Softball, in comparison to baseball, is a sport which is played with a larger ball in a smaller field. It was first played in 1887 in Chicago as an indoor sport. The name, softball is a misnomer since softball is actually played with a large and heavy ball which is not soft like the name of the game suggests. Softball is played between two teams having 9-10 players. The international governing body for the softball game is the International Softball Federation.
Softball is similar to baseball with some minor differences. Baseball requires the pitcher to pitch the ball fast while in softball the pitching is done underhand which automatically reduces the pace of the ball. Also, in softball seven innings constitute a regulation game unlike nine innings in baseball. When a striker spans a run across all the four bases, he completes a home run. The importance of a home run in softball is similar to that of a goal in football. The team which scores the maximum bases at the end of their innings eventually wins.
