American Girls Baseball (AGB) was created as an affiliate organization of the All American Girl’s Professional Baseball League Players Association (AAGPBL PA) in 2019 to continue the legacy and purpose of this famous women’s professional league.

The Vision: A professional baseball league for girls and women who want to have a future in that sport.

The Purpose: To benefit all-female baseball players who want to have a choice between softball and baseball and provide them with opportunities to train, participate, and compete in the game of baseball at every level, including high school, college, and professional.

During the AAGPBL era (1943-1954), girls had more opportunities to play baseball and develop their skills than they have today, in spite of Title IX. At that time, athletic girls were welcomed to participate in sandlot games with their brothers and neighborhood boys because, along with the boys, they’d developed the skills to compete. When Little League Baseball was organized, it removed the boys from the pickup sandlot games and banned athletic girls from playing in their league. After legal challenges, this policy was changed and girls were allowed to play, but many have never really been 100% accepted or encouraged. It was different than the friendly sandlot games where they felt respected for their ability and there was no gender bias. In addition, most girls were then encouraged by Little League and MLB to play softball—a sport always promoted as a girls/women’s sport, while baseball was the sport for guys.

Colleges only offer softball scholarships to girls. A few exceptional female players have been given a scholarship to play on the boy’s baseball team, but most talented baseball playing girls have utilized those softball scholarships for their education, played on the teams, and then, after graduation, reverted back to baseball and played for our USA Teams.

We must change this unfair policy. There are many girls’ baseball teams for ages 8 to 18 playing in the few organized tournaments that are available throughout the U.S. Their coaches, parents, and a few organizations such as “Baseball For All” help to provide these tournaments. Players and parents pay their own travel, hotel, and tournament expenses, and spend unbelievable amounts of money on equipment. They love the game of baseball and are talented athletes, but after they graduate from high school it all ends. There is no future and we need to change that now!

Some steps that can be taken to provide girls/women opportunities to play baseball at all levels include the following:

• Recruit sponsors who are willing to take a chance on developing girls/women’s baseball.
• Solicit donations for new programs, professional coaching, and marketing.
• Unify current programs promoting girls’ baseball, along with parents, relatives, and friends to present a united voice against gender discrimination in the sport of baseball.
• Publicize girls/women’s baseball programs to inform the public that girls/women can play a high level of baseball. Very few in this country have ever seen the extraordinary athletic ability of our top women baseball players.
• Provide organized competitive leagues, training programs, and the promise of a future at the college and professional levels.
• Encourage girl’s baseball in schools and colleges as well as recreational leagues in order to fully develop baseball skills.
• Ultimately, organize a women’s professional baseball league.

Some of the most knowledgeable and active people in girls’ baseball are now supporting and helping accomplish these goals.

We need sponsors, donations, coaches, marketing, and unity with your membership. Please join our mission with whatever help you can offer.

With sincere appreciation,
Sue Zipay AGB President
Rockford Peaches 1953-54