SOFTBALL

HISTORY

RULES

“BEATTIE RULES”!!!

HISTORY OF SOFTBALL

*Invented in 1887 as an indoor sport by George Hancock

*In 1895 Lewis Rober, a fireman, invented outdoor softball and called it “Kitten Ball”. He used his outdoor game to keep his firemen in shape.

*The name softball was not developed until 1926.

INFIELD

OUTFIELD

Pitcher

Catcher

1ST

2ND

3RD

Shortstop

Left field

Center field

Right field

Rover

Inside the “diamond”

Outside the “diamond

Foul lineFoul line

BASELINE

4

2

31

5

6

PITCHER

CATCHER

1ST BASE

2ND BASE

3RD BASE

SHORT STOP

X

XX

X

Infield Positions (numbered) &

Where to Play the Position!

Outfield Positions (numbered) and Where to Play the Position!

Left Field7

Center Field

8

Right Field

9

Rover - 10

Foul line Foul line

NOTICE THEPLAYING POSITIONS OF THE INFIELDERS AND OUTFIELDERS

SOFTBALL RULES

• 10 players on a team• Line between bases is 60’ and forms a

diamond – inside these lines in the infield.• Outside the the baseline but inside the

playing field is the outfield.• Any ball hit outside the 1st or 3rd baseline is

a foul ball – runners can not advance, batter gets another try (unless ball was caught in the air = out).

• Official game is 7 innings (both teams have had their chance to bat 7 times)

MADE SIMPLE

Pitching Rules – Simplified!

• Pitcher can only take one step forward while pitching – start with both feet on the pitching rubber.

• Ball must be thrown underhand.• Both hands must be on ball at start of pitch.

BEATTIE RULES!

• PITCH TO YOUR OWN TEAM

• THREE PITCHES ONLY – MUST HIT ONE FAIR

BATTING – SIMPLIFIED!• Batters must follow same order throughout

entire game.

• Batter is out when:– Three strikes have been called– A fly ball is caught– Batter does not stand in the batters box

BEATTIE RULES!

Batter only gets three pitches – one of the pitches must be hit into fair territory or the batter is OUT!

BASE RUNNING• Runners must touch each base – in order!• Runners may overrun 1st base only. All

other bases: if overrun – the runner may be tagged and called out if off the base.

• After fly ball is caught runner must “tag up’ before advancing to the next base

• Base runners can not pass each other!• No stealing bases

A RUNNER IS OUT IF:•They are tagged with the ball before reaching the

base

•The ball gets to 1st base before the runner

•They run more than 3 feet outside the baseline to

avoid being tagged.

SOFTBALL “LINGO”

*BALL: A LEGALLY PITCHED BALL THAT DOES NOT ENTER THE STRIKE Z ONE. 4 “BALLS” = A WALK.

*GROUNDER: A BALL THAT IS HIT ON THE GROUND

*FORCE: WHEN THE RUNNER HAS TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT BASE TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE FOLLOWING BASE RUNNER

*FLY BALL: BALL HIT UP INTO THE AIR

*ON DECK: NEXT BATTER

*POP UP: BALL HIT UP INTO THE AIR IN THE INFIELD

*STRIKE: WHEN A BALL IS SWUNG AT AND MISSED. A STRIKE IS ALSO CALLED WHEN THE BALL ENTERS THE STRIKE ZONE AND IS NOT SWUNG AT (CAUGHT “LOOKING”).

*FOUL BALL: BALL IS HIT OUTSIDE THE BASE LINE/FOUL LINE

*IN THE HOLE: BATTER AFTER THE ON DECK BATTER