Life as a Player
Preserving Femininity
Wrigley believed that his players should always maintain a feminine image both on and off the field. As a result, the women had to follow strict guidelines regarding their appearance: their hair had to be a certain length, they were required to wear skirts whenever they were off the field, and they even attended charm classes at Helena Rubenstein's Beauty Salon after practices. The women "also had to comply with high moral standards and rules of conduct imposed by the League," including always being chaperoned, avoiding alcohol and men, and never swearing (1). Many of the league's officials were biased towards the women and did not treat them as professional athletes; "Team names such as the Milwaukee Chicks, Fort Wayne Daisies, and Rockford Peaches revealed these biases" (2). The players of the AAGPBL faced a daunting double standard: they were expected to look like women, but play ball like men.
UniformsOn the field, women were not allowed to play in pants for fears of appearing too masculine. Instead, their uniforms consisted of a "one piece short-skirted flared tunic...satin shorts, knee-high baseball socks, and a baseball hat" (4). While Wrigley was a fan of the uniforms because they made the players appear more feminine, the players themselves disliked the uniforms. The flared skirt would inhibit pitchers during their windup, and the skirts were so short that the girls would get painful "strawberries" like the one pictured above when they slid.
Team DynamicsThe 15 teams of the AAGPBL were carefully planned, and the players on each team were formed friendships that lasted for the rest of their lives. A team in the AAGPBL "consisted of 15 players, a manager (coach), a business manager, and a woman chaperone" (11). Everyone traveled on buses to games together, and the bus was where many team memories were created. It is believed that the league's anthem below was created on a bus ride.
"Official Song of the All-American Girls Baseball League" by Lavonne Paire Davis and Nalda Phillips (14)"Batter up! Hear that call!
The time has come for one and all To play ball. We are the members of the All-American League. We come from cities near and far. We've got Canadians, Irishmen and Swedes, We're all for one, we're one for all We're All-Americans! Each girl stands, her head so proudly high, Her motto 'Do or Die.' She's not the one to use or need an alibi. Our chaperones are not too soft, They're not too tough, Our managers are on the ball. We've got a president who really knows his stuff, We're all for one, we're one for all, We're All-Americans!" |
Charm School In addition to grueling practice and game schedules, the girls of the AAGPBL also had to attend nightly charm classes at Helena Rubenstein's Beauty Salon. This class taught the women the "arts of sitting, walking, speaking, selecting clothes, applying make-up, and social skills" (5). Wrigley's prioritization of femininity applied to all aspects of the players' lives. For example, "in an effort to make each player as physically attractive as possible, each player received a beauty kit and instructions on how to use it" (6). Reactions to these policies were mixed: some players enjoyed the charm classes because they did not have the opportunity to attend them at home, while others believed the classes were offensive and taking away from their professional experience. In 1945, the Charm School was removed and replaced with a renewed emphases on skill and supporting the war effort (7).
Contents of Every Player's "ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS BASEBALL LEAGUE BEAUTY KIT" (13)
“We looked like girls, but played like men."
-Viola Thompson, former AAGPBL pitcher (17)
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Rules of Conduct"By 1942...the sight of a woman wearing pants was no longer offensive as it had been...but women who competed were still frowned upon" (8).
Since the players were constantly scrutinized by the press and the public, Wrigley enforced strict rules regarding conduct that all players were required to follow. For example, the women were not allowed to fraternize with members of rival teams during the season in order to protect team rivalries (9). The players were also kept under close watch and hardly ever went out alone; in fact, players were not "allowed to drive their cars past their city's limits without the special permission of their manager" (10). Interview with former player Wilma Briggs (16)
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1. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "League History," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/12/league-history (May 17, 2015).
2. The Encyclopedia Brittanica, "All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL)," http://www.britannica.com/topic/All-American-Girls-Professional-Baseball-League (May 17, 2016).
3. Blogspot.com, "Inspirational Influences in Baseball History," http://baseballinfluences.blogspot.com/p/the-all-american-girls-professional.html?view=flipcard (May 17, 2016).
4. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "League History," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/12/league-history (May 17, 2016).
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. The Illinois State Library, "Women's Baseball during World War II," http://www.lib.niu.edu/1995/ihy950452.html (May 17, 2016).
9. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "League Rules of Conduct," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/18/league-rules-of-conduct (May 17, 2016).
10. Ibid.
11. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "League History," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/12/league-history (May 17, 2015).
12. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "1944 Rockford Peaches," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/teams/1944/rockford-peaches/9 (May 17, 2016).
13. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "Charm School," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/17/charm-school (May 17, 2016).
14. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "Victory Song," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/21/victory-song (May 17, 2016).
15. Weebly.com, "All-American Girls Professional Baseball League," http://agpbl.weebly.com/charm-school.html, (May 17, 2015).
16. ProvidenceJournal. "Wilma Briggs reminisces about her baseball career". Youtube video, 3:54. https://youtu.be/5R7yGP9Z-xQ.
17. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, "Mrs. America and the AAGPBL," http://baseballhall.org/discover/short-stops/mrs-america-and-the-aagpbl-go-to-spring-training-in-cuba, (May 17, 2016).
2. The Encyclopedia Brittanica, "All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL)," http://www.britannica.com/topic/All-American-Girls-Professional-Baseball-League (May 17, 2016).
3. Blogspot.com, "Inspirational Influences in Baseball History," http://baseballinfluences.blogspot.com/p/the-all-american-girls-professional.html?view=flipcard (May 17, 2016).
4. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "League History," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/12/league-history (May 17, 2016).
5. Ibid.
6. Ibid.
7. Ibid.
8. The Illinois State Library, "Women's Baseball during World War II," http://www.lib.niu.edu/1995/ihy950452.html (May 17, 2016).
9. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "League Rules of Conduct," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/18/league-rules-of-conduct (May 17, 2016).
10. Ibid.
11. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "League History," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/12/league-history (May 17, 2015).
12. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "1944 Rockford Peaches," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/teams/1944/rockford-peaches/9 (May 17, 2016).
13. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "Charm School," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/17/charm-school (May 17, 2016).
14. All American Girls Professional Baseball League Players Association, Inc., "Victory Song," http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/21/victory-song (May 17, 2016).
15. Weebly.com, "All-American Girls Professional Baseball League," http://agpbl.weebly.com/charm-school.html, (May 17, 2015).
16. ProvidenceJournal. "Wilma Briggs reminisces about her baseball career". Youtube video, 3:54. https://youtu.be/5R7yGP9Z-xQ.
17. National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, "Mrs. America and the AAGPBL," http://baseballhall.org/discover/short-stops/mrs-america-and-the-aagpbl-go-to-spring-training-in-cuba, (May 17, 2016).