I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not much of a sports fan. The idea of the Women’s Professional Baseball League playing its inaugural season in Springfield was interesting as a historical happening. But it was not until Lucky Horseshoes Chief Storyteller Jamie Toole spoke at our neighborhood association meeting that I committed to going to a game.
I loved it! I enjoyed the players, the fans, the atmosphere, the ballpark — everything! Even my husband, who actively avoids sports at all costs, has become a baseball fan.
What happened to us?
There is something magical about watching women achieve a dream that has long been deferred. So many of these talented players have worked hard to be good at their game, only to be denied a chance at playing professionally because of the inherent sexism in major league sports. As we’ve seen women’s professional leagues rise in the last decades, baseball has been a long time coming.
And yes, there is softball, and softball is great, but it isn’t baseball.
I watched the free showing of the documentary, Her Game Is Hardball, this week at Legacy Theatre, and it put into perspective the struggles that women have always had trying to achieve parity in baseball. Even women who are really great at baseball were denied the chance to play, being barred from the game if they got a little too close to the spotlight.
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Portraits of grit and determination in “Her Game is Hardball”
The documentary focuses on a handful of players, both children and adults, and their journey to cross the “but you can play softball” barrier and to play the game they truly loved, baseball. While it was uplifting to see them fight so hard, it was also disheartening to see how many barriers they had to overcome.
I think that is what makes this summer in Springfield so very important and uplifting. We’re seeing the beginning of something life-changing for girls who are now growing up playing baseball and will be the next generation of women playing professional baseball. They will have a clear path forward and role models to look up to, thanks to these outstanding players who are trailblazers.
I encourage everyone local to Springfield to get out to the park, and enjoy the post-season play off games. The fans at the ballpark are wonderful. It’s such an accepting and vibrant community. Truly, all kinds of people come to the games. I never thought I’d be one of the crowd, but here I am. Since I don’t have a home team, I cheer for every good play, regardless of team. I cheer all night long!
