Baseball

The First Professional Women’s Baseball League

With the majority of young men sent off to fight after America’s entry into World War II, several major league baseball executives needed to find a way to maintain baseball in the public eye.  They decided to start a new professional league with women players. 

Founded by chewing gum mogul Philip K. Wrigley in 1943, the league was named the All-American Girls Baseball League.  In 1949 the league was called the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, but by 1951, the league changed to American Girls’ Baseball League.  Initial tryouts were held at Wrigley Field in Chicago, but the league never played regulation baseball.  The game was a hybrid of baseball and softball.  The ball was the size of regulation softball and pitches were thrown underhand in the softball windmill custom of throwing.  The pitcher’s mound was much closer than regulation baseball and softball, but the distance between the bases were longer than in softball and 25 feet shorter than in baseball.  Eventually as each season was played, the ball shrank to regulation baseball size, overhand pitching was allowed, the mound was moved back to 60 feet, and the bases were extended but still five feet shorter than regulation baseball.

The league went on the road for spring training during the 1946-1948 seasons, traveling to Mississippi in 1946, Havana, Cuba in 1947 and to Florida in 1948.  During the 1948 season the AAGPBL attracted 910,000 fans that paid to watch the 10 teams play baseball.  The salaries for the female ballplayers ranged from $45-$85 a week which in later years rose to as much as $125 per week.

The league had strict rules of conduct and restricted the women from having short hair, smoking and drinking in public places, and required them to wear lipstick at all times.  The players would face fines if they did not follow the rules and could be suspended if they committed three offenses.  Each player received a beauty kit with instructions and was required to attend evening charm school classes during spring training.  The classes taught the girls about personal hygiene, mannerisms, proper etiquette, and how to dress.  The uniforms were comprised of a short-sleeved tunic dress with a belt.  The skirts could not be worn more than six inches above the knee and every effort was made to make the women as attractive as possible.

The Rockford Peaches were one of the most successful teams in the AAGPBL with the most championship wins.  Their star players led the team to the league championship in 1945, 1948, 1949, and 1950.  The Peaches played their home games at Beyer Stadium in Rockford, Illinois.  The team’s manager, Bill Allington became the most successful manager in the league’s history.  Under his leadership, the Peaches reached the playoffs six times and won the AAGPBL Championship Title four times.  This team was fictionalized in the 1992 movie A League of Their Own directed by Penny Marshall.

Another notable team was the Milwaukee/Grand Rapids Chicks who won three championship titles.  Managed by former Pittsburgh Pirate star player, Max Carey, the Chicks led the league in runs scored (492), batting average (.207), stolen bases (739), and tied for first in home runs (12).  Their squad consisted of talented players like Josephine Kabick, Merle Keagle, Connie Wisniewski, and Alma Ziegler.

The Racine Belles and the South Bend Blue Sox each won two league championship titles and the Kalamazoo Lassies won the title in 1954, the league’s final season.  Women playing baseball was frowned upon in the fifties and the AAGPBL did not continue in 1955.  Although they made history by being the first recorded professional women’s baseball league, its significance was soon forgotten.  A Players Association was formed in the 1980s enabling many former players from the dissolved league to get together and enjoy reunions.  It remains a unique aspect of American baseball history as a time when over 600 women athletes were given the opportunity to play professional baseball.

About the Author

Prosportbargains.com is a Pro Sports website that connects visitors to top-name sport retailers, information, news, and videos. Get live-time sport news, save money on season tickets, and shop for your favorite professional sports team apparel, collectibles, jewelry, gifts, books, games, and more!  http://www.Prosportbargains.com

Jacob Fowler doubles to tie the game – Jr Warriors Baseball first win

Wilton T-Shirt Sport Team Jersey Hawaiian Shirt Cake Pan (2105-2347, 1999) ~ Retired The contouring of the pan outlines the form and provides a generous backing to hold the cake. Crafted of quality aluminum, this bakeware heats evenly and keeps interiors moist while allowing surfaces to gently brown. Lightweight yet durable, it also retains its shape and transfers detailing clearly to the food surface. When the party is over, the pan cleans easily so there’s less time spent in the…

Expanding PEG Rack 10 Hooks Hardwood Multi-purpose Vertical or Horizontal Wall Mount $1.87 This multi-purpose expanding rack just the thing you need for that room that needs a little extra space or organization. Its 10 pegs can hold coats, hats, mugs, pet leashes and more ! You can hang it vertically or horizontally-whatever meets your hanging needs best. It’s attractive natural wood construction with a clear lacquer finish matches many color schemes and decor….

