Why don't girls play actual baseball? Why are they always put into softball?

Question

This is something I've noticed at pretty much every age level, up to and in college. It's always softball, and never baseball...from the very very beginning. What is up with that? Doesn't it violate title x or something?

Answer 1

As a baseball fan, personally, I think this is a tragedy.

To be clear, I am not trying to insult fastpitch softball, and definitely not those that participate in it. To be honest, though, it is what it is: the substitute for baseball intended for girls/women, to compete only with other girls/women.

To argue that the fairer sex cannot compete in baseball with the guys is a joke. If your argument is that they cannot physically keep up (the same argument, of course, is used for golf), you clearly don't understand baseball. Baseball is not about brute strength or raw speed (another point, many women could wipe the floor on either of these categories with a good number of the guys). Baseball is about skill, knowing what to do with a pitched or a batted ball. Its not all about power.

Most girls/women who might want to don't play baseball because they are told they can't, or that they should play softball.

I love baseball. I believe it's the greatest sport in the world. As a fan of pro baseball, I want to see the best players in the world out there. As it stands (acknowledging that in most cases there are no formal rules against it), women, and thus about 50% of the population is excluded from the talent pool. Something is wrong there. I'm hoping this changes sometime in my lifetime. When it does, the only loser here may be the sport of fastpitch softball, as talented young girls can start to participate in baseball, as it should be...not in a substitute sport.

Answer 2

It doesn't violate title x because there is an alternate sport offered to them, and it isn't required that they play softball. Any girl has the opportunity to play baseball, IF she tries out for the team(just like the guys have to) and has enough talent to be selected for the team. Girls just don't choose to do so. I am a softball player myself, but will stand up for baseball anytime this issue comes up. It's not that baseball won't allow girls, or forces them to play softball. It's that girls who want to play baseball won't try out, and then end up playing softball just so they can play. It also has nothing to do with boys being stronger. I could catch better, hit the ball harder, and throw harder than a few guys on the baseball team in high school. I played softball because I loved it, not because I wouldn't have been able to play at the same level as the guys.

Answer 3

Women have the opportunity to play baseball, but have never been able to keep up beyond about 12-13 years old. Most recently there was a very talented young lady that played catcher at the Single A ball level about 7-10 years ago. She could catch and throw fairly well but could not hit the ball to save her life.

Baseball is a game that DOES require strength and speed. If you are not quick with your bat you will not succeed at the highest levels. Being able to quickly pull the string on a pitch requires well developed muscles in your hands, forearms and legs. Face it, the pros don't just trow hard but they have late breaking stuff that they hide well with deception. Anyone who thinks you don't need strength doesn't understand the game.

There are many folks out there who hope for the day that men and women can compete equally at sports. Face it, the sexes are different. Name one athletic event where men and women are competing on the same plane. That's just the way it is. Embrace the differences.

Answer 4

It doesn't violate Title X because there is an equivelant sport. Since softball is available, girls are allowed to play it instead of baseball; however, if you go to a smaller school/college and there is no equivelant sport, girls will be allowed to try out for the team.

Answer 5

IMHO girls should play baseball and softball should go the way of the Dinosaurs.

But, if girls played baseball would there be any playing in MLB? About the same number as there are women playing in the NFL, NBA, NHL or MLS
Girls could play, right?
NFL-Kickers aren't real physical
NBA-point guard-there are 6'2" girls who can shoot 20 footers BETTER than the guys and can probable run just as fast
NHL-Goalie, heck in the NHL you can't even go near a goalie anymore.
MLS-hey it's soccer
MLB-Knuckleball pitcher(AL)?

Answer 6

Actually, where I come from many girls start out playing baseball(regular fast pitch hard ball) when they are young. But, do to certain developments as they get older they are first stronger and physically superior to boys, then the boys catch up and turn the tables. So, it makes it difficult for the girl to stay at particular level. Also, if you were a girl would you want to be the only one playing with boys and making it harder for you to spend time with your friends and to just plain fit in. It's harder to fit in with the girls, because your not around them as much as they're around each other. And hard to fit in with the boys, because you're a girl.

Answer 7

there is fast pitch softball, and the ball is pitched just as fast as a baseball, my daughter is 8 and she has played baseball with boys, she was the only girl.

Soft pictch softball is pretty much played out here in the south
fast-pitch is the thing

Answer 8

There were girls on my little league baseball team, which is 13 and under. I'm 22 now, so I don't know if they still allow girls to play baseball with guys.

Answer 9

cause girls have always played softball, it is the womens alternative to baseball. If you want to play baseball you probably can with a couple of protest and stuff.i dont know for sure.

Answer 10

Girls can play baseball. If you are referring to playing on a little league team, girls usually are permitted to play. If you are referring to high school age kids, they could play as long as they were as good as the guys on the team. There's no affirmative action in baseball.