Softball is a team sport commonly played in the United States and other countries. It is a direct descendant of baseball although some key differences are that softballs are larger than baseballs and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand. Softball is played on a smaller diamond than in baseball; a softball field's average distances from home plate to the center, left and right field fences are 220, 200 and 200 feet respectively (the corresponding baseball field average distances are 410, 325 and 325 feet.). Despite the game's name, the standard softball is not particularly soft except in comparison to a standard hardball.

Wikipedia [accessed 10 May 2010] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softball