How to Catch a 16-Inch Softball

The game of 16-inch softball is played primarily in Chicago and unlike any other in the world. It is nothing like baseball or traditional softball and the skill sets are different. You don't even use a glove to catch it, just your bare hands.

Things You'll Need

  • Soft, soft hands
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Instructions

  1. Catching a 16-Inch Softball

    • 1

      Get your hands ready.When someone is throwing you one of these softball (often called a Clincher, the manufacturer), your hands need to be up and ready or you will get hurt.Since there are no gloves used in the game of 16-inch, broken and jammed fingers are extremely common to the unprepared.Get your hands up and ready. They should be up in front of your face, spread apart, like they would if you were catching a football. Your hands should be a few inches apart from one another, so they can surround the ball and squeeze it when it arrives to you.

    • 2

      Decide how you want to catch it.Many of the broken fingers occur due to indecisiveness at this very step. You will need to choose.There are basically two ways to catch a 16-inch softball. And while you have the choice to do it one way or the other, your position might prefer one style.The first way is to use your fingers. This is done just like a football. You would extend your hands and fingers out toward the ball and surround your fingers around it as it reaches your palms. This way is more dangerous, as your extended fingers is what can cause the broken bones. But if you are playing first base, you will most likely want to catch it like this so that you can reach for the ball just like in baseball.The other way to catch the ball is by using your body. This is the easier way to do it and should produce less injured fingers, but again, it depends on position. In this method, you would let the ball fall to your body and then squeeze it with your hands, locking against yourself and therefore catching it. Outfielders can use this, locking it against their chests or stomachs. This is also how some people catch a football as well.

    • 3

      Make the catch.Whether you go with your fingers extended toward the ball or let it come to your body, you have to squeeze and secure it right away so that you have it and it's yours. If you use your fingers, squeeze it and surround the ball with your all of your fingers--it will take all of them to secure the ball properly.If you used your body, surround it with your hands or arms and coral it against your body. Remember: if you use your body, it might be harder to pick it up and throw it, like on a tag play, etc.