History of Softball

  • The Game That Started It All

    The Game That Started It All
    On Thanksgiving day in 1887 George Hanncock threw a rolled up boxing glove at his friend and his friend hit it with a broom stick, thus softball was born.
  • first rules

    first rules
    The first rules were written in 1889 by the Farragut Club
  • The First Team

    The First Team
    In 1895 the first softball team was formed but did not obtain a coach until 1899.
  • Period: to

    Uniforms

    from 1895 to 1955 softball uniforms weren’t pants, socks and a t-shirt, it was a dress.
  • Canadian Softball

    Canadian Softball
    The first known softball team, beyond the US, was formed in Toronto, Canada in 1897
  • Kittenball?

    Kittenball?
    In 1922 The game of softball, which at the time had no name, Was nicknamed “KittenBall” because of how soft the ball was. (Emphasis on the word “was” because that ball is no longer soft, trust me)
  • Softball

    Softball
    In 1926, the name “Softball” was first used by Walter Hakanson, a Denver YMCA official.
  • ASA

    In 1933 The first Softball Association was formed and was named the “ASA”. (Amateur Softball Association)
  • The First National Softball Tournament

    In 1933 the first softball tournament took place in Chicago. 55 teams total showed up to compete.
  • International Softball Tournament

    In 1965 The first international women’s softball tournament took place in Melbourne, Australia.
  • Little League

    Little League
    Little League Softball was introduced in 1974.
  • NFP

    In 1991 the NFP (National Fast Pitch League) was founded by Jay Cowles.
  • USA Softball Team

    USA Softball Team
    The first US softball team competed in the 1996 summer olympics and won.