Transcript The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League

The All-American Girls
Professional Baseball League
By: Ashley Ravo
Why was the league started?
During the year 1942, many men had been going to fight in World
War II.
Many baseball players had felt it was their duty as
Americans to fight for our country, so there were many men that
left their teams to fight in the war. A lot of minor league teams
had disbanded because of the lack of players, and people feared
that this would happen in the major leagues.
Philip Wrigley,
owner of the Chicago Cubs at the time, decided something
needed to be done to help save baseball fields from collapsing.
With the help of Ken Sells, the assistant manager of the Cubs, the
idea of creating a girls’ baseball league had been born.
How did the league get started?
• Wrigley provided the financial support needed to start the
league.
• Ken Sells was named president of the league.
• The league allowed 10 players on the field, the same base
running rules as the MLB, and a smaller size field then
MLB players used but it was also larger than a softball
field.
• Jim Hamilton was put in charge of recruiting members to
play in the league. Several cities had tryouts, but only 280
women made the cut to go to the final tryouts. Final
tryouts reduced the amount of players to 60 before the
first season started.
How were the teams formed?
• Teams had 15 players, a manager, a business manager,
and a woman chaperone.
• Managers were mostly former major league players
• Players earned $45 to $85 a week.
• When teams were put together, league officials tried to
balance the talent of each team to make the league more
competitive.
• Trades were made mid-season sometimes in order to
maintain the balance of teams and keep the competitive
aspect of the league.
• The 1940s icon “Rosie the Riveter” was an inspiration to
women and made them feel comfortable taking a man’s
position while they were at war. This icon was part of the
reason why women felt they could try out for the league.
Uniforms
• Uniforms were short
skirted dresses that had
the team symbol
embroidered on the chest.
• Satin shorts were worn
under the dresses.
• Knee socks and a hat
were also worn.
• The uniforms were
designed by Mrs. Wrigley,
Wrigley’s Art Designer,
Otis Shepard, and Ann
Harnett.
Charm School
• Before women joined the league, they were given
a pamphlet that explained their beauty routines
they had to complete every day.
• The league wanted to model the “All-American
Girl” so they made sure the ladies took good care
of themselves and looked nice when they were in
public or playing in a game.
• Charm School also included teaching the girls
proper behavior in public.
Chaperones
• Each team in the league was assigned a
female chaperone.
• Players had to have the places they stayed
and ate at during the season approved by
the team chaperone.
• Players could go to chaperones with
personal problems they wanted to talk
about.
1943: First Year of League Play
• Only four teams played in 1943.
• A total of 108 games were played.
• 176,612 people came to the games in the first
year of play. Gasoline and other staple items were
rationed during the war forcing people to spend
time close to home.
• Women were inspired by the players taking what
is usually a “man’s job.” the league encouraged
women to get jobs that supported the war.
• The league also promoted patriotism during the
war.
1944: Expanding the League
• The 1944 season brought two new teams into the
league: the Milwaukee Chicks and the Minneapolis
Millerettes.
• These teams lasted for only one season because
Wrigley didn’t have the skilled businessmen in
these cities that he needed to support and
promote the teams.
• In the beginning of the 1944 season, Wrigley
realized that the MLB teams would not have to
disband because of the war, so he sold the league
to Arthur Meyerhoff .
1945: The Addition of Two New Teams
1945 Grand
Rapid Chicks
• In 1945, the Fort Wayne Daisies and the Grand
Rapid Chicks were added to the league and
remained in the league until it officially
disbanded.
• Junior leagues were organized by the AAGPL for
girls over 14 looking to play baseball.
• Attendance had increased from Meyerhoff’s strong
advertising.
1946-1954
• Two more teams were added to the league in
1946: the Muskegon Lassies and the Peoria
Redwings.
• In 1948, the league added two more teams to the
league. The league had ten teams, the most it
ever had, in 1948 and again in 1950.
• After the 1950 season, the league dropped two
teams, and then two more teams in 1953.
• The league officially disbanded in 1954.
Why did the league disband in
1954?
• World War II ended in 1945, so men had
been returning home and the famous MLB
players that had left the league to fight
were returning home bringing baseball fans
back to the major league parks.
• Television was beginning to become popular
and MLB games were aired on TV.
• AAGPBL games were not aired on TV,
making competition between the leagues
almost impossible.
“A League of Their Own”
• The AAGPBL was the idea portrayed in the movie
“A League of Their Own.”
• The movie was written by Kelly Candaele. His
mother and aunt played in the league, but they did
not pitch or catch like the main characters in the
movie did.
• All of the characters in the movie were fictional,
but the movie did give an accurate idea of what
the league was like.
• In the movie, the characters did “flashy” things
when they were on the field. In real life players
never did these stunts.
How did the league have an
economic affect on society?
• During the depression and World War II, women
were only responsible for taking care of their
homes and children rather then having a job.
• The league offered its players social mobility and
good incomes that improved their life chances and
provided and opportunity to get a better
education.
• The AAGPBL did not have to play in the Major
League parks to help them financially, but they did
help make money for the towns where the games
were held.
How did the league change society’s
view on women?
• Before World War II, women had a certain role at
home that included cleaning, cooking, and taking
care of the children; a typical housewife.
• When the league started, it was realized that
women can do more than just their duties at
home.
• The league inspired the women’s professional golf
league to start which still exists today.
• Women now have jobs other than their jobs at
home that back before WWII they would leave for
a man to have.
Thank you for listening!