By The Women's Sports Foundation
Published: March 19, 2007
History of Women in Baseball
The U.S. was well into World War II when P.K. Wrigley received word from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt that the 1943 Major League baseball season might be suspended due to the manpower shortage. He wanted Wrigley to do something to keep the baseball game going until the men got home from service.
In the midst of removing barriers for women to be able to work in the industry to help the war effort, Wrigley joined forces with Branch Rickey and several small town entrepreneurs to create the first professional baseball league for women. A new, more open game using men's baseball rules, with 80 feet between bases, 55 feet for the pitching distance and nine players rather than ten. This made a faster action game. Wrigley and his advertising agent promoted the new "Girls Baseball" as wholesome family entertainment for war workers.
"Girls Baseball," with its charm school, chaperons, curfew and short-skirt uniforms, ensured a charming young lady; while demanding practice and competition helped create an excellent baseball player. At today's standards in the major leagues, the majority of women players would be making $1,000,000.00+.
All American Girls Professional Baseball League memorabilia was enshrined in the Cooperstown, New York Hall of Fame on November 5, 1988. Over 550 names are on a plaque in the exhibit named "WOMEN IN BASEBALL".
The Current State of the Women's GameAccording to the American Women's Baseball Federation (AWBF), in 2007 there are 39 youth and women's baseball teams in the United States that play in nine leagues and independent tournaments throughout the year.
The 16-and-over division now has an established World Championship. The United States, Australia, Japan, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Cuba were represented in both the 2004 and 2006 World Cup competitions, where the U.S. won both. Korea also has women's baseball but does not compete at the World Cup level. (AWBF, 2007)
During the 2004-2005 school year 1,015 girls played baseball on high school teams in the U.S. (National Federation of State High School Associations, 2006).
Can women compete against men in baseball?Yes…but the correct question is, "Can the very best women athletes compete in men's professional baseball?" The answer to that question begins with a look at the relative strength and size of men and women. When you match up men and women with the same lean body mass and size, the differences are small. However, absolute strength and size are not key factors in baseball. Baseball is a game involving skills that are combination of timing, coordination, strength, knowledge of the game, strategies, control and savvy, to say nothing of the importance of competitiveness and desire. There are plenty of examples in major league baseball of the smaller but very highly skilled player who overcomes disadvantages of foot speed, size, or strength to be an exceptional player.
The biggest disadvantage that women players will have to overcome will be the fact that they will be less experienced in playing baseball. Even thought baseball and softball are similar games, the smaller size and weight of the ball, the longer pitching distances, base paths and field size and the subtle differences of the game will pose more disadvantages than physical size or ability differences. Women players will need time to adjust to this new game. Thankfully times are changing and women are getting the chance to play.
RESOURCESChildren BooksRappaport, D. (2000).
Dirt on Their Skirts: The Story of the Young Women Who Won the World Championship. New York, NY: Dial Books.
Moss, M. (2004).
Mighty Jackie: The Strike-Out Queen. New York, NY: Paula Wiseman Books.
Adult BooksArdell, J.H. (2005).
Breaking Into Baseball: Women and the International Pastime. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press.
Kovach, J.M. (2005).
Women's Baseball. Chicago, IL: Arcadia Publishing.
Wulf, L., Heaphy, L.A., Anthony, M. (2006).
Encyclopedia of Women and Baseball. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company.
OrganizationsAmerican Women's Baseball Federation: (Formerly American Women's Baseball League)
294 Willoughby Road
Mason, MI 48854-9442
www.awbf.org
USA Baseball
403 Blackwell Street
Durham, NC 27702
919-474-8822
www.usabaseball.com
Women's Baseball League, Inc.
647-231-4385
President: Justine Siegal
Jusine@BaseballGlory.com
www.BaseballGlory.com