All-American Women’s Baseball Classic to host the finest female ballplayers in USA, Canada
SARASOTA — The booking of flights, the reserving of hotel rooms, the planning of trips to and from airports, won’t happen on their own.
If they did, Sue Zipay could have time for what she really needs. A breath.
So, the 89-year-old Englewood resident, a pitcher, utility infielder and outfielder for two years for the Rockford Peaches of the All-American Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) pores over logistical spreadsheets until she sees double.
For the second annual All-American Women’s Baseball Classic to be as successful as the first, Zipay knows no other way.
“We know what we have to do,” she said, “which is exactly what we did last year, because last year was a fantastic success, and we want to make sure it’s as good this year as it was last year. There wasn’t one person who went to that who didn’t say it was great. That it was incredibly good play.”
Zipay’s dream is a women’s pro baseball league
With her dream of the formation of a women’s professional baseball league, Zipay organized the first Classic, which attracted 60 of the country’s finest female baseball players, and several hailing from Canada.
The level of play was so good, in fact, that former major-league pitcher Dick Drago, who served as manager of the Kenosha Comets, was dumbfounded.
Said Zipay, “He just looked at me and said, ‘Sue, I never knew women could play baseball like this. I got to tell my 4,000 Facebook friends.’’’
This year’s Classic runs Nov. 17-19 at Sarasota’s Ed Smith Stadium. On Friday, there will be two games. At 3 p.m., the Rockford Peaches face the Kenosha Comets, followed at 6 p.m. by the South Bend Blue Sox playing the Racine Belles. On Saturday at 10 a.m., the Peaches play the Blue Sox. At 1 p.m., it’s the Comets versus the Belles. On Sunday, games will be at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
This year, Zipay said, the pool of play is deeper in talent as more than half of the players are part of the 2023 United States Women’s National Team.
“We have a stronger group of women,” Zipay said, “and last year was pretty darn strong in