Final Exam B: Softball Flashcards
When did it begin and by who was it created?
1887 , George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Board of Trade, invented “indoor baseball”. By the spring of 1888, the game had spread outdoors.
Original names
It was originally called either mushball, kittenball or indoor baseball, but by the 1920s it had acquired the name of softball.
When did it become organized?
The sport became organized in the United States in 1933 with the formation of the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA). The sport was originally played by men and did not become popular with women until the formation of the ASA.
Purpose of the game
hit the ball with a bat before the player tries to run around an infield with four bases. Once a player manages to get right round without being given out a run is scored. The team with the most runs at the end of the game is deemed the winner.
Softball Field and Positions
1 Pitcher 2 Catcher 3 First Base 4 Second Base 5 Third Base 6 Shortstop 7 Left Field 8 Center Field 9 Right Field
Positioned outside the scope of the four bases or the infield square.
The right _______ should stand closest to the first base. They are tasked to catch and throw balls that are no longer within the infield area and to back their teammates up at the bases.
Strong throwers considering the fact that they positioned at a distant.
7 Left Field
8 Center Field
9 Right Field
Take care of last base. Includes the corner diagonally opposite to the first base.
Expected to catch the balls hit by the batter which has landed around or within the area. They must throw the ball to the catcher before the opponent reaches the home plate.
Third Baseman
Stands between the second and third bases and is expected to take care of those balls that end up within that specific area. Crucial role since in reality, most of the balls end up there.
Required to help in catching and fielding. Considered to be the most difficult position in the team. This is the Requires versatile and agile players to be able to play the role exactly.
Short Stop
Found in the second base and is positioned ( softball positions ) opposite to the home base across the playing field.
Should not stand at the exact right angle of the second base but should be more towards the first base. This player is expected to catch the ball in the second base but is also expected to help the first baseman and throw the balls to the pitcher to eliminate the opponent. Most second base players are right-handed.
Second Baseman / Second Bagger
Stand at the first base, to the right side of the pitcher.
Main role to catch throws at the first base to prevent the batter from reaching it and scoring. Very vital position to be able to set the momentum of the team in preventing the opposing team in scoring.
First Baseman
Positioned in a crouch just behind the home plate. Crucial roles in the team as it is tasked to help in gaining score.
Helps in throwing balls ahead of the batter before he can reach the bases and catches the balls fielded from the third base. Expected to call the pitches and communicate to the team the number of outs, strikes and other important details in the game.
Catcher
Pitches or throws the ball to the batter from the pitcher’s mound. Should stand on the pitcher’s rubber which is a rectangular area on the mound when making a pitch. The rubber and the mound are located on level ground and the pitcher is expected to stand on it on both feet. Once the ball has already been hit by the batter, the ________ should ensure that his two feet are no longer in the rubber.
Throw the ball under the arm and it should pass through the strike zone which is an imaginary area starting from the chest to the knee of the ______.
Height and upper agility and strength is very important in choosing the team’s ______.
Pitcher
A batted ball that rolls or bounces along the ground.
Rolling (ground ball)
A batted ball hit in an arcing manner. Fielders attempt to catch ______ on their descent, and an out is recorded if the ball is caught before it hits the ground.
Fly ball
Also known as “hitter”; an offensive player who takes his/her position in the batter’s box to try to hit the pitch
Batter
A rectangular area beside home plate where the batter must stand to hit the pitch
Batter’s box
The official list giving the sequence in which members of the (offensive) team must come to bat
Batting order
The five-sided piece of whitened rubber that the batter stands beside to hit the pitch
Home Plate
A safe hit, when no error or putout results, which allows the batter to reach all four bases and score a run; usually a fly ball in fair territory which goes over the outfield fence
Homerun
A batted ball that settles on foul territory between home and first base, or between home and third base, or that bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or that first falls on foul territory beyond first or third base, or that, while on or over foul territory, touches the person of an umpire or player, or any foreign object to the natural ground; A foul fly shall be judged according to the relative position of the ball and the foul line, including the foul pole, and not as to whether the infielder is on foul or fair territory at the time he/she touches the ball.
Foul ball
The two straight lines extending from home plate past the outside edges of first and third bases to the outfield fence
Foul lines
A batted ball that goes sharply and directly from the bat to the catcher’s hands and is legally caught. It is not a foul tip unless caught, and any foul tip that is caught is a strike, and the ball is in play. It is not a catch if it is a rebound, unless the ball has first touched the catcher’s glove or hand
Foul tip
When a batter reaches first base (or any succeeding base) safely on a fair ball which settles on the ground or touches a fence before being touched by a fielder, or which clears a fence; when a batter reaches first base safely on a fair ball hit with such force, or so slowly, that any fielder attempting to make a play with it has no opportunity to do so; when a batter reaches first base safely on a fair ball which takes an unusual bounce so that a fielder cannot handle it with ordinary effort, or which touches the pitcher’s plate or any base (including home plate) before being touched by a fielder and bounces so that a fielder cannot handle it with ordinary effort; when a batter reaches first base safely on a fair ball which has not been touched by a fielder and which is in fair territory when it reaches the outfield unless in the scorer’s judgment it could have been handled with ordinary effort; when a fair ball that has not been touched by a fielder touches a runner or an umpire, when a fielder unsuccessfully attempts to put out a preceding runner, and in the scorer’s judgment the batter would not have been put out at first base by ordinary effort
Hit
That portion of the game within which the teams alternate on offense and defense and in which there are three putouts for each team. Each team’s at-bat comprises a half-inning
Inning
The point scored when a batter or base runner advances to home plate
Run
A hit that allows a batter to reach first base safely
Single
When a batter is put out by a third strike caught by the catcher; a batter is put out by a third strike not caught when there is a runner on first before two are out; a batter becomes a runner because a third strike is not caught; a batter bunts a ball into foul territory after two strikes (unless such a bunt results in a fly ball, which is caught by any fielder. This is not considered a strikeout, but a putout by the fielder)
Strikeout
The space over any part of home plate between the batter’s armpits and the top of his/her knees when he/she assumes a natural batting stance
Strike Zone
