‘This is home’: The lights shine bright in the inaugural WPBL season
SPRINGFIELD, ILL. — Anytime a baseball player touches home plate, whether it’s an emphatic stomp after a home run trot or in a contested slide trying to tag on a fly ball, it’s an exciting moment. That feeling sums up every moment of the inaugural Women’s Professional Baseball League in Springfield, Ill. this summer. From the […]
Springfield, Illinois witnessed the debut of the Women's Professional Baseball League (WPBL) on August 1, marking the first time professional women's baseball has existed in the United States since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1943-1955. The inaugural season features five teams, each playing seven-inning games over five weeks. WPBL skipper Rocky Henley, the only woman manager in the league, describes the experience as "home," where women can finally play baseball without being told they can't.
The league brings together players from diverse backgrounds, including collegiate athletes like Meggie Meidlinger, who became the first girl to throw a perfect game in a boys varsity high school game in her state's history. WPBL players come from 11 different countries and territories, giving the league an international flavor. Fans of all ages, including young girls and boys from Little League teams, flock to the 5,200-capacity stadium to support their favorite teams.
Commissioner Eric Young Sr., a former MLB infielder, is managing the Queens after a successful 15-year career with seven teams. He emphasizes the importance of empowering the players by giving them a stage to showcase their talents. WPBL's parity in the first season creates excitement as any team could win on any given night, making it an exhilarating experience for everyone involved.
Written by urgent.news from SB Nation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
