Women’s Softball Overview

Softball is a game created in 1887 in Chicago.  It was originally created to be in indoor game.  In 1895, a Minneapolis organizer named Lewis Rober Sr. organized an outdoor version of the game as a form of exercise for firefighters. 

Softball is often compared to baseball.  There are many differences.  The base paths are shorter in softball as is the distance from the pitcher’s plate to home. The bats used are similar, but the barrels of softball bats are not as wide as baseball bats.  There is no leading off a base before the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand.  In some versions of softball, there are 10 players on the field.

Softball can be played slow-pitch, fast-pitch or modified-pitch.  In Minnesota State High School League play, Fast-pitch is played.

Softball was one of the sports girls could play through the Girls Athletic Association, a form of intermural sports, since females were not allowed to participate in interscholastic sports.

In Minneapolis, Softball began during the 1977-1978 school year.