The History of Softball (1934-Present)

This third of three articles on the history of softball covers the period from 1934 to the present. Though recent years have been disappointing regarding softball’s exclusion from the Olympic Games, the popularity of the sport continues to grow. Softball is the number one recreational sport in the United States, and Women’s Fast Pitch Softball is played in over 120 countries. The future of the sport is bright!

Year	Event	Source
1934	The Joint Rules Committee on Softball was established to standardize the game's rules and regulations.	https://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-softball.html
1939	Softball was introduced to Australia	https://www.softballperformance.com/softball-history/
1943	Phillip K. Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs, establishes the All-American Girls Softball League, the forerunner of the All-American Girls Baseball League (AAGBL).	https://www.northnet.org/stlawrenceaauw/timelne3.htm
1945	Canada soldiers introduced softball to the Netherlands.	https://www.softballperformance.com/softball-history/
1946	The National Fastball League was established and was considered to be the best male fast pitch league to ever be put together. The famous Eddie Feigner organized the King and His Court, a four-man softball team that took on all competition.	https://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/softball-history.htm
1951	The International Softball Federation is established to govern worldwide softball competition. The first National Softball Week was declared (for July 22-28). That same year, the first licensed female umpire was hired in organized softball. She was 25-year old Madeline Lorton from the Bronx in the state of New York. Betty Chapman becomes the first black American professional softball player as an outfielder on the Admiral Music Maids of the National Girls Baseball League out of Chicago.	https://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/softball-history.htm https://www.northnet.org/stlawrenceaauw/timelne3.htm
1952	The first meeting was held for the International Softball Federation (ISF), which would govern the sport around the world.	https://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/softball-history.htm
1962	Softball was introduced to the United Kingdom when the movie A Touch Of Class was being filmed in London.	https://www.softballperformance.com/softball-history/
1965	The first women’ fast pitch world championships were played in Melbourne, Australia. The host team won the five –team competition. The slow pitch game evolved on the international level with the Softball World Championships.	httphttps://www.paracletehs.org/technology/adv_comp/webs_sem2/catherine/newpage2.htm https://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/history-of-softball-226814.html
1966	The first men’s fast pitch world championships were played in Mexico City. The US men’s team won the title. ASA moves to Oklahoma City.	https://www.softballperformance.com/softball-history/ https://www.asasoftball.com/hall_of_fame/quick_facts.asp
1972	Title IX is enacted on June 23, 1972 and states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_IX
1973	The National Softball Hall of Fame was officially dedicated May 26, 1973 in Oklahoma City. The building was opened to the public July 1, 1973.	https://www.asasoftball.com/hall_of_fame/quick_facts.asp
1977	Women softball players were given the closest equivalent to Major League Baseball with the formation of the International Women's Professional Softball League. Player contracts ranged from $1,000 to $3,000 per year	https://www.paracletehs.org/technology/adv_comp/webs_sem2/catherine/newpage2.htm
1977	The Detroit Caesars were the first winners of the professional softball World Series.	https://www.buzzle.com/articles/history-of-softball.html
1979	Softball was officially added to the Pan American program, with both men's and women's fast pitch softball contested.	https://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/history-softball-1.htm
1980	International Women's Profession Softball league folds.	https://www.paracletehs.org/technology/adv_comp/webs_sem2/catherine/newpage2.htm
1981	World (fast pitch) championships for junior men and junior women are first played.	https://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/softball-history.htm
1982	National Softball Association established. The Women's College World Series' current format is adopted.	https://www.playnsa.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=1 https://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec/sponsorship
1983	The first British women’s softball league was established.	https://www.softballperformance.com/softball-history/
1984	The Independent Softball Association was founded In Shelbyville, TN.	https://www.isasoftball.com/history
1987	Men's World Slow Pitch Championship debuted.	https://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/softball-history.htm
1991	Women's fast-pitch softball was selected to debut as a medal sport at the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia.	https://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/softball-history.htm
1996	Women’s softball debuts in the Olympic Games as a medal event.	https://www.softballperformance.com/softball-history/
2001	World Cup competition was introduced for 16-and-under girls from the United States and around the world.	https://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/softball-history.htm
2005	The International Olympic Committee voted in July to drop softball and baseball as Olympic sports for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games	https://www.softballperformance.com/softball-history/
2009	The International Olympic Committee votes to include rugby and golf in the 2016 Olympic games, again denying to include Softball as an Olympic Sport Games	https://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48401.asp