How did World War II lead to the development of the first professional women’s baseball league in the United States?
From 1943 to 1954, hundreds of young women played professional baseball for teams in cities around the Midwest. The inaugural 1943 season featured two teams from Wisconsin—the Racine Belles and the Kenosha Comets—along with the Rockford Peaches (IL) and the South Bend Blue Sox (IN). Despite its short run, the league is notable for being the first paying pro sports venue for women and pioneering other developments in women’s sports.
Let's take a look
Questions to consider
Why was the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) started? What was happening at the time it began?
What do you notice about the uniforms that players in the AAGPBL wore? How are they similar to and different from uniforms worn by men in Major League Baseball?
From what you saw and heard in the video, did the AAGPBL include players of different backgrounds and identities? Why or why not?
Meet the historians
Get to know the historians. Each historian in this episode has a card with information about that historian.
There are 4 cards to read.
Taylor L. Bailey
Public Historian
I get to look at things and moments in history and teach others about them!
Sergio González
History Professor
I research and teach about the history of Latinos in the Midwest.
Cat Phan
Digital Archivist
I take care of photos and videos and sound recordings so they last for a long time into the future!
Christa Bauer
Curator of Education
I educate people of all ages about local Racine History and the importance of knowing local history!
Quote from a historian
“These women a lot of times came from working class families. But they loved sports. And many of them grew up playing baseball and softball.”
Christa Bauer
Episode credits
Producer
David Boffa
Hosts
Taylor L. Bailey
Sergio González
Cat Phan
Special Guests
Christa Bauer
Mary Ann Pawzun
Research and Writing
Taylor L. Bailey
David Boffa
Tori Charnetzki
Kylie Compe
Ian Glodich
Sergio González
Ryan Hendricks
Cat Phan
Videography
Ian Glodich
David Boffa
Tori Charnetzki
Kylie Compe
Editing
Ian Glodich
David Boffa
Captioning
Catie Pfeifer
Translation Services
Rev
Educator Support Materials
David Boffa
Mia Forslund
Jen Kobylecky
Web Design
Charles Barrows
Erika Kachama-Nkoy
Web Development
John Vieth
Graphic and Motion Design
Danielle Riseley
Charles Barrows
Ian Glodich
Additional Production Support
Kerman Eckes
Andy LaValley
Executive Producer
Ryan Hendricks
Director of Education
Megan Monday
Director of Television
Jon Miskowski
Project Partners
Rebecca M. Blank Center for Campus History
UW–Madison Libraries
Wisconsin Historical Society
Special Thanks
Allison Barr
Jess Hankey
Ashley Moseberry
Tricia Pawzun
Kelly Post
Racine Heritage Museum
Funding provided by
Timothy William Trout Education Fund
a gift of Monroe and Sandra Trout
Eleanor and Thomas Wildrick Family
Focus Fund for Education
Friends of PBS Wisconsin