Women have a long history in American baseball and many women's teams have existed over the years. Baseball was played at women's colleges in New York and New England as early as the mid-nineteenth century;Ring (2009), 33. teams were formed at Vassar College, Smith College, Wellesley College, and Mount Holyoke College.Ring (2009), 34. An African American women's team, the Philadelphia Dolly Vardens, was formed in 1867.Gems, Borish, and Pfister (2008), 145.
A number of women's barnstorming teams have existed,Cahn (1995), 38. and women have played alongside major league players in exhibition games. On April 2, 1931, 17-year-old Jackie Mitchell (originally known as "Virne Beatrice Mitchell Gilbert") of the Chattanooga Lookouts struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game. As a result, according to some accounts, Commissioner of Baseball Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned her from exhibitions.Ring (2009), 18. The first girl to play on a boys varsity high school baseball team was Nellie Twardzik, on April 24, 1935. Twardzik started at first base for the Bartlett High School Indians in Webster, Massachusetts from 1935 through 1937. Her high school letter and glove are on display in the "Diamond Dreams" exhibit featuring women in baseball at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
In 1946, former player Edith Houghton became the first woman to work as an independent scout in Major League Baseball when she was hired by the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League. In 1989, NBC's Gayle Gardner became the first woman to regularly host Major League Baseball games for a major television network. In 2015, Jessica Mendoza was the first female analyst for a Major League Baseball game in the history of ESPN. Margaret Donahue (1892–1978) was the first non-owner female front office executive in Major League Baseball, starting as a stenographer for the Chicago Cubs in 1919 before becoming the team's corporate secretary in 1926 and team vice president and executive secretary before she retired in 1958.
Effa Manley, the only woman member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame (inducted 2006), co-owned the Newark Eagles baseball franchise in the Negro leagues from 1935 to 1948.
Early history Women were playing base ball (as it was then called) as far back as the 1860s,"A Female Baseball Club at Peterboro". Chicago Tribune, August 29, 1868, p. 4. but it was not normal for young women to play what was considered a man's sport. In fact, until the early 1890s, when the bicycle craze hit America, women who wanted to get some outdoor exercise were usually discouraged from doing so."Thirty Thousand Women Cyclists". New York Herald, November 20, 1892, p. 30. Nevertheless, baseball was played at women's colleges in New York and New England as early as the mid-nineteenth century; teams were formed at Vassar College, Smith College, Wellesley College, and Mount Holyoke College. An African American women's team, the Philadelphia Dolly Vardens, was formed in 1867.
Women competing against each other in base ball dates back to at least 1875 when the first female professional baseball players were recruited to play on teams according to their hair color.Thorn, John (2011) Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game. New York: Simon and Schuster, page 191 The "National Amusement Association", created by Illinois businessman Frank Myers, advertised the novelty of women playing baseball and promoted the sport as family entertainment, suitable for women and children. To garner interest, he divided the teams into "blondes" and "brunettes". Myers's attempt to profit from the novelty event failed in less than a year, but the concept of women playing baseball, divided into teams of blondes and brunettes, continued well into the 20th century as a popular event to stage at picnics and fairs.
In the late 1890s, there were some organized efforts to have all-female baseball teams, several of which enjoyed success. One of the most successful was the Boston Bloomer Girls baseball club; they took their name from the comfortable pants that some sports-minded young women had begun to wear instead of a long skirt. Young women who went against traditional fashion norms and chose bloomers were often called "bloomer girls"."A Pair of Bloomer Girls in Wisconsin". New York Tribune, August 23, 1869, p. 2. While in some cities, local authorities banned women's baseball teams, including the Bloomer Girls,"Rooters Ready for Baseball to Begin". San Francisco Chronicle, October 14, 1895, p. 10. in other cities, the club was welcomed by curious fans who had never seen female ballplayers."Bloomers Were Beaten". Portland Oregonian, October 4, 1897, p. 6.
The Bloomer Girls toured the United States in 1897; the press referred to them as the "champion women's club of the world","Bloomer Baseball Club". Seattle Daily Times, September 18, 1897, p. 8. although this may have been marketing hyperbole, given that the team often seemed inexperienced and did not play very well. One regular standout for the Bloomers was pitcher Maud Nelson, whose talents as a player were praised by reporters; but her teammates did not seem to have as much polish or skill as she did."They Hail from Boston and Can't Play Ball". San Francisco Chronicle, October 25, 1897, p. 5. As they gained more experience, they began to play with more confidence; while still regarded as a novelty, the club often drew large crowds of appreciative fans, many of whom came to see Maud Nelson and her curve ball."Women Ball Twirlers". Fresno (CA) Weekly Republican, November 5, 1897, p. 8. The Boston Bloomers were still touring and playing baseball in the early 1900s; by 1907–1908, their team also included several male players, but the majority of the team continued to be female."Bloomer Girls Will Play at Broadway Park". Denver Daily News, July 23, 1908, p. 9.
