When was the date that softball was developed in Chicago?

21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The game of softball started on Thanksgiving Day, November 24th in 1887 at the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago (located now on landfill south of McCormick Place) when Yale and Harvard students and alumni assembled to learn the tickertape results of the annual football game between both schools, ...

When was softball invented in Chicago?

It is generally agreed that softball developed from a game called indoor baseball, first played in Chicago in 1887. It became known in the United States by various names, such as kitten ball, mush ball, diamond ball, indoor–outdoor, and playground ball.

When was softball invented date?

Softball was invented inside the Farragut Boat Club on a blustery, winter day in November, 1887, in Chicago, IL.

Was the softball invented in Chicago?

Softball was invented in Chicago in November 1887. The exact dimensions of the first ball, crafted from boxing -glove laces by creator George Hancock, is unknown. A 14-inch ball was used, however, in 1933 when 70,000 people saw the first major tournament game at the Century of Progress Exposition.

Where was softball Chicago invented?

History. The earliest known softball game of any kind was played at the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago on Thanksgiving Day 1887. The first softball was a wrapped up boxing glove and the bat was a broom. Play was encouraged by a reporter, George Hancock, who had been looking on.

What is unique about 16-inch softball in Chicago?

At that size, players are able to play the game without the need to use gloves. Plus, a 16-inch softball doesn't travel as far as the smaller one when it. This makes playing games a lot easier in the Chicago landscape where there are plenty of smaller parks and playgrounds.

Who invented the game softball?

Softball began in 1887 when George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, invented "indoor baseball". By the spring of 1888, the game had spread outdoors. It was originally called either mushball, kittenball or indoor baseball, but by the 1920s it had acquired the name of softball.

When did softball become official name?

In 1926, however, a man named Walter Hankanson, a YMCA official in Denver, coined the term Softball and by 1930 that became the officially recognized name of the sport.

How did Mr Hancock created softball?

When it was announced that Yale had won, Yale alumni, in excitement, threw a boxing glove at a Harvard supporter. The Harvard supporter playfully swung at it as spectators looked on in interest. George Hancock shouted, "Let's play ball," and tied the boxing glove into the shape of a ball.

What is Windy City softball?

Windy City Ice Fastpitch Softball is starting its 31^st season in 2021 - 22. The Windy City Ice is an “A” travel softball organization. Windy City Ice teams consist of young ladies who have committed themselves to playing the game of softball with the goal of playing in junior high, high school, and college.

Why is softball called softball?

Softball is called softball because, originally, the ball was soft. Even when softball was created in 1887, the name softball was first introduced and approved in 1926 by Walter Hakanson in the National Recreation Congress meeting.

When did softball become a women's sport?

At the time, most men thought sports were too strenuous for women. But with women being granted the right to vote in 1920, and as the nation recovered from the Great Depression in the 1930's, softball's popularity began to grow. After all, it was a game that could be played by many people for little cost.

Who invented fast pitch softball?

George Hancock, when he founded the game, was a reporter with the Chicago Board of Trade. He was the one to shout “play ball” when the boxing glove was first used to play the game in 1887 at the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago. He then tied the glove tightly to create a ball out of it.

Why is softball a girl sport?

When Title IX, the 1972 law that required equal funding to both male and female sports teams, finally appeared, women were given fair ground on nearly every sport. Baseball was not on that list, though. Instead, the law dictated that the school must provide an equivalent sport, and in that case, it was softball.

What did George Hancock do for a living?

George Hancock is recognized as both the inventor and the early developer of the game of softball. The story of how the first softball game was created is well established in the history of American sport.

When did softballs turn yellow?

Finally, in 2002, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) made the familiar bright-yellow hue the official color of their respective leagues' softball.

How big is a Chicago softball?

16-inch softball is an official sport in Chicago Public Schools. Only the boys play 16-inch whereas girls play fast-pitch, according to the Chicago Public Schools website. “We got the (public) high schools to start it as a lettered sport about 20 years ago,” said Al Maag, co-founder of the 16-inch softball Hall of Fame ...

Why is softball played with a bigger ball?

Softball was invented in Chicago in 1887 by a group of men who wanted to play baseball indoors during the cold and brutal winters of northern Illinois.To play indoors they created a soft, oversized ball and a small bat so that the ball would not travel too far or too hard.

How far can you hit a 16-inch softball?

Any softball rules not covered or found in this section will be covered or found in Part I of the current edition of the official NSA Rulebook. The official 16 inch diamond base lines will be sixty (60) feet. The pitching distance will be thirty-eight (38) feet. All batters start with 0-0 count ● No Extra foul balls!

Who is the most famous softball player?

Simply put, Jennie Finch is the most famous softball player of all time to the rest of the sporting world. Her success on the field at every level—multiple NCAA championships, record breaking pitching performances, Olympic Gold Medals—combined with beauty and grace made her a celebrity who transcended the sport.

Who is the best softball player in history?

Here are the top 5 best softball players of all time.

• Dot Richardson. Born in Orlando, Florida, the two-time Olympic Gold medal winner, Dot Richardson is the greatest softball player of all time. ...
• Lisa Fernandez. ...
• Cat Osterman. ...
• Jennie Finch. ...
• Jessica Mendoza.

Who is the best softball pitcher in the world?

Monica Abbott

She also still holds the record for most strikeouts in a single season with 724. With that, Abbott took home 2007 National Player of the Year and the Honda Award. If you still need more, she also has the most victories and shutouts in the NCAA and certainly goes down as one the best pitchers of all time.

How hard should a 14 year old throw?

Generally, 14 year old average cruising speed would be about 65 mph. Average freshman pitcher (14 to 15 year old) cruising speed would be about 70 mph. Average cruising speed for a good high school pitching prospect at 14 to 15 years old would be about 75 mph.