Whose on first?

[DaveASA/FED]

Reading another post on another board and the whole naming difference came up again. We call R1 the lead runner, they call the runner on first R1.

I have to ask, does anyone know why softball has the R1=lead runner naming? As much of a softball guy as I am I hate to say it...but the other naming really is much more descriptive, by saying R2 you know they are on 2nd base as the play starts, where our R2 has to be spelled out if they were on 2nd or 1st. Wierd we make it actually harder on ourselves

Anyone know the history??