Well, softball readers, whaddya do during Christmas break when there’s no softball action to get the blood pumping and the heart racing? Yes, well I know, sit on your duff, watch football and eat Christmas cookies. No!!!!! Think about softball, NATCH! Well… That’s what I did.
It’s Thursday, January 15 (the big 75 for yours truly – the “hot bat” year) which is deadline day for the Notes and two weeks into the winter season. By the time you read this, the season should be four weeks underway. The winter season runs from Monday, January 5 to Saturday, April 17. So, plenty of softball in the coming months. Games daily, Monday through Friday, beginning at 9 a.m. and practices Saturday morning. Of course, there’ll be our annual St. Patricks Day Tournament on Saturday, March 14. Softball fun, food, music and lotsa neighborly yakkety-yak.
Winter League Action
Yes, not a lot of action yet. In fact, given the rain the first week of the season, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday got cancelled!!! So, some teams have gotten in two games so far, and some just one (and Fridays NONE!)
On Mondays, in Recreational, Heredia’s Landscaping has jumped out to a 2-0 start with KJK Insurance Specialists taking a beating from the ‘Scapers so far and are 0-2. In Community Big Bear Garage Doors is off to a 2-1 start (had a doubleheader in there) with Barron Electric at 1-1, and Ann Fraley-Long Realty bringing up the rear at 1-2.
On Tuesdays, in Community, Anne Glen-Long Realty and Brittni Guttman-Allstate Insurance are locked at 1-1 each. Long way to go, though. Over in Competitive, it’s ditto, with Bubb’s Grub and Catalina Family Dental sharing first place (and last) at 1-1 each as well.
Wednesdays are Sidewinder(AA) and Community(AAA) day. In Sidewinder, Ambient Air Heating and Cooling has taken the first game and is 1-0 to Absolutely Art’s 0-1. In Community Dominick’s Real Italian is also off to the 1-0, with Debra Miller-State Farm losing the first game and so is 0-1.
Thursdays now feature a second Rec league as well as Coyote (65+). In Rec, Hughes Credit Union took the league “opener” (last Thursday being canceled) and is 1-0, while Leah Kari Solutions took the hit in game one and are 0-1. Over in Coyote, Harn Legacy Estate Planning is off to a 1-0 start with Hardin Brothers Automotive is 0-1.
Friday teams have yet (at this writing) to play their first game as last week’s game was canceled because of the field conditions after the rain.
The Origins of Softball
MEANTIME, though during the break with no softball to be played or watched, this “reporter” got to thinking about how softball developed. So, I went to the encyclopedia to learn more. RIGHT! Actually to the internet to pretty much plagiarize. Thank you Wikipedia.
That’s right. It’s recorded that the first softball game was played in Chicago at the Farragut Boat Club in 1887. Twenty or so doofs had gathered to hear who won the Yale-Harvard football game (really?) and after the game some Yalie threw a boxing glove at some Harvie who swatted it with a broomstick. Some wag saw this, tied up the glove in a ball, broke the broom end off the stick and GAME ON! I figure the keg ran low and they had nothing better to do.
Anyhoo, the “wag”, a reporter name of George Hancock, went home, banged out 19 rules, and the game of “indoor-outdoor” was born. The sport cycled through various names, including “Kitten Ball” (huh?), “Playground Ball,” “Diamond Ball,” and “Recreation Ball,” finally settling on “Softball” around 1926 when a Denver YMCA worker gave it that name.
Well, nowadays, softball has evolved to 3 basic types: slow pitch (“lob-ball” or SaddleBrooke style), fast pitch (65 mph from 45 feet (“no see-um”) or Arizona Wildcat women’s’ style), and mush ball (Chicago/bare-handed/no glove style). Slow pitch and fast pitch are pretty self-explanatory and are relatively similar; mostly using a 12-inch diameter softball although the size of the ball can be slightly different and lengths between bases and the pitcher’s mound to the plate can different as well. “Mush Ball” or 16-inch softball, now there’s an oddity. The original Farragut Boat ball was a 16-incher and now the 16-inch game is sometimes called clincher, cabbageball, smushball, and Chicago ball. Mushball is a variant of softball, but using a larger ball that gradually (but not at the beginning of the game!) becomes softer the more the ball is struck, and is played with no gloves (Ouch!) for the fielders. It still remains popular in Chicago, New Orleans, Portland, Oregon and Atlanta. Later in a game, a batted the ball can take on an “ovalized” shape and “looping” trajectory cuz the ball AIN’T ROUND NO MORE!
Here in the Brooke, is slow-pitch from 50 feet. The “lob” has to be a minimum of 6 feet high to a max of 12 feet. The ball has to hit a rectangular “plate” to be a strike. The Competitive leagues put the bases at 70 feet while all the other leagues put ‘em at 65. Games are typically 7 innings long with a 5 run max per inning rule except for the last inning which is “unlimited” (yes ….. there have been 18-19 run innings!!!).
Post Game Wrap
Well, I could go on as you know! But I’m at my limit so that’s a wrap. Winter League games are daily, Monday through Friday, starting at 9 a.m. Practices are on Saturday when you can tune the bat and glove. If you want more info, come on down to the field. Or you can surf the SaddleBrooke Softball Association at saddlebrookesoftball.com.
Don’t forget—our St. Patrick’s Day Tournament will be held on Saturday, March 14!
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