It’s not baseball, it’s not softball, it’s . . .FASTBALL!

New Sport Makes Big Hit

by Jim Evans

For all those baseball enthusiasts who have grown too old, too fat, too slow, and whose vision and reflexes are not what they used to be — a new game that combines the best of both baseball and softball is exploding in popularity.

Fastball was originated by Steve Sigler, founder of the Senior Baseball League/Men’s Adult Baseball League in Melville, N.Y. He reintroduced some of the more exciting elements of baseball, such as overhand pitching, bunting, base stealing and even wooden bats. The game uses a modified ball, slightly larger and softer than a regular baseball but smaller than a softball.

The new sport can be played safely on a softball diamond, and the rules have been modified to encourage faster play, so games do not drag on for several hours, like baseball. For example, games are limited to just 7 innings or 75 minutes.

All pitches are "fastballs," with pitching speed monitored by the umpire with a modified radar gun, and players are divided into divisions of competition based on age (all players must be at least 18 years old), gender and pitching speed.

The Elite Division allows pitching speeds of 60 to 70 mph; the A Division, 40 to 50 mph; and the Rookie Division, 30 to 40 mph. Pitches that exceed or fall below the speed range, or fall outside the designated strike zone, are declared "balls." Pitches other than straight fastballs, such as curves and changeups, also are called as "balls" by the homeplate umpire.

In Fastball, a batter is walked on just three balls rather than the usual four and is counted out after just two strikes instead of three. And, when there are two outs and no runners on base, each runner who crosses home plate during that half of the inning is credited with two runs. The game is generally considered safer than baseball because the ball is softer and larger, and wooden bats are used — like in baseball — instead of aluminum.

Although Fastball originated on the East Coast, leagues already have been playing in Sacramento since last spring, including players such as former major leaguer Steve Sax. Five teams competed in a 10-week season, and park district officials plan to double the size of the league this year.

An exhibition game was held in October at Big League Dreams Sports Park in Chino Hills and attracted such an overwhelmingly positive response "they didn’t have enough field space or time committed for the upcoming season," said Tim Hott, New York regional director of the nonprofit U.S. Fastball Association, which governs the fast-growing sport.

The intention of league organizers is not to displace softball but to attract players who "sometimes play on four or five teams," Hott said. "We’re asking them to drop one of those teams to play Fastball." ("A Complete Game," Marvin Bynum, Athletic Business, March 2004).

The U.S. Specialty Sports Association, which counts almost 2 million people participating in its multi-sport leagues and tournaments — including softball, volleyball, basketball and soccer — has added Fastball as its 10th sport and is expected to introduce Fastball in all 50 states this year. Val Lewis, USFBA president, predicts that major cities such as Kansas City, Mo., will initiate as many as 500 new Fastball teams this year.

In fact, the first national Fastball championships already are scheduled for Oct. 14-17 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. For further information about Fastball, contact the USFBA at www.fastball.com.