Preliminary links and descriptions

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blsoftball.htm

In 1887, George Hancock, a reporter for Chicago Board of Trade, invented softball. He invented the game as a form of indoor baseball on a cold winter day inside the warm Farragut Boat Club.

This answered who invented softball, and when was it invented.

http://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/history-softball.htm

Softball is a variation of baseball and is a very popular participant sport, particularly in the United States. It is generally agreed that softball developed from a game called indoor baseball, first played in Chicago. It was called indoor-outdoor and Hancock emerged as the recognized authority in the 19th century.

http://www.clearleadinc.com/site/softball.html

picked up an old boxing glove and threw it at a nearby Harvard alumni who promptly tried to hit it back with a stick. The idea that struck George Hancock then is what sets the real history of softball. He tied together the laces of the boxing glove for a ball. Using a piece of chalk, Hancock marked off a home plate, bases and a pitcher's box inside the Farragut Boat Club gym. The two groups were divided into teams and the first softball match was played.

This answered how was softball invented.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Who_played_softball_first

The first softball game was played between Yale and Harvard alumni.

I asked who played the first game of softball?