The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
from sliding with bare legs.
The women were also directed to be poised and feminine at all times. To assist players with this, strict rules of conduct were set, and team chaperones were on hand to enforce them with a watchful eye. “I never drank or smoked and that was true of many of the friendships that I formed (Pratt, Interview).” Each girl attended regular classes at charm school (Web address), which is of course, after days filled with the business of spring training. “Even today, when spring comes around, I think, ‘Gosh, years ago I’d be getting ready to go to spring training.’ The smell of the earth coming alive again, it just brings back memories that make you want to go get out your baseball mitt, (Macy, 1993 title page).”
Upon entering the league each girl was issued a handbook full of tips on beauty routines, physical fitness, clothing, and etiquette to keep on hand for quick reference. Some players resented the fact that the emphasis on social behavior often took the spotlight away from their athletic ability. It inadvertently encouraged already skeptical sportswriters to publish throngs of sarcastic reports about “powder puff baseball” and the “carefully coiffured cuties” who played it (Johnson, 1994).
The league began with four teams: The Kenosha Comets, The Racine Belles, The Rockford Peaches, and The South Bend Blue Sox (Johnson, 1994). At its height the league included twelve teams from different areas within the Midwest region. At the end of its twelve-year existence there were five teams active. The public’s initial response was one of skepticism, however, with it came curiosity. The public viewed the league as a sort of novelty act. The curiosity drew people to the ball fields to see for themselves, and upon doing so the talent of the girls hooked the crowds. As the popularity of the game grew publicity became more widespread. Rockford was one of the more supportive cities in the league (Gregorich, 1993). People all over the country were reading about the “Belles of the Ball Game” and marveling at this Midwestern phenomenon (Fidler, 1976).
Even after the end of the war in 1945 the league’s success continued to grow. It was thought by most that the success would continue. However, the return of the men from war had also brought the return of major league baseball in “full swing” (Pratt, Interview). Public interest in the league began to decrease, and eventually led to its fold. Aside from this there were several contributing factors in the downfall of the league. First, the individual owners did not have the financial resources to do things essential to keeping the teams afloat. Also, the recruitment of playing talent was slacking and there was no one to replace the veterans when they retired. Finally, Cutbacks in operational costs and continued cuts in publicity were further contributors to the failure of the league (Berlage, 1994).