16 inch soft ball is a very Chicago thing, and was probably most popular in the 70's and 80's due to the fact that Mike Royko was one of its biggest fans. If you don't recall, Royko was the curmudgeony Tribune editorialist who mixed skepticism, cynicism, and humor covering Chicago politics when 'Da Mayor' (Richard J. Daley) and 'The Machine' were in control.
Royko was also famous for spending hours and hours at Billy Goat Tavern (memorialized for eternity in the classic SNL skit by Chicago natives John Belushi & Dan Akroyd: 'Cheezborger, chip, no Coke, Pepsi') talking to average man about life, politics, and the general state of affairs, usually after playing 16 inch softball.
In any case, 16 inch softball, and softball in general, are still hugely popular in the Chicago land area nowadays, even though most people wear gloves. This has lessened the incidence of hand injuries, but certainly hasn't eliminated it.
Back when 16 inch soft was king, playing with a mitt was a sign of weakness, or worse yet, moral turpitude, and as you might image hand injuries, and in particular devastating dislocations were the norm. Many hand surgeons built a significant portion of their practices around treating these injuries, one of which was my mentor, Robert R. Schenck.
These are not easy injuries to treat, and fingers tend to get stiff, or worse yet, become crippled as a result of these injuries, losing a great deal, and sometimes all of their ability to move. It's not pretty. But I guess it was macho...or something.
Nowadays, gloves are commonplace, but that still doesn't prevent all injuries, and yes, some can still be devastating.
In my clinical practice, I routinely take care of finger dislocations. Luckily, in the majority of cases, no surgery is needed, and treatment is straightforward (a few weeks of splinting followed by hand therapy), but still, it is not uncommon to see injuries where the bone actually pops out of the skin.
Yes. It's as painful as it sounds, and can really ruin your day.
The choice can be tough if you are a person who loves to play softball, but once again, common sense can help prevent you most injuries.
My advice is as follows:
1. Remember you are not A-Rod. You are never going to make 250 million dollars and play for the Yankees, and you should not feel dishonor or a lack of pride if you 'dog it' a bit, especially if you are working hard and feeding your family. Maybe avoiding that slide or diving catch is a good idea.
2. Tape your fingers if you have dislocated your fingers in the past. This is called buddy taping and can be done simply, effectively, with no cost except the cost of tape.
3. Most injuries occur from a lack of concentration. Keep your mind in the game at all times, and observe what is happening. Use your voice and communicate so you can avoid tripping and colliding, which can cause significant injury.
4. Use good equipment. Obviously, don't spend your last dollar on sports equipment, but if you take this sport seriously, then make a serious commitment to yourself and buy decent equipment. Although it may not help make you A-Rod, it may help prevent injury, and besides, you will look cool.
5. Enjoy a cold one at the Billy Goat Tavern when you have a chance. Not mandatory at all, but highly, highly enjoyable.
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