Why Do Girls Play Softball And Boys Play Baseball (Sexism Or Law)

Have you ever wondered why do girls play Softball and boys play Baseball? Well, in my case, I did have the question a lot when I started my journey as a Baseball player. Because in my school girls played Softball. And there were no girls who played Baseball. But from my coach, I never had a clear answer. 

Then when I started my career as a Baseball coach, I faced the same question from one of my students. Then to give him a clear answer, I researched and started learning some unbelievable truths. 

The truth about how sexism played its role in drawing a line between two different games with two genders. How a law designed and issued to dissolve gender discrimination creates a loophole and expands discrimination. 

In this article, I will briefly discuss why do boys play Baseball and girls play Softball. 

The History of Softball

Do you know, when Softball was played for the first time, its name was “Kittenball”? It was also known as Mushball, Pumpkin Ball, and Diamond Ball. This game was played as “Indoor Baseball.” And long after, in 1920 or so, it got the name Softball.

According to the history and the encyclopedia of world sport, there are different stories behind Softball’s invention. But the most common and trusted one is,

In 1887 on thanksgiving, in a Boat Club named Farragut Club based in Chicago.

There was meant to be a football match between Yale and Harvard University but called off for the bad weather. The weather was terrible because of the heavy snow. 

After breaking the news, a Yale student throws a boxing glove at a Harvard student. The Harvard student then got a broomstick and struck the glove. 

And there was George Hancock; after seeing that, he shouted, “Play Ball.” And then the game began between Yale and Harvard. They tighten up the glove as a ball and use that broomstick as a bat. This first-ever Softball game ended with a score of 41-40. 

Now, the question is, why is George Hancock the inventor of the Softball game? Well, because, the next week, he came to the club with a 17” ball and an undersized bat. Later the Farragut Club set some rules for this game. And soon after, the game started getting famous among the outsiders. 

The first Softball rules were published in 1889. 

The Reason of Playing Softball in the very Beginning

From history, we know that Softball was invented by chance to have fun. No one knew at that time that it would become so popular in the future. 

Softball needs smaller space than Baseball. And in the first stage of development, Softball was played indoors. Nevertheless, it was an excellent substitute for Baseball in the winter. 

See, we all know that in the winter, Baseball players can not practice or play on the field if there is snow. So, Baseball players played Softball during the off-season to keep the flow because they could play indoors in a smaller space. 

For bad weather if you need to practice indoors, you need a portable pitching mound. If you want to build one follow this article || Easy steps to make a Portable Pitching Mound

Furthermore, Softball was widely open for both men and women. And it was not structured for women. 

Then what do you think happened or went wrong? An untold belief builds up in every player’s mind. Then nowadays, why do girls play Softball and boys play Baseball?

First, you need to know the Title IX Law to get a clear answer. 

The Title IX Law

This law was introduced in 1972 to destroy the imbalance and gender discrimination in school-level athletics. 

The Tile IX states-

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance,”

But the problem is that discrimination stayed there for some loophole. In other sports, girls stayed near but behind the boys (Mostly). And for Baseball and Softball, the authority saw a golden opportunity. 

Baseball and Softball are too similar, so the authorities put these two games in one category and divided the boys and girls into two separate sports.

This problem also can be explained from another perspective of the IX law. It said, If there is a game only for boys, then there must be an equivalent game for girls or vice versa. So, for this scenario, the authority took Softball as an equivalent to Baseball.

From the law, it is unfair without a doubt. But most girls will play Softball either way. Because, if somehow they got an opportunity to play in School level Baseball, they can not play that in High school or at the college level. So, most girls nowadays forcefully or intentionally feel comfortable playing Softball. 

Though in Japan, there are some women’s Professional Baseball leagues. 

Now you need to know how sexism pushback influenced a mass mind.

Sexism as a matter of Fact in Why do Girls Play Softball and Boys Play Baseball

In the present day, sexism has not had much influence on games. Sexism’s impact on Softball and Baseball happened in the past during the development period. 

As you can see, this game was invented by men. Then how come Softball becomes a girls’ game? 

At the beginning of the twentieth century, men started spending more time indoors playing Softball (It began as an indoor game). And this puts fear in society that the males are developing feminine behavior. 

