THE STORY:
Once upon a time, the Midwest was a land filled with Peaches, Belles, Lassies, Comets, Chicks and Daisies…and they could really play some ball!
From 1943 to 1954, over 600 women played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Wisconsin was home to three teams; the Kenosha Comets (1943-1951), Racine Belles (1943-1950), and Milwaukee Chicks (1944). The Wisconsin teams dominated the early years of the league with Racine winning the Championship in 1943, the Milwaukee Chicks in 1944, and Racine again in 1946.
It’s been 60 years since the league called it quits. What started as a way to keep baseball popular while many MLB players were overseas during World War II, has turned into an important piece of baseball AND American history. Thanks to its importance, and of course the film A League of Their Own, the legacy of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League will continue to live on.
THE ARTIST:
Emily Balsley – Madison, WI
“Growing up, you could often find me throwing the softball around with my dad and sister. What started as some quality family bonding time turned into a full-blown obsession with softball. I loved watching A League of Their Own. Seeing those ladies kick butt inspired me to do my best, both on and off the field. And to think, much of the league’s history took place in Wisconsin. How cool is that?”