Baseball - Variants

Softball

Softball also called diamond ball, indoor-outdoor, kitten ball, mush ball, play ground ball is just like baseball as the rules and strategies of both the games are very similar. But, it is played on a smaller court with different equipment and each game has only seven innings. The game is very popular in the United States. The ball circumference is only 12 inches though sometimes it is also played with a ball of 16 inches circumference and between two teams of ten members each.

Stickball

Stickball originated from Baseball and is modified to play in the streets. The ball is usually a bouncing rubber ball, and the bat has a broom handle. It is similar to other stick and ball games that we find in the streets where buildings serve as boundaries and the rules are defined locally.

The batsman bats the ball into the air and if the ball is caught the batsman is out. Hits are defined by how far the ball is shot; if the ball lands on a porch or if it breaks a window, it is usually considered a home run. Some versions of stickball don’t involve running between bases.

T-ball

T-ball is a popular game for kids aged 4-7 that is used to train young kids in hitting a ball and prepare them for other games like baseball and softball. It involves hitting a stationary ball that is not pitched but placed on a flexible rod, firmly fixed on a movable base.

Wiffle Ball

Wiffle ball was invented in 1953 by David.N.Mullany for his twelve-year-old son. It is played with a bat and ball similar to that of baseball but made of plastic in an enclosed indoor or outdoor court. It is a popular street and backyard sport and is also a played at summer camps.

Rounders

Rounders is as old as Baseball and is considered to be a primitive version of Baseball played in England in the 18th century. This bat and ball game popular among school children involves batting and fielding. The rules and equipment are similar to that of baseball and cricket; the ball is small, hard, and enveloped in a sheet of leather, and the bat is shorter, made of wood, metal, or plastic and is rounded at the end. Batting rules and innings are similar to that of baseball, but batsmen earn points only when they finish a circuit past four bases without getting out.

Rigoball

This recent field game was developed in Dominion Republic in the lines of baseball, but players in the game don’t need any bats at all. There is no batsman, and the ball is thrown and caught among players. It is played on a court without any pitcher’s mound and the game progresses faster than baseball. The teams may include both men and women. The game is considered to be safer and less strenuous. The rules are similar to that of Baseball but are modified to make the game faster and more interesting.