At that time, society believed that the female should be indoors and the male must be outside more. For this silly reason, culture influenced men to play Baseball while the females were encouraged to play Softball. 

In every way, Softball is seen as more accessible, safer, modest, and suitable for girls.

The book “American National Game” was written by Albert Goodwill Spalding. This man tried to create a fake origin story of Baseball, where no women were involved. And there is the sexiest line – “Baseball is too strenuous for womankind.”

There are more reasons for sexism for this untold rule where men play Baseball and women play Softball. Some of them are:

– As Softball is bigger than Baseball, it will be easier for women to handle slow pitching. 

– And women are not physically capable of playing Baseball. 

– Baseball injuries can be more harmful to girls than to boys.  

There was a lawsuit in 1973 against girls not playing Baseball. The officials show the following reasons- 

• Girls are weaker than boys; therefore, girls are the barrier to the progress of a Baseball team. 
• Facial injuries can ruin a girl’s look, and that will harm their future lifestyle.
• If a girl gets struck by a Baseball on the chest, she will develop breast cancer.

And the silliest and sexist reason was brought by a Little League vice president- “Coaches would not be able to pat girls on the rear end the way they naturally do to boys.”

So, it is crystal clear that at the beginning of the Baseball and Softball game, the sexism influence was strong.

Do you think the physical demand is really a big point in why do girls play Softball and boys play baseball? 

The Size of Field

As a coach, I know that a boy and a girl can not equally put up with the same pressure. Boys got the advantage of having more strength. However, girls can adapt to a situation quicker than boys. 

Do you know that it has been proven that the Softball game is harder than the Baseball? Though most people think, Softball is easier. 

Softball Baselines are 60 feet long, while Baseball Baselines are 90 feet long. On the other hand, Baseball’s pitching distance is 60 feet, and Softball is 43 feet. Even Softball and Baseball use different types of bats. And even different styles of swings.

So, in Softball, the reaction time is shorter than in Baseball. This is one of the reasons why Softball is harder than Baseball. 

Nevertheless, the boys put more strength in Baseball, and the girls cope with quick responses in Softball. That is why most girls are better slow-pitch softball hitters than boys. 

Scarcity of Professional Baseball League for Women

For women, there are no professional Baseball Leagues available. Even in 1952, MLB banned making contracts with women Baseball players. 

As I said before, in the innovation time of Baseball and Softball, both games faced sexism. Then in the present era, Baseball can not even offer professional leagues for women. Because the number of women players is not enough to make the change. 

Though women now have one Softball league named “National Pro Fast Pitch.” 

So, most girls focus on Softball from the early stage of their career. Because even if they get a chance to play Baseball at the school level, they can not play it at the higher level. Women only have amateur and recreational groups to play at the higher level. 

As a girl, you can somehow cope with these problems and try to be happy with your Softball career. But you can not have enough income opportunities like a medium-level baseball player. 

A professional top-level Baseball Player can earn up to 40 Million per year. But a Softball player can hardly make 50 Thousand a year. And there was one top contract in Softball of 1 Million Dollars but for Six years.

Both men and women give the same level of effort and time. But this vast difference is created for the PR, which is much lower than Baseball.

Do Boys Play Softball?

Well, it was invented by men. So, yes, boys do play Softball. Only women have the domination here. 

Do you Know Mike Macenko, a former professional Softball player, had almost 7 thousand Home Runs in his 25 years career? 

There are some Little Leagues for Boys (ages 7 to 16). In some schools, there are some co-ed teams with both boys and girls. And the fun fact is, boys do not get many advantages for their strength over girls. Because strength does not play any vital role here in Softball. Reaction time is crucial here.

Well, for boys, there are many softball teams to join, but those are amateur level, recreational, or business teams. 

Men played in the back of the 70s and 80s, which was the golden age for men’s Softball. As I mentioned earlier, Mike Macenko has the most hit home runs.

There used to be the American Professional Slow Pitch League which was dissolved after five years. There have been some attempts to open it again or something like that in the past 20 years. But all the effort went in vain.  

