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Some authorities claim that softball was originated bymembers of the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago, Illinois, in 1887. Britannica -
The National Amateur Playground Ball Association of the US was founded in 1908. It created rules that are very similar to those used in softball today. britannica -
April 2, 1931, Jackie Mitchell played the New York Yankees. The seventeen year old was pitching, and the first batter was the famous Babe Ruth, on deck Lou Gehrig. Jackie struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Smithsonian -
In 1943, the first season of professional women's softball was played out in four Midwestern towns. The AAGPBL was created during WWII, while men were getting drafted and unable to play baseball. proquest -
Nearly 200,000 fans attended games during the first season, in 1943. Two years later, total attendance topped 450,000. Proquest -
Once the war was over and baseball players were back on the field, attendance at women's games decreased rapidly. The league continued until 1954 before disbanding. Proquest -
In 1972, President Nixon signed Title IX, demanding that women also get federally funded for education programs. This, of course, also included sports, which was a big deal for everyone at the time. Proquest -
The International Joint Rules Committee on Softball, which was absorbed by the ASA in 1980, sets the rules regulating 12-inch balls. Britannica -
In 1988, the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., opened a permanent exhibit of league memorabilia. Proquest -
In 2028, Women's softball will be making its first appearance in the Olympics, being held in LA. Proquest