Longstem Tie Belt Men’s Accessory Overdoor/Wall Valet Holder Hanger Organizer for Men – Patented & Rated Best $69.99 At last! A patented, truly innovative organizer uniquely designed for the man in the house. In the past men were only offered a tie rack or cufflink tray. The Longstem Men’s Organizer changes all that. Men can now easily display and select all the typical male accessories. It provides easy accessibility and organization for ties, belts, watches, rings, keys, loose change, cuff links, lapel pins, s…

20′ BASEBALL MOUND COVER $132.00 Athletic Field Mound Covers are fabricated in the USA and offer all the much needed protection for game day. Comprised of 6.3 Oz, 12 Mil polyethylene, Our Athletic Field Mound Covers are manufactured with grommets every 3′ for rapid deployment during undesirable weather conditions….

Star Trek Deep Space Nine – The Complete Fifth Season $34.99 All 26 episodes from season five–including “Apocalypse Rising,” “Trials and Tribble-ations,” “Dr. Bashir, I Presume,” “Blaze of Glory” and “Call to Arms”–have been collected in a seven-disc set. 19 3/4 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles: English; featurettes; scene access. **26 episodes on 7 discs. 19 3/4 hrs.**…

BLACK Du-Rag, Du Rag, DuRag, Doo Rag, Wave Cap, Headwrap, Comfortable, Expanding, Breathable Material, Fits Most Head Sizes For Men, Women and Teens, Use During Sports Play, While Sleeping, Everyday Use, Wear Under Baseball Caps and Hats $2.95 Du-Rag with ties easily fits most head sizes for men, women, teens and older children. Made for all day or all night comfort. Packaging may differ differ from photo….

Du-Rag Set of 5, Du Rag, DuRag, BLACK, NAVY BLUE, ORANGE, BURGUNDY and GOLDEN YELOW Wave Caps, Doo Rag Lot, Comfortable, Expanding, Breathable Material, Fits Most Head Sizes For Men, Women and Teens, Use During Sports Play, While Sleeping, Everyday Use, Wear for Fashion or Under Baseball Caps, Motorcycle Helmets and Hats $9.95 Lot of 5 Du-Rags with ties easily fits most head sizes for men, women, teens and older children. Made for all day or all night comfort. Packaging may differ from photo. Colors/patterns may be substituted if out of stock or discontinued….

Du-Rag, Du Rag, Camouflage, CAMO DuRag, Doo Rag, BROWN AND GREEN Wave Cap, Stars and Stripes Headwrap, Comfortable, Expanding, Breathable Material, Fits Most Head Sizes For Men, Women and Teens, Use During Sports Play, While Sleeping, Everyday Use, Wear Under Baseball Caps and Hats $2.95 Du-Rag with ties easily fits most head sizes for men, women, teens and older children. Made for all day or all night comfort. Packaging may differ differ from photo….

SKLZ Zip-N-Hit Pro Baseball Trainer $19.95 Zip-N-Hit Pro acts like a portable batting cage, allowing batters to improve their swing almost anywhere. Players have fun while developing confidence and power. As much fun to pitch as it is to bat. Improve hitting skills while increasing bat speed. Learn top-half hitting while reinforcing a level swing. Anyone can be a consistent pitcher. Hold batting practice almost anywhere. Chasing and picki…

MLB New York Yankees Logo Bandz $0.01 These colorful Rubber Band Bracelets are made of non-toxic silicone and die molded in many different colors and fun shapes. Because they are made of 100% silicone they will return to their original shape and size when you take them off the item they’re holding….