Invisible Women in America’s National Pastime . . . or,“She’s Good. It’s History,Man.”

Abstract

American popular culture holds that girls do not play baseball, and any news to the contrary is greeted with incredulity. But girls and women have played the national pastime since the game was first invented, in spite of the fact that softball has served as a vehicle for the most strident sex segregation in American sports. This article traces the tenacious participation of girls and women from the 19th century to the U.S. Women’s National Team. Team USA medaled in the hard-fought, violence-marred Women’s World Cup Tournament of 2010 in Caracas, Venezuela. At home, the team is invisible, and the players must battle for access to the game. What can be done to open the doors for them?

Keywords

baseball gender U.S. Women’s National Team

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