60ft 6 inches to 50 ft for an adult and 46 ft for a youth team.
The audience is different
The major difference between baseball and softball is the audience reach. As most have dismissed it as a kid’s game, there isn’t enough buzz around softball to gain it mainstream appeal. The tournaments get smaller crowds, the professional players take home a smaller salary.
So, if you were to partake in some sports betting on the Mr Green website, you’d be more likely to find a lot more choice on who and what teams andtournaments to bet on in baseball. Far more than the choices in softball. This is a shame because you could argue that the little differences between softball and baseball are what makes them interesting.
The ball is different
An Olympic regulated softball is significantly bigger than a regulation baseball. The softball comes out at between 11.88 and 12.13 inches, weighing between 6.35 and 7 ounces, while a baseball is between 9 and 9.25 inches and weighs between 5 and 5.25 ounces.
The bat is different
Along the same lines, the bat of a softball team is smaller. An Olympic regulated baseball bat is 42 inches of wood, while the softball bat is limited to 34 inches and can be made from just about anything, including wood. The combination of the bigger ball and the smaller bat is a design move to create a safer game by making an easier target to hit. So, the fun becomes less about whether you hit it but instead how far.
The pitcher is different
As mentioned, the pitcher is no longer on a mound when it comes to softball, but there are differences there too. The most noticeable difference between the two is how they throw. Baseball players can pitch any way, but they typically go for overhand, whereas softball have restrictions to their pitching, including that it should be underhand. It has to travel in an arc within certain height restrictions, that usually amount to between 6 and 12 feet from the ground. If the pitcher goes out of these boundaries, the umpire can consider it illegal.
Conclusion
The differences between baseball and softball are minor, and ultimately come down to equipment use. So, if you were to decide you wanted to visit thelocal softball team on their next game, chances are you could pick it up quickly.