Furthermore, boys face some complications in playing Softball because of the Title IX law. Like the girls who face problems playing Baseball. 

Why do Girls Choose Softball over Baseball

The sexist pushback is not the only reason girls and women choose Softball over Baseball. Because in this present day, sexist pushback is not that high. 

Playing Baseball as a girl was very okay until the beginning of 1900. At that time, the idea started to develop in every society: Baseball was for boys, and Softball was for girls. 

Did you know the USA has a National Women’s Baseball Team? However, according to statistics, girls have been drifting away from Baseball mainly after the little league. While in Little League, there were more than 100 Thousand girls playing. But in three years at the High School level, only 1200 girls played. 

Most people still believe that Baseball and Softball are the same sports with different names. But they must know these games are also different. Many professional women Baseball players still face  common silly questions. 

“Why do they play Baseball and not Softball?” 

 “How is that possible when Baseball is a boy’s game.”

You know we all subconsciously follow our comfort zone. We try to avoid problems and stay happy with whatever we have. I said it because most women find it easy to pursue Softball as a career. And for men, it is vice versa. To go against the system or pave a new road is time-consuming and challenging. At the same time, the stereotype way can quickly fix the disruption with a bit of turbulence. 

Furthermore, choosing Softball over Baseball can be a physical demand, and this is not something you need to be shy about. As I said before, Softball is harder than Baseball because it requires a quicker response than Baseball. And Baseball, on the other hand, needs strength the most. While girls can not provide that demand like the boys do. That is why I think this is also a more significant reason why female plays Softball and Male plays Baseball. . 

In recent times MLB also started promoting girls’ Baseball. They helped run a tournament for girls’ Baseball and got more than 100 participants. However, the coverage is still facing lackings. 

On the other hand, the authorities brought girls’ Softball to the Olympics. But not girls’ Baseball. And on the NACC level, there is no women’s Baseball program.   

Most of us need a motivational model to pursue a career in a specific sports sector. Whom they can look up to. Whom they can follow. 

For example, when I was a kid, I watched a Baseball game and became a fan of Barry Bond. And he became my role model. Later I pursued a career in Baseball and tried to be like him or even better.  

And girls can not find any role models like the way they see it in Softball. And that also makes them change their career path.

You can find out these articles to find out a motivational model || Softball Players || Top Baseball Players

Overall, I guess these are the main reasons of why girls choose Softball over Baseball.

The Evolving Landscape: Girls Playing Baseball & Boys Playing Softball Today

You know, for a long time, it felt like there was this unwritten rule: girls played softball, boys played baseball. And while we’ve already dug into the history and reasons behind that split, the truth is, things are really starting to change on fields across the country and even around the world.

That old, strict line? It’s getting blurrier every day, all thanks to players just wanting to play the game they love, no matter what.

It’s actually pretty cool to see. Nowadays, it’s not at all unusual to find girls who are absolutely crushing it in baseball, or guys who are tearing it up on the softball field. This isn’t just a small trend; it’s a big shift that shows how much more inclusive sports are becoming.

Girls Are Stepping Up to the Baseball Diamond

For decades, after the original professional women’s baseball league wrapped up in the 50s, a lot of girls just naturally went into softball. But lately, there’s been this amazing comeback for girls in baseball, especially over the past 10 to 15 years.

From Little League to High School:

• More Girls Playing: We’re talking thousands of girls all over the U.S. picking up a baseball glove. For example, recent numbers show that around 1,300 high school girls played on boys’ baseball teams just last season (2023-24). That’s a steady climb, showing girls are sticking with baseball well past elementary school.
• Baseball Just For Girls: Groups like Baseball For All (BFA) have been game-changers here. They put on national tournaments every year that bring together hundreds of girls from all over to play baseball against other girls, often on regular baseball fields. It’s a huge step for their growth and for building a real community.
• Local Teams are Popping Up: You’ll find more and more specific girls’ baseball programs in local areas. Take DC Girls Baseball in Washington D.C., for instance; they run leagues and clinics just for girls who want to play hardball.
• Inspiring Players: We’ve seen some incredible individuals make headlines. Remember Mo’ne Davis? Back in 2014, she captivated everyone by pitching in the Little League World Series – the first girl ever to win a game and throw a shutout there. More recently, in 2023, Olivia Pichardo made history as the first woman to play in an NCAA Division I baseball game for Brown University.⁴ These stories, though individual, inspire countless girls to follow their baseball dreams.

