Popular Events
With multiple major tournaments lined up in 2020, the level of excitement for softball fans must be quite high. Softball game tickets are selling out faster than you would imagine, as people prepare to watch their favorite players wow them in 2018 at the USA Softball National Championships, the GOLD National Championships and many other competitions. You wouldn’t want to miss out, so grab your tickets at the earliest!
It’s No Baseball
Initially invented as a variant of baseball, softball has now become a complete sport in its own right. It has been given several names over the years – mush ball, indoor baseball, playground, kitten ball and even ladies’ baseball. The name ‘softball’ was finally assigned to the sport in 1926, because the ball used is a soft one.
History
The history of the sport dates back to a football match played in Chicago in 1887 on Thanksgiving Day. There was a gathering at the Farragut Boat Club to reveal the outcome of a football game between Harvard and Yale. After the announcement of the score, a Yale alumnus threw a boxing glove towards a Harvard supporter. Quick to react, the Harvard supporter grabbed a stick and swung it at the glove, hitting it. A reporter on the scene called out “Play Ball” and the game started. The boxing glove was tightened into a ball and a broom handle was used as the bat. That is where the game of softball originated from.
Major interest in the sport developed when a tournament was held in 1933 at the Chicago World’s Fair. Soon the Amateur Softball Association was formed and the popularity of the game began to increase.
Today, the game has expanded to multiple countries with several prestigious competitions taking place all throughout the year. In the United States alone, an approximate 14.62 million people played at least one game of softball during the spring of 2015. Softball is played at different levels in multiple countries around the world with the International Softball Federation having 113 member countries now.
Softball Greats
With loads of college and club players, coaches, event producers, media persons and organization administrators, the world of softball is full of influential people. Let’s take a look at some of the people who have contributed greatly to the advancement of this sport:
Sue Enquist: The Hall of Fame coach, board member and business owner, played with UCLA between 1975 and 1978. She helped her team win its first national softball championship at the 1978 Women’s College World Series. In 1997, Enquist became the head coach at UCLA – a position she held till 2006. In her 18 years as the co-head coach and head coach, she compiled an impressive record of 887-175-1. She also holds multiple honors, such as her induction into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, the UCLA Hall of Fame in 1993, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Capistrano Unified School District Hall of Fame in 2000.
Jennie Finch: Jennie Finch is without doubt the most famous softball player of all time. She has achieved success at every level, with several NVAA championships, Olympic Gold Medals and record-shattering pitching performances. Add to that her beauty and grace, Finch is a Softball celebrity. She is truly an icon of softball greatness, with her face being the most recognizable in the fastpitch field. She was described by Time magazine as the most famous softball player in history.
Dan Hay: The President & CEO of Premier Girls Fastpitch, Dan Hay was known for his strategic role of providing fields for softball events in his hometown, Huntington Beach, California. Today, he is regarded as one of the biggest influences in club softball. He was also an active high school and club level softball coach. His background in insurance and business helped him get on the PGF board. He is credited with taking the PGF branch across the country and creating regional and local qualifiers and tournaments.
Dave King: The CEO and Founder of Triple Crown Sports (TCS) is a man who knows all the ins and outs of softball. A Harvard business graduate who not only produces softball events but also has a noted involvement in basketball, King has worked with multiple organizations to promote the sport. TCS has multiple prestigious softball tournaments to its name, including the TCS Rising Star events, Triple Crown Nationals and the Aurora Tournaments.
Lisa Fernandez: The American softball coach and former pitcher is currently working as the assistant coach at UCLA. It has been more than 20 years since her college career ended but her success story is still going strong. She has won every team and individual award considered possible and is widely recognized as an international sports figure. She was a four time All American and two time National Champion at her alma mater, UCLA.
Softball Tournaments in 2018
For softball fans, now would be a great time to get softball tickets for the upcoming tournaments in 2018. The 2018 USA Softball National Championships, GOLF National Championships, ASA Championship Teams by State, the USA Softball Hall of Fame National Qualifiers, the USA Softball Regional Qualifiers, USA Softball Prior Champions, USA Softball Slow Pitch and the USA Softball Slow Pitch Championship Series are all lined up ahead in the coming months. This is all the action that you would certainly not want to miss. So, make sure you get your tickets before they run out.
Cheap Softball Tickets
Lucky for die-hard fans of softball, cheap softball tickets might be available soon. If you want to avail the best prices, you are advised to get your tickets at the earliest. With a large number of games lined up in the near future, you really can’t afford to take any chances. Find out where and when your favorite team is playing and head on over there with your tickets in hand!
