NSF*MSF Softball Report ? Minnesota Sports Federation

National Softball Federation Established
The Minnesota Sports Federation has a new national softball partner committed to reducing fees and having more participant friendly national tournament venues and tournament formats.

The mission of the National Softball Federation is to develop rules, equipment standards and program content that promotes the growth of recreational softball play which represents 95% of the players in the USA.

The National Softball Federation will also address the desires of highly competitive and skilled softball players (5%) through the use of equipment, rules and program modifications.

The guiding principle of the National Softball Federation shall be to provide the best possible program (most generous tournament formats) at the lowest possible cost. There will be no team membership or individual player fees. Tournament hosts shall retain 85% of National Tournament entry fees to support their local charitable cause. Affiliated league directors, especially park and recreation directors, players and umpires will be involved in establishing rules and program content that focuses first and foremost on the recreational player with modifications for the highly skilled and competitive athlete.

As always, local leagues are permitted to modify NSF rules for local league, weekend tournament and state tournament play as long as safety is not compromised. Once NSF North American Championship play begins these rules shall apply as written/modified.

Softball: A Historical Perspective
George Hancock, a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, is credited with inventing the game of indoor softball at the Farragut Boat House in Chicago in 1887. Lt. Lewis Rober, Captain of Fire Station 19 on the University of Minnesota Minneapolis Campus, is credited with inventing an outdoor version in 1895, called kitten ball.

In both instances the game was used as a recreational outlet for the players involved and meant to be a ?miniature? less difficult version of baseball. The first Minnesota outdoor field was located behind fire station #19 at University Avenue and Oak Street, now the Buffalo Wild Wings just across the street from the home of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team.

?Miniature? is an understatement as the first diamond had 45? base paths and a pitching distance of 35?. It was not uncommon for 1,500 fans to show up for a Saturday afternoon game between The Kittens and The Rats.

Rober wrote the first rulebook which sold for 10 cents and sewed the first ball which sold for $1.25. Bats were wood and no more than two inches in diameter, resembling a big broom stick. At the Farragut Boat Club in Chicago, the first ball was a rolled up boxing glove and the bat was a broom handle.

So the game of softball had very humble beginnings and was ?invented? as a less formal, less difficult to play version of baseball. The ball was soft by design.

Over 100 years later the game that was invented as a form of recreation for the masses in many ways can no longer lay claim to that appeal. Technology and competition among bat and ball manufactures have made the game much faster, more difficult and often dangerous to play. Balls are hard and bats flex like a trampoline to propel the ball faster and faster and further and further. Pitchers wear face masks and shin pads to protect themselves on the mound. Some senior leagues use batting practice screens to protect the pitcher.

As the game has become faster, more difficult and oftentimes dangerous to play, participation has dramatically declined. How much is related to the less recreational nature of the game versus societal changes is tough to determine, but with more and more specialization in youth sports prospective participants who never played baseball or softball may have a difficult time picking up the less recreational game of softball as an adult.

Ninety?five per cent of the players in the USA play softball for one night a week for recreation, and maybe a weekend or two. Their goal, is to have fun and go to work the next day with all their teeth and faculties intact. The National Softball Federation recognizes this fact and working with park and recreation directors hopes to reinvent a game that is safer, and appeals more to the average recreational participant. This means balls may be less lively and bats as well. (This will also reduce the cost of equipment and cost to play the game.) While 5% of the players are highly skilled and competitive their desires and the sales motives of equipment manufacturers should not negatively affect participation in the game. There needs to be rule and equipment differences for the recreational (95%) versus elite participants (5%) ? otherwise the steady decline in softball league and tournament participation that began in the 90?s, will inevitably continue.

National Softball Federation North American Championships
Minnesota will host NSF North American Championships at Treasure Island and Cambridge this summer. With gas prices expected to move toward $5 a gallon or more, the timing of these locally based National Championships couldn?t be better. The Class C Men?s and Women?s National Championships will be held in Cambridge while the Class DD-EE Men?s will be held at Treasure Island. All tournaments will be on Labor Day Weekend. Tournaments will guarantee three games and many teams will receive five or six with a tiered approach being employed. For the Women?s and Men?s Class C tourney, teams may enter direct and for class DD-EE teams must qualify through qualifier or state tournament play.

National Qualifiers Slated
Qualifiers for the National Softball Federation (NSF) North American Championships will be held at Treasure Island on May 12-13, Faribault on June 9-10, and Cambridge on July 7-8. To enter, please utilize the entry form on the MSF or NSF website at msf1.org or nsfsoftball.org respectively.

Masters Slowpitch to be held in Sauk Rapids August 4-5
Sauk Rapids Softball Association will host the 2012 Men?s Masters Slowpitch State Championships on August 4-5. To enter class A or B, please use the entry form located on our website at msf1.org. Class C teams must qualify through their league director and registered men?s masters league.

National Fast Pitch Tourney scheduled for North Mankato
The city of North Mankato and Minnesota Sports Federation will host the National Fast Pitch Tournament this Labor Day in North Mankato. To request a tournament packet, please email steve@msf1.org.

Have a great season of softball and watch for further reports on NSF ? MSF softball!

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