Looking Towards College and the Pros:

• College Club Baseball: While women’s baseball isn’t an official NCAA sport yet, more and more colleges are forming women’s club baseball teams. They even have national championships, which is awesome for girls wanting to keep playing after high school.
• USA Baseball’s Women’s Team: USA Baseball has its own Women’s National Team.⁶ These talented athletes compete internationally, showing the world how high a level women’s baseball can reach.
• A New Pro League is Coming! This is super exciting: there’s a plan to launch the Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) in 2026.⁷ This league, starting with six teams in the Northeast U.S., aims to be the first professional women’s baseball league since the AAGPBL. Over 500 players from all over the world have already shown interest, proving there’s a massive demand for this kind of opportunity at the highest level.

Boys Are Finding Their Place on the Softball Field

On the flip side, while many boys go straight from youth baseball to high school and beyond, playing softball – especially slowpitch – is actually super common for men, even if it’s less talked about in competitive youth settings here in the U.S.

Casual and Competitive Adult Leagues:

• Slowpitch is Everywhere: Seriously, men’s slowpitch softball leagues are a staple in nearly every town. From company teams to local park leagues, literally tens of thousands of guys play every week. It’s a fantastic way for former baseball players to keep playing, stay active, and just have fun with friends.
• Different Ways to Play: These leagues come in all sorts of flavors, with different rules like arc pitching or even playing without gloves in some Chicago-style leagues, making it accessible and fun for everyone.
• Co-Ed is Huge: Co-ed slowpitch softball has absolutely exploded in popularity. It’s a perfect way for men and women to play together, socialize, and compete in a more relaxed environment. This is where you really see the two sports blending seamlessly for pure enjoyment.

Elite Men’s Fastpitch (More Global):

• While not as common for boys’ youth leagues in the U.S., men’s fastpitch softball is a big deal internationally. Countries like New Zealand and Canada, for example, have incredibly strong men’s fastpitch national teams that compete at the highest levels globally.

Why the Shift? It’s About Passion, Choice, and Opportunity

So, what’s behind this change? It’s a mix of things:

• Pure Preference: Sometimes, it’s as simple as a player just loving the feel of a specific bat, the different pitching motion, or the overall pace of one game over the other. It’s about what feels right to them.
• More Awareness: People are simply more aware now that these options exist. Organizations and advocates are doing a great job of showing that baseball isn’t just for boys, and softball isn’t just for girls.
• Easier Access: As more leagues and teams pop up that are welcoming to everyone, the practical hurdles to playing are just getting smaller.
• The Joy of the Game: At the end of the day, both baseball and softball are amazing, challenging, and incredibly fun sports. When players are given the freedom to choose, they’ll naturally gravitate toward the one that brings them the most joy.

The old saying about “girls play softball and boys play baseball” is definitely becoming more of a historical note than a strict rule. The future of these fantastic games is all about talent, passion, and letting every player choose the diamond where they truly want to shine.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Why female plays Softball and male plays Baseball ?

ANSWER: Among many reasons- sexism pushback, old faulty law and physical demand is responsible for this situation. 

2) Is it a Softball girls game ?

ANSWER: No indeed. The game was meant to be open to both boys and girls.

3) Why did Softball become a women’s sport ? 

ANSWER: Well, in the very beginning of the innovation of Softball, it was an indoor game. Early society had the mentality that girls should be indoors. And that practice unknowingly gives a fake idea and makes Softball a women’s sport. 

The Final Thoughts

It does not matter if you are a boy or a girl. Does not matter what society and system tell you to play. Matters if you are playing a game you like. If you do not have the opportunity to play the game you want.

So, if you are a girl and like to play Softball, then it is okay. But as a girl, if you want to play Baseball and do not have the opportunity to play it, then this system has a problem. 

I hope I have given a clear view of why do girls play Softball and boys play Baseball. And let’s make these two games popular and available among both boys and girls. Let’s hope the system will change one day.