"The difference between baseball and softball?" It shows some of the major differences between baseball and softball within a creative writing style.

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English 1010-12N

22 March 2002

The Difference Between Baseball and Softball

Is it baseball or softball? It is the smell of the grass, the swirling of the dust, and the crack of the bat that all signal the start of America's favorite pastime, baseball. Even with the popularity of baseball, girls' fast pitch softball has competitively nipped at baseball's heels for the past few years. You have a bat, a ball, and you are hoping for a home run, but which is it? Until now, you do not know because these two sports are similar, but they are not the same. A few major differences that separate baseball from softball is the field, the strategy and style, and the rules of the game. Even with the mixed opinions about the similarities and differences of the sports, one thing is for sure, people play the sport not just for the personal satisfaction, but because they love it.

Anticipation: A baseball player making a pitch pre...

Aggie pitcher Megan Gibson pitches A&M to a Big 12...

The pitching circle, seen here at ASA Hall of Fame...

A major difference in baseball and softball is the field. For instance, in the game of baseball, the distance between each base is ninety feet, but in softball, the distance is sixty feet. (Olympic Preview: Softball 1). For a base runner that extra thirty feet could be the difference between becoming safe or being out. Another difference within the two sports is the distance from the pitcher's mound to home plate. In softball, the distance between home plate and the pitcher's mound is a third less than baseball, which is certainly a disadvantage for softball players. (Olympic Preview: Softball 1). Softball batters usually have one to two seconds to decide as to whether to swing or not, but baseball batters have around three to four seconds. This gives the baseball batter an additional two seconds to follow the pitcher's hand, and it is...