What are the three sizes of softballs?

Today the game of softball is played worldwide with standard sets of rules. There are still three sizes of balls in use: 12-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch. The 12-inch ball is the most popular. The first softball fast-pitch national tournament for both men and women was held in 1933 in Chicago.

What is the actual size of the softball ball?

The official softball is a smooth-seam ball 12 inches (30.5 cm) in circumference, weighing between 6.25 and 7 ounces (177 and 198 grams).

What’s the difference between 11-inch and 12-inch softballs?

12 Inches. The 12-inch ball is the standard for slow-pitch softball. The ball is a little softer than the 11-inch version. The softness and its size, which makes it slightly harder to throw than a smaller ball, slows the speed of the game just a little bit compared to a game using an 11-inch ball.

What size balls are used in high school softball?

Softball players competing in fastpitch will regularly use a 11″ ball. Fastpitch balls are meant to travel at high speeds and be very reactive, but similar to slowpitch, league guidelines will determine the Compression and COR measurements for play.

How do the 3 types of softball differ?

Fast-pitch softball usually has nine innings in a game. The game is played with nine players. Meanwhile, slow-pitch softball only has seven innings and is played by ten players. The extra player serves as a player in the outfield and a countermeasure in additional hitting and offense.

What size ball does 12U softball use?

Specifications. The ball for 12U fast-pitch is 12 inches and 11 inches for 12U slow-pitch. Base paths are the standard 60 feet for both versions of the game, but pitching distance is 40 feet for fast-pitch and 46 feet for slow-pitch.

What size ball does 14U softball use?

12 inches
When players reach the 14U level, the pitching mound is moved back to 43 feet and that is where it will stay. The ball size will remain at 12 inches for the remainder of a softball players career as well.

Why do females play softball instead of baseball?

After World War II, insurance companies were rising, and injuries from baseball became more costly than ever. More and more men started playing softball. Fewer women played baseball. Meanwhile, American society moved from physical labor in the fields and farms to mental labor in the offices, Wiles notes.

Why is a softball yellow?

Function. The biggest reason for making softballs bright yellow is that they are easier to see. The distance between the pitching mound and the batter’s box is approximately 14 feet shorter in softball than in baseball, giving the hitter less time to react to the pitch.