On July 5, 1898, Lizzie Arlington became the first woman to play for a professional men's baseball team when she pitched the ninth inning for the Reading Coal Heavers against the Allentown Peanuts. Reading was leading 5–0 heading into the final inning when Arlington entered the game. Though she allowed two hits and walked a batter to load the bases, Arlington succeeded in retiring the next three batters to preserve the victory, as the crowd enthusiastically shouted "Good for Lizzie!"
Margaret Donahue (1892–1978) was the first non-owner female front office executive in Major League Baseball, starting as a stenographer for the Chicago Cubs in 1919 before becoming the team's corporate secretary in 1926 and team vice president and executive secretary before she retired in 1958.
1920–2000 Perhaps the best known young woman playing baseball in the early 1920s was Rhode Island's Lizzie Murphy. She was the first woman to play baseball against major league players, in 1922.www.todayifoundout.com The first person to play for both baseball's National League and American League All-Star teams was a woman: Lizzie "Queen of baseball" Murphy A first baseman, she played for the Providence (RI) Independents, and was praised by newspaper reporters for her fielding skills. Sportswriters said she was every bit as talented as a male player, and noted that she was paid $300 a week, more than many minor league players of the 1920s received."Draws Large Salary". Cincinnati Enquirer, April 29, 1923, p. 22. Murphy, who had begun playing baseball when she was only ten, had dreams of becoming a major league player, but she was not able to achieve that goal."Sport Snap Shots". Olean (NY) Evening Herald, October 24, 1923, p. 6. She did in 1922 become the first female baseball player to play against major league players, in a game that was a charity exhibition pitting all-star players from the New England and American Leagues against the Boston Red Sox. She was also able to have a long career in the semi-pro leagues, leading a touring team that played all over the eastern United States. According to newspaper accounts, she developed a loyal following, with numerous fans who came out to watch her and her team play."Lizzie Murphy Will Play Here". North Adams (MA) Transcript, June 24, 1926, p. 15. Lizzie Murphy's baseball career lasted from 1918 to 1935."Lizzie Murphy, 70, Former Baseball Star". Newport (RI) Daily News, July 29, 1964, p. 6.
While Murphy was perhaps the best-known woman playing for an all-male team in the 1920s, there was at least one other woman athlete whose abilities included playing baseball. Philadelphia's Betty Schenkel not only played baseball with the boys during high school, but she was said to be adept in other sports, including basketball, soccer, and cycling."Women of Today No Longer Mollycoddles in the World Of Sports". Colorado Springs Gazette, August 27, 1922, p. 44.
On April 2, 1931, 17-year-old Jackie Mitchell (originally known as "Virne Beatrice Mitchell Gilbert") of the Chattanooga Lookouts struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in an exhibition game. By some accounts, Commissioner of Baseball Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned her from exhibitions as a result.
The first girl to play on a boys varsity high school baseball team was Nellie Twardzik, on April 24, 1935. Twardzik started at first base for the Bartlett2026 High School Indians in Webster, Massachusetts from 1935 through 1937. Her high school letter and glove are on display in the "Diamond Dreams" exhibit featuring women in baseball at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
Effa Manley, the only woman member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame (inducted 2006), co-owned the Newark Eagles baseball franchise in the Negro leagues from 1935 to 1948.
World War II through 1950 During World War II, over 500 baseball players, including super-stars like Ted Williams, Stan Musial and Joe DiMaggio, enlisted or were drafted. This left major league rosters depleted and severely diminished the level of talent in the league. The owner of the Chicago Cubs, Philip K. Wrigley formed a committee to come up with ideas to keep baseball financially afloat during the war. The result of that committee was the organization of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which operated from 1943 to 1954. At the height of its popularity, it had teams in twelve cities."Skirting a Forgotten Era". Boston Herald, July 20, 1988, p. 94. One of the most successful of the teams in the league was the Rockford (IL) Peaches, which won four championships. The Peaches, and the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, were commemorated in a 1992 movie, A League of Their Own, starring Geena Davis."Rockford's Baseball Past May Appear in 'Civil War' Producer's Next TV Series". Rockford (IL) Register Star, December 13, 1991, p. 29. In 2022, the television series A League of Their Own, co-created by Will Graham and Abbi Jacobson, was an adaptation of the 1992 movie with new characters and storylines, about the formation of a World War II-era women's professional baseball team. Founded for similar reasons as the AAGPBL, the National Girls Baseball League was in operation from 1944 to 1954.
In 1946, former player Edith Houghton became the first woman to work as an independent scout in Major League Baseball when she was hired by the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League.
1950s–1990s