Softball was invented in the 1800’s in Chicago. They used a boxing glove as a ball and a broom stick for a bat. They tied the boxing glove together and pitched it underhand. They didn’t use gloves back then because the boxing glove didn’t travel very far and it didn’t move very fast. Soon they started playing an indoor version of baseball. The ball was bigger and the head of the bat was smaller. Softball was usually played in college gyms. Softball grew throughout Europe during the first and second world wars. American solider men played it during their spare time at their stations. In 1996 softball became and Olympic Medal sport.