American Football vs. Baseball & Softball
Comparing 2 standards across 17 specifications. 17 key differences identified.
Official American footballs are governed by the NFL and NCAA rulebooks. The pro/college ball (Size 9) features a prolate spheroid shape with a long axis of 11.0–11.25 in (27.9–28.6 cm), long circumference of 27.75–28.5 in (70.5–72.4 cm), short circumference of 20.75–21.25 in (52.7–54.0 cm), weight of 14.0–15.0 oz (397–425 g), and inflation pressure of 12.5–13.5 psi.
Official baseballs are regulated by Major League Baseball (MLB), measuring 9.0–9.25 in (22.9–23.5 cm) in circumference and weighing 5.0–5.25 oz (141.7–148.8 g) with 108 double hand-stitches. Regulation softballs are larger: 12-inch Fastpitch softballs measure 11.875–12.125 in (6.25–7.0 oz), 11-inch Slowpitch softballs measure 10.875–11.125 in (5.875–6.125 oz), and 16-inch Chicago Clincher softballs measure 15.75–16.25 in.
Specification Comparison Table
17 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Official Pro / College Tier
|
Size 9 (Wilson The Duke) NFL / NCAA Standard | — |
|
Long Axis Length
|
27.9–28.6 cm (11.0–11.25 in) | — |
|
Long Circumference
|
70.5–72.4 cm (27.75–28.5 in) | — |
|
Short Circumference
|
52.7–54.0 cm (20.75–21.25 in) | — |
|
Weight / Mass
|
397–425 g (14.0–15.0 oz) | — |
|
Inflation Pressure
|
12.5–13.5 psi (0.86–0.93 bar / 86.2–93.1 kPa) | — |
|
Outer Material
|
4-Piece Full-Grain Horween Leather with Pebble Grain Cowhide | — |
|
Lacing Specification
|
1 Lacing containing exactly 8 Cross-Stitches Pro Standard | — |
|
MLB Baseball Circumference
|
— | 22.9–23.5 cm (9.0–9.25 in) |
|
MLB Baseball Weight
|
— | 141.7–148.8 g (5.0–5.25 oz) |
|
MLB Baseball Diameter
|
— | 7.3–7.5 cm (2.86–2.94 in) |
|
Baseball Stitching
|
— | 108 Double Stitches in Red Waxed Cotton/Polyester Thread Hand-sewn |
|
Baseball Core Construction
|
— | Cushioned Cork Sphere wrapped in 3 Layers of Wool/Poly Yarn Standard |
|
12-Inch Fastpitch Softball Circumference
|
— | 30.2–30.8 cm (11.875–12.125 in) |
|
12-Inch Fastpitch Softball Weight
|
— | 177.2–198.4 g (6.25–7.0 oz) |
|
11-Inch Slowpitch Softball Circumference
|
— | 27.6–28.3 cm (10.875–11.125 in) |
|
Softball Core Material
|
— | Polyurethane Core or Kapok Fiber Core with Optic Yellow Leather COR 0.44–0.47 |