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ere the pitchers arm comes back and then forward。 Slow pitch requires the pitcher to lob the ball underhanded with an arc that reaches a minimum height of 1。83 meters and a maximum height of 3。66 meters。 A modified fast pitch allows underhand deliveries but the arm must not make a complete revolution around the shoulder socket。 Internationally； fast pitch is the dominant game。 In the United States； slow pitch is played by millions of people in recreational leagues。
World championships in fast pitch softball were first held in 1965 for women and 1966 for men。 Slow…pitch world championships began in 1987； and the competition will resume in Florida （USA） in June of 2002。 The first world competition for junior men and women was held in 1981 and a World Cup for age 16…under girls began in 2001。
Page： Softball’s Competition in the Olympic Games奥运会上垒球的赛制：佩奇制
Eight teams compete at the Olympic Games in the discipline of women's fast pitch。 The host country automatically has a spot because they are the host team； and the other seven teams qualify through world championships and various regional Olympic Qualifiers。
The teams compete in a single pool； playing each of the other seven once。 The top four teams advance to the semi…finals； with the first…placed team playing the second…placed team and the third playing the fourth。 The loser between teams 1 and 2 then plays the winner between teams 3 and 4； with that winner playing the winner between teams 1 and 2 for the championship。
This Is Not Baseball！垒球和棒球的区别：
Although the two games are very similar； several nuances exist between baseball and softball that set them apart。 In softball the ball is larger and softer； pitching is done underhand； the dimensions of the playing field are smaller； the bases are closer together； and the pitcher throws at a distance closer to home plate。 There is no base leading or stealing allowed （runners may not move off a base until the pitched ball either crosses home plate or is hit by the batter）； and if a pitcher balks； illegally moving his or her feet off the pitching plate while a runner is on base； a runner is not awarded a free base … the pitch is deemed a ball instead。
Inning （or frame）棒球和垒球的局：
每局分为top上半局和bottom下半局，上下半局双方互换攻守。
The inning is completed when both teams have had their turn on the offensive position （while the opposing players were on the defensive position）。
A baseball game is generally nine innings long。 A fast pitch softball game is generally seven innings long。 Each inning is divided into two halves： top and bottom。 Usually； to start a game teams flip a coin to decide which side will bat first。 On the league matches； the visiting team always bats in the first half （top） of the inning。 Both teams are allowed three outs per half inning。 If a game ends in a tie； extra innings are played until one team outscores the other。
Professional Baseball
职业棒球
As baseball's popularity grew； many people began to see the potential for financial gain。 By the 1850s； landowners were regularly maintaining baseball parks to rent to baseball clubs。 Baseball teams customarily collected donations from fans to cover the costs。 The first fully enclosed baseball park； the Union Grounds in Brooklyn； was completed in 1862。 This style of park soon became popular because owners could sell food and drink to spectators without competition from street vendors。 The National Association of Base Ball Players （NABBP）； an organization formed in 1858； prohibited members from taking payment for playing baseball。 During the early 1860s ballpark owners earned large profits while the amateur ball players provided free entertainment。 Pressure from players eventually forced the NABBP to change its policy in 1868 and allow players to accept money。 This ruling marked the birth of professional baseball。 The first professional baseball team； the Cincinnati Red Stockings； began playing in 1869。 They traveled the country that year； playing before thousands of fans and winning 60 games without loss。 Soon baseball's promoters began forming professional baseball clubs in cities across the Northeastern and Midwestern United States。 By 1870 professional players outnumbered amateurs in the NABBP and the remaining amateurs withdrew。 In 1871 the organization became the National Association of Professional Baseball Players。 The new National Association represented players from ten clubs。 In effect； these clubs made up the first professional baseball league。 They introduced the practice of league competition and concluded their regular season with a pennant race and championship。 However； the National Association suffered from poor management and by 1876 it had folded completely。
随着棒球在美国的普及，越来越多的人认识到棒球的经济价值。到了19世纪50年代，土地拥有者们开始开辟棒球场，出租给俱乐部。棒球队则以接受球迷捐赠为经济来源，支付费用。1862年，在纽约布鲁克林建立了第一个全封闭的棒球球场。很快，这种球场就被争相效仿，因为球场主可以向观众出售食物和饮料，而不必担心与街头小贩们的竞争。1858年，全国棒球运动员协会成立了，禁止会员接受比赛佣金。19世纪60年代早期，业余棒球球员为比赛免费提供娱乐表演，球场主们从中获利不菲。1868年，来自球员的压力最终致使了全国棒球运动员协会不得不改变政策，允许球员接受比赛佣金。这个政策标志着棒球运动开始走向职业化。1869年，第一支职业棒球队—辛辛那提红袜队开始参加比赛。同年，他们到美国各地循环比赛，在数千球迷的欢呼声中，创造了连胜60场的不朽战绩。很快，许多东北部和中西部的职业球队也联合起来，组成各种联盟。1870年，美国棒球运动员协会的职业球员人数超过了业余球员，剩下的业余球员退出联盟。1871年，全国棒联改组为全国职业棒球运动员协会。这一新的全国协会，代表10个俱乐部的职业运动员，实际上这些俱乐部组成了历史上第一个职业棒球联盟。他们主办联盟间比赛，以锦标赛决出赛季冠军。但是，由于管理不善，1876年全国协会被迫停止。
More about Professional Baseball
Major League Baseball（MLB）美国职业棒球大联盟：
Major league baseball represents the highest level of baseball competition in North America。 It includes teams from the United States and Canada。 The major leagues are divided into the National League （NL） and the American League （AL）。 The teams of each league are grouped into three divisions within their league。 In both the NL and AL； the divisions are called the East Division； the Central Division； and the West Division。
The major league baseball season lasts from April （or late March） to October and includes the regular season； the playoffs； and the World Series。 Teams play 162 games during the regular season。 The team with the most victories in each division becomes the division winner and earns the right to compete in the playoffs。 The team with the best record in each league after the division winners also is included in the playoffs as a wild…card team。
Each league holds a separate playoff； featuring their three division winners and the wild…card team。 These teams are paired and face each other in a series of games。 The teams that win the most games in a series earn the right to move on to the next round of playoffs。 The final series in the league playoffs determines which team wins the pennant； or championship； of their league。 The NL and AL pennant winners meet in the World Series； and the winner of this series becomes the major league world champion。
The major leagues also hold an annual competition called the All…Star Game； which matches a team of NL players against a team of AL players。 Baseball fans select the starting players in the game。 It takes place during the All…Star break； a period in the middle of the regular season during which teams temporarily rest from competition。
Team Management 职业球队的管理：
Every Major League Baseball team is part of a baseball club； which includes the team； the owner； and the team management。 The owner may be an individual； a group； or a corporation。 Club owners provide the money that a team needs to operate。 They work with the team management to organize activities such as running a stadium and selling tickets and concessions。
Club owners and management recruit players for t