Softball is a team sport in which a ball, eleven to twelve inches (28 to 30.5 centimeters) in circumference, is thrown by a player called a pitcher and hit by an offensive player called a batter with a round, smooth stick called a bat (usually wooden or metal). Scoring is accomplished by the batter running and touching a series of three markers on the ground called bases, and then touching the final marker, called home plate. Softball is a direct descendant of baseball, which is sometimes referred to as hardball to distinguish the two, but differs from it in several ways (see Comparison of baseball and softball). This article assumes no knowledge of baseball.

The sport's governing body, the International Softball Federation holds world championships, held every four years, in several categories.

Types of softball

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There are three general forms of softball: slow pitch, fast pitch, and modified pitch.

More on [ Softball ]

NYT > Home & Garden

In Ancient Alleys, Modern Comforts
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:48:37 -0000
Some of Beijing’s traditional courtyard homes are being refurbished with a mix of modern sensibility and respect for original detail.
What’s Lurking in Your Countertop?
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:39:16 -0000
As the popularity of granite countertops has increased, so have reports that some are emitting radiation and radon at surprisingly high levels.
On Location: A Spare Stage for the Spectacle of Life
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:21:32 -0000
Carlos Brillembourg, an architect, and Karin Waisman, an artist, built a modern house in the Hamptons that is spacious, spare and stylish.
Shopping for New York Necessities With Alisa Grifo
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 05:23:07 -0000
Alisa Grifo’s store, Kiosk, presents a collection of useful, often unusual, products from around the world. She searched New York for unexpected, quirky selections.
In the Garden: Raindrops Keep Falling in My Tank
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:56:33 -0000
You won’t save a lot of money harvesting rainwater but you’ll save water.
The Fix: Time to Worry About Heat Bills
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:38:16 -0000
It may seem like an odd time to be thinking about heating your house, but this is a good moment to do so.

L.A. Times - Home & Garden

Robert Irwin still marvels at Getty gardens 10 years later
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The artist, creator of the controversial gardens, may no longer have design oversight but his vision has established deep roots. ARTIST Robert Irwin, designer of the Central Garden at the Getty Center, sits on a small curved bench in the dappled shade of London plane trees he chose. In the 10 years since the garden opened, the trees haven't quite created the canopy Irwin envisioned, but they will -- just without him around.
A rare Luis Barragán fountain at an L.A. home? Maybe
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700
A storied party house's design centerpiece comes with a tale of its own. UNUSUAL homes often inspire wonder, but for residents of L.A.'s Beverly Crest neighborhood, the 1927 house has long seemed particularly curious, hidden behind a two-story, reddish wall that runs the length of the lot. "Every time someone from the neighborhood finds out that I own the property," Eugene Leoni said, "they're always dying to know: What's behind that wall?"
Pearl Fryar, topiary hero
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The documentary film 'A Man Named Pearl' explores the Southerner's passion for tree sculpting, which has become his life's work. IN AN era when superheroes dominate the box office, a documentary about a lanky, 68-year-old topiary artist in the rural South hardly sounds like an attention-grabber. Yet “A Man Named Pearl,” which opens in limited release this week in Southern California, delivers a compelling tale of an ordinary man with extraordinary abilities.
Don't ask why -- just enjoy deals
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700
BLAME THE sluggish economy, or thank the pending arrival of fall home furnishings collections. Either way, you'll see the same word in store windows: sale.
Chris Erskine: The family attempts a budget
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700
It's basics first: Teach the kids what a lawn mower is. SO, POSH canceled last week's attempt at a ceiling fan installation when she realized it was just a giant, spinning aphrodisiac, and our summer of love ended in the third week of July. Just ahead: a long and lonely winter.
International Antiques Fair heads to Redondo Beach
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The Redondo Beach International Antiques Fair returns to the city's Performing Arts Center this weekend. The lineup will include furniture, textiles, art glass, silver, sculpture, paintings, prints and rare books. The show runs 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10. A preview will be held at 10 a.m. Friday; the $30 fee ($25 in advance) includes admission for the weekend. The Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center is at Aviation and Manhattan Beach boulevards. Information: (310) 287-1896, www.theosatco.com .

Denver Post: Lifestyle

How'dYouKnow?
editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:31:36 -0600
The winner: Edward Hocker, Colorado Springs
Parade of Homes begins Saturday
ejeerson@denverpost.com (By Elana Ashanti Jefferson / The Denver Post) Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:17:19 -0600
Touring luxury show homes when the housing market is on the rocks seems a little like sitting through stand-up comedy during a bout of the blues.
Save me . . .
editor@denverpost.com (The Denver Post) Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:53:06 -0600
After reading last week's Room cover story about the many Denver hotels undergoing renovations, William Barnes with National Hotel Liquidators sent out an alert for penny pinchers.

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