Historic Women’s Pro Baseball League Debuts

Springfield – Alli Schroder, inspired by the 1992 film A League of Their Own, saw herself in its portrayal of women in professional baseball. Schroder recalls, “It was motivating as a kid to watch it because even though there wasn’t a platform for us to play professional baseball when I was growing up, there was a vision that there could be.” Today, Schroder’s dream comes to life with the inaugural season of the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL).

The WPBL starts its season Saturday, weather permitting, as Denae Benites and the New York Heights take on Mo’ne Davis and the Los Angeles Queens. On Sunday, the Boston Hunters face the San Francisco Firebells. Each team consists of 15 active players competing in seven-inning games.

“What excites me most is competing against players who have been my teammate and rivals,” said Ayami Sato, a Japanese right-hander and one of New York’s top pitchers.

Games will be played at Springfield’s Robin Roberts Stadium, a historic venue with a 5,200 seat capacity. The stadium, opened in 1925, will host 15 regular-season games for each team and the playoffs.

This league marks a significant milestone in women’s professional baseball, following attempts to create leagues in the 1990s after the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) ran from 1943-54. Founder Justine Siegal, the first woman to coach for an MLB team in 2015, co-founded WPBL. The league garnered a media rights deal with ESPN and Scripps Sports Network to broadcast its games.

“We want this to become the MLB of women’s baseball,” said Los Angeles infielder Ashton Lansdell.

Team captains include Lansdell, Benites, Schroder, and Kelsie Whitmore, chosen on Friday. Whitmore, drafted first by the San Francisco Firebells, emphasized team unity. “We’re a family now,” she shared. Turner and the Firebells are managed by Matt Williams, a five-time All-Star; other team managers include Keith Foulke for Boston, Eric Young for Los Angeles, and Rachelle “Rocky” Henley for New York.

Each manager will strategize with their coaching staff and players, focusing on the passion and skill of these athletes. “When I saw them play in Florida this spring, it was like, ‘These are athletes playing baseball,'” said Foulke, who aims to foster this passion.