A big year for British Baseball & Softball: get in the game!
A round ball. A long, thin bat. Running around a diamond. Pitches…but not playing fields. 3 outs, 9 innings and runs instead of goals or points.
Pretty funny right? Well, baseball and softball are fun - and great sports to play at any level!
It’s going to be a very big year for both of the sports, but first…
What are baseball and softball?
If you’ve ever played rounders or cricket, baseball and softball will be familiar to you – but each version of the sport has special rules and features.
Baseball is played between two teams of nine players each on a dirt and grass field with four white bases laid out on the pitch – known as and shaped like, a diamond. Teams switch between playing offense (batters) and defense (fielders). The defense tries to get the offense ‘out’ and the offense tries to score as many ‘runs’ as possible before the third out of each inning. The team that scores the most runs in nine innings (times at bat) wins the game. One of the newest games being played all over the world is Baseball5, a faster, more exciting version of baseball played on a smaller field – the only equipment you need is a ball!
DID YOU KNOW: While baseball is the national pastime and one of the most popular sports in the United States, it was first played in England! The first game ever recorded in history took place in Walton-on-Thames in 1749 – with the Prince of Wales (at the time) participating.
Softball is similar to baseball, with two teams of 10, but played with a larger ball and a slightly smaller field. Despite the game’s name, the standard softball is not soft; in fact, it is harder than a baseball! There are three types of softball: Fastpitch softball, the form of the sport played at the Olympics and in international competition; slowpitch softball, a more relaxed version of the game that’s the most popular format in the UK; and indoor softball, a special-to-the-UK version of the game.
A big year for British Baseball & Softball
This is a really exciting year for both baseball and softball in the United Kingdom, starting this month. The Great Britain Men’s Baseball team will go to the United States and play in the World Baseball Classic for the very first time – the baseball equivalent to the Football World Cup!
In June, Major League Baseball, the best professional baseball league in the world, returns to London for the first time in four years, with the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals playing two games at London Stadium in Stratford on 24-25 June. The London Series will be a jam-packed experience with events all around the UK, all part of the MLB London Series Legacy. Make sure to check (or ask your parent or guardian to check) baseballsoftballuk.com often for all of the details on how you can get involved.
In July, the Great Britain Women’s National Fastpitch Softball Team will head to Ireland for the 2023 Softball World Cup Qualifier, where they’ll play against the United States, Australia, and more – if they finish in the top two places, the team will head to the World Cup next year.
Those are just three of the highlights coming up in 2023, but there are so, so many more – and we want you to get in the game!
Get in the Game!
Find a team: Find a team near you with our Team Finder. The all-new Team Finder is the best way to find a team near you and get playing the sport. Visit baseballsoftballuk.com, click Team Finder, and enter your postcode to see what baseball and softball programmes are in your area!
Check out our events: BaseballSoftballUK’s website has a list of all of the major events happened in baseball and softball this year – and we add new ones all the time. Visit baseballsoftballuk.com/events.
Visit the Federations: Both the British Softball Federation (britishsoftball.org) and British Baseball Federation (britishbaseball.org.uk) run leagues for ages 8+ , and have opportunities to play all-year long - so both you and your parents can begin playing.
MLB London Series Legacy events: Stay tuned all year long for special announcements about baseball and softball from Major League Baseball, the Mayor of London, and BaseballSoftballUK about more ways to play, get involved, and watch the game.
For all other updates, follow BSUK on social media!
Website: baseballsoftballuk.com
Email: info@bsuk.com
Facebook: /BaseballSoftballUK
Twitter: @bsuk
Instagram: @baseballsoftball_uk
Tik Tok: @BaseballSoftballUK
