Definition of the word softball

The sport of softball, which shares similarities with baseball but uses a larger ball and is typically played on a smaller field, was first known as "kittenball" and "indoor-outdoor" in the late 1800s. However, the name "softball" was coined in 1926 by a woman named Ruth Palmer Stevens, who was organizing a convention of YMCA secretaries that included a friendly game of indoor baseball. Stevens wanted to find a more suitable name for the game, as the ball used was softer than the hardball used in baseball, and so she came up with "softball." The name stuck, and today softball is played around the world as both a recreational and competitive sport.