Mary Melcher: Women In Baseball

7pm Thursday, Feb. 12th

Free!

In the days before television, people turned out in the thousands to watch women's softball teams play in Arizona. The Ramblers and the Queens, two Phoenix teams, won five national championships between them in the 1940s, garnering Phoenix the title, "Softball Capitol of the World." These women endured sexism and stereotyping, playing in short shorts or skirts and maintaining a feminine, attractive appearance even as they competed vigorously to win. Women of color also experienced racism from the 1930s to the 1950s, but love of the game fueled their desire to compete. This talk draws on oral histories and photos to describe athletes such as Dottie Wilkinson, Flossie Ballard, Rose Mofford, and Billie Harris who excelled on the softball field, representing Arizona with vigor and grace.

Play Ball: The Cactus League Experince opened  January 10th.  If you haven't seen the exhibit yet, come over sometime Tuesday - Saturday between 10am and 4pm to check it out.   

Play Ball Experience