Women's+Baseball

__media type="google" key="2759570940922602489&hl=en&fs=true" width="400" height="326" Women’s Baseball in the 20th Century__ ** By Tess

Baseball in the 20th Century affected America because men had gone off to fight in World War II. Everyone thought baseball was coming to an end, because the players went off to fight for their country. However, Philip K. Wrigley, owner of Wrigley field, the Cubs, and the gum company, felt different. He believed that women could take the place of men. Then, Women’s Baseball was born.

Women started playing baseball for many reasons. The main reason Women’s Baseball started was because men went out to fight in combat, and America still wanted baseball, but people were losing hope. The biggest reason Women’s Baseball was started was because President Roosevelt was a baseball fan. He wouldn’t let baseball die. So he helped Philip K. Wrigley to start the Women’s Baseball League, because women were available.

Women’s Baseball became very popular, and lots of teams were formed. The first official Women’s Baseball teams were the Racine Bells, the Rockford Peaches, the Kenosha Comets, and the South Bend Blue Sox. Many teams soon followed. There were the Pennsylvania Dolly Vardens, the Springfield Sallies, the Minneapolis Millerettes, the Milwaukee Chicks, the Fort Wayne Daisies, the Grand Rapid Chicks, the Peoria Redwings, the Muskegon Lassies, the Chicago Colleens, the Battle Creek Belles, the Kalamazoo Lassies, and the All Star Team. As you can see, the team names were repeated, mostly it was the Lassies, the Chicks, and the Belles. Some of the players in 1944 were Thelma Eisner, Merle Keagle, Clara Cook, Jo Kabick, and Emily Stevenson.

Being a Women’s Baseball player wasn’t as easy as it seems. To be a player you must go to Charm School. Charm School is a place where future Women’s Baseball Players went to practice being “ladylike.” The coaches wanted the players to appear ladylike, but play “like men.” Also there were the general requirements. The players had to be strong, athletic, fair, and have skill. They also had to be able to afford a bat and glove, and be willing to show up and play at every practice. The players had to play to win, because Women’s Baseball became very important, and winning was a great achievement.

People had mixed feelings about women playing baseball. Mostly every girl thought Women’s Baseball was wonderful, and a good chance for women. Some men didn’t enjoy it though, because they thought men played better. Most people liked it, until the men came back. Then they decided everyone should switch back to Men’s Baseball only. Some baseball fans were against male players going to fight in war anyway, so they didn’t like Women’s Baseball. Others thought it was very necessary men fought in war, and women taking the place of men seemed like a great idea.

Women had to wear a uniform very different then what men wear today. Instead of long pants, women had to wear short skirts, so they looked feminine. They had bloomers underneath their skirts though. Women’s Baseball teams had team colors, so their bloomers, their belt, and their team number were their team color. Once a girl was part of the team, she would receive a beauty kit containing lipstick, deodorant, cleansing cream, rouge, face powder, lotion, and hair products. Another part of the uniform was the women got team hats. The women had to wear bobby socks, and cleats, and keep their hair in a neat manner. They also needed to have straight white teeth.

Rules for Women’s Baseball changed almost every year as it slowly became more and more like Men’s Baseball. In 1943 the ball size was 12 inches, the length of the base path was 65 feet, the pitching distance was 40 feet and the pitching style was underhand. In 1944 the ball size was changed to 11 ½ inches, the length of the base path was changed to 68 feet. In 1945 the pitching distance was changed to 42 feet. In 1946 the ball size changed to 11 inches, the length of the base path was changed to 72 feet, and the pitching distance was changed to 43 feet. In 1947 the pitching style was changed to side arm. In 1948 the ball size was changed to 10 3/8 inches, the pitching distance was changed to 50 feet, and the pitching style was changed to overhand. In 1949 the ball size was changed to 10 inches and the pitching distance was changed to 55 feet. In 1953 the length of the base path was changed to 75 feet and the pitching distance was changed to 56 feet. Then in 1954 the ball size was changed to 9 inches, the length of the base path was changed to 85 feet, and the pitching distance was changed to 60 feet.

Woman’s Baseball may sound like Softball, but it was very different. The rules for Women’s Baseball changed very often - almost every year! The softball rules are almost permanent. Softball is also older. It was around long before Women’s Baseball. In softball there are major leagues, and minor leagues. In Women’s Baseball there are professional leagues, and junior leagues. The uniform was different, too. In softball you wear shorts (and sliding shorts underneath) and a large baggy shirt. In Women’s Baseball you wore a skirt, a tight shirt, and a belt, which was much more formal for a sport. To be a Women’s Baseball player you need to have certain qualities. To be a softball player, you just have to be a good player, and willing to play. Women’s Baseball made a big impact on the 20th century. It made men think much more of women. It also made it a brighter time for America during the war. Women’s Baseball was very important to Americans.

__Work Cited__ __ All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association __. 18 May 2009 .

 Gourley, Catherine. __Welcome to Molly's world, 1944 growing up in World War Two America__. Middleton, WI: Pleasant Co. Publications, 1999.  "Women's Baseball during World War II." __Illinois Periodicals Online at Northern Illinois University - (Main Page)__. 18 May 2009 .  __ Women's Firsts __. Vol. 2. New York: UXL, 1998.