The Best Softballs
Before you're ready to take to the pitcher's mound and show off your stuff, grabbing a couple of practice softballs can save you from injury and embarrassment. The game of softball is a time-honored classic that can make for an exciting afternoon in a park or backyard. Depending on the league and equipment used, softball allows you to dispense with the glove and overhand rockets for more controlled pitches and overall enjoyment. Whether you're starting up a beer league with your coworkers or prepping for a pro-level tournament, our top softballs have the grip and stitching you need to stay out on the diamond and deliver a strikeout performance.
Franklin Sports Official Fastpitch Softball
Batter Up
The Fastpitch Softball by Franklin Sports has the texture and shape you need to knock it out of the park after every pitch. Franklin utilizes a blend of synthetics to create a durable faux leather that’s weatherproof and rock solid. This ball is the standard size for regulation play, making it a favorite for everyone from collegiate athletes to after-hour beer leagues. Coaches stand to gain immensely from this one because of the bulk-buy options and highly visible paint. If your team needs a boost or your pitcher needs some ammo, this softball will fill out your glove for years to come.
Pros:
- Recessed seams for better aerodynamics
- Regulation 12-inch diameter softball
- Polyurethane core is flexible and highly durable
Cons:
- Packaging may cause creasing
Easton Softouch Incrediball
Drive in the Runs
If you’re taking it easy because young ones are around or want to dial down the intensity level to recreational, Easton’s Softouch Incrediball is the top choice for you. While your top throw speed will naturally be restricted due to the ball’s lower overall density, that’s probably a good thing. The Incrediball is intended specifically for the variation known as slowpitch softball. In this variation, the pitcher’s mound is further back, pitching wind-up is restricted, and games are much shorter. Of course, if you just want to have a stress-free catch with a solid ball that boasts an unmistakable grip, rely on Easton to drive in the runs.
Pros:
- Safe for indoor gymnasium practice
- Available in 11- or 12-inch diameter
- Accommodating choice for newbies since the ball won’t hurt as much if you’re hit with it
Cons:
- Not recommended for use in a mechanical pitching machine
MacGregor Safe Training Softballs
Prep for the Whole Squad
When it’s time to whip your team into competition shape, pick up a pack of MacGregor’s Safe Training Softballs. These softballs are a welcome blast from the past and utilize authentic leather coverings. While the composition is certainly an aesthetic luxury, the added longevity and grip gained by genuine leather make it a pitcher’s preference every time. Besides the covering, this ball’s comparably soft core allows you to train with confidence that the next errant throw won’t be a season-ender for you or your teammates. All in all, MacGregor’s Training Softballs are a favorite for organizations looking to buy quality and quantity all in one package.
Pros:
- The raised seams are perfect for small hands learning to pitch
- Can be helpful as a massage tool for treating muscle aches and shin splints as well
Cons:
- They are quite bouncy and soften with age
Precision Impact Softball Practice Balls
Never Stop Training
The ingenious design of Precision Impact’s Practice Balls’ makes batting practice incredibly convenient and bruise-free. The malleable plastic exterior sports a hollow core that is surprisingly air-friction-free. This is thanks to the ball’s angled slots that direct air through the device as it spins. What results is a highly visible, multicolored, all-season tool that will both keep you from throwing out your arm and allow you to focus on your swing. When you’re ready to revolutionize your indoor or outdoor training camp, Precision Impact will hone your skills to perfection.
Pros:
- Corrosion-proof construction
- Comes in an eight-pack of purple and green balls
- Approximately 11″ in diameter uncompressed
Cons:
- Not ideal for long-distance catches
Rawlings Oversized Training Softball
Perfect your Pitch
Finding your proper form and building strong hands is essential for developing pitchers. Rawlings’ Oversized Training Softball is the best place to start if you’re looking to fortify your grip and experiment with trick throws. This age-old sports supplies manufacturer has had plenty of time to hone their softballs, and this pitching trainer doesn’t disappoint. The 14-inch diameter ball features exaggerated seams that make learning proper technique a cinch. While younger children may struggle with its bulky size, it helps adolescents who are just coming into their own. As such, this ball supports Rawlings’ reputation as the softball king of finger strength and ball control.
Pros:
- Standard density fastpitch core
- Drill instruction manual included
Cons:
- High unit cost
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the differences in rules for softball vs. baseball?
Softball and baseball share almost every fundamental rule aside from some slight variations to play style and regulations. In regards to hardware, baseball utilizes a harder, smaller ball and a heavier, longer bat for increased velocity and distance. The size of the baseball diamond is different too, with bases spaced 60 feet apart in softball versus baseball’s 90. Lastly, softball dispenses of a mound in favor of a flat circle so pitchers can deliver their pitches from a much closer distance.
What’s the history of softball?
Softball’s origins are independent of baseball and can be traced to the end of the nineteenth century in Chicago. If you believe the original tale, the result of a Thanksgiving Day football wager ended in a compressed boxing glove serving as a ball and broomstick as a bat. At the end of the day, because of an Ivy League feud, what resulted was a game created for the express purpose of keeping baseball players in shape through the off-season. The sixteen-inch ball variation quickly faded from popularity in favor of today’s standard sizes.
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