A League of Their Own

2009 Update: In November 2004 I wrote the following essay, "The Girls of Summer" about the Rockford Peaches, the famed all-women baseball team from the 1940s featured in the film "A League of Their Own." I was inspired to write my essay after visiting an exhibit featuring the team at the Midway Village and Museum Center in Rockford, Illinois — the very town that sponsored the Rockford Peaches baseball team!

I'm updating this piece (five years later) to include some important add-ons: About a month after I wrote the essay, I relocated to a town nearby Rockford with a 10-minute commute to the Museum Center. I have since revisited this exhibit multiple times and find myself moved each time for a variety of reasons. And although the unfolding of this history took place well before my time in the 1940s, I'm grateful to experience this "nearby history" in such a tangible form before it's relegated to history books and Internet archives.

I've also since made friends with some long-time residents in the area who knew or have had the privilege of meeting several of the women players featured in the movie's story. One day I was walking along the Rock River with a friend and we passed by a tribute sign along the path noting the indelible mark the Rockford Peaches Women's Baseball League made in history and in the town of Rockford. For me, it's just really cool to experience something so close like this. The next time I'm walking on that path I'll get a photo of the sign.

Meanwhile, enjoy the rest!

The Girls of Summer

By Chris Dunmire

I'm listening to the soundtrack from the 1992 baseball movie "A League of Their Own" featuring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, Rosie O'Donnell, and Madonna. My favorite track on the CD is number 10: "The Final Game" performed by Hans Zimmer. In the movie, this track was the instrumental backdrop music to the climatic events of the movie — a winning baseball game for an all-women baseball team.

"A League of Their Own" was based on the real-life story of the Rockford Peaches, one of the charter teams of the All American Girls Baseball League from 1943 to 1954. This classic American story is not only entertaining, but moving.

I had the opportunity to visit the Midway Village & Museum Center in Rockford, Illinois, to see an exhibit about the Rockford Peaches. Greeting visitors at the exhibit entrance was this sign titled, "The Girls of Summer" that read:

"World War II touched every part of life in the United States. This included baseball, the 'national pastime.' To keep people interested in the game while many of its best players were in the army, chewing gum businessman and Chicago Cubs owner Phillip Wrigley started a professional women's baseball league. The 'All-American Girls Professional Baseball League' (or AAGPBL) lasted from 1943 until 1954.

The Rockford Peaches was one of the first four teams in the league. Other teams were started in Racine and Kenosha, Wisconsin, and South Bend, Indiana. At its peak in 1948 the league had 10 teams across the Midwest.

The Peaches was one of the league's best teams, winning the championship 4 times. They played in Rockford for all 12 years of the league's existence. Only one other team played in its original city for all 12 years. Interest in the AAGPBL declined after 1948 and the league struggled financially until 1954 when it was discontinued."

The exhibit was also moving. It featured dozens of authentic photographs of the team players, authentic equipment like creased shoes and worn-out gloves, and the original documentary video also titled "A League of Their Own" which inspired the later Hollywood movie.

The video played continuously in the exhibit corner and brought to life snippets from yesteryear: game highlights with women baseball players sliding into bases with their skirtish-bottoms and exposed legs. It also had interviews from players (then and more recent) and the nostalgic perspective we can only get from looking back on history from our 21st century.

It's really too bad that the AAGPBL was discontinued due to lack of interest after the second world war. I suppose that's what makes revisiting this unique timestamp in history even more special. More so, I fully appreciate why they are referred to as being in a league of their own. I wonder if we'll ever see something like the AAGPBL brought to life again, and this time, without being a stand-in for the guys.

By the way, my second favorite song on the CD is track number 11: "The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Song performed by The Rockford Peaches." It begins "Batter all, hear that call. The time has come for one and all... to play ball." It tears me up every time. •

All AAGPL images were taken at the Midway Museum Center in Rockford, Illinois, and are copyright of the Museum.

Related AAGPL Web Sources:

Rockford Midway Village & Museum Center
Illinois museum with "The Girls of Summer" exhibit of the Rockford Peaches.

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
"League History, photos, articles, and other resources related to the League and the women who played in it."

The Diamond Angle
"Magazine covering all of the baseball has archived interviews with several AAGPBL players (click on interviews)."

Northern Indiana Center for History
"Official repository for the AAGPBL Players Association. The museum has a permanent exhibit on the League, and an extensive archive of documents and photos." •

© 2004, 2009 Chris Dunmire. All rights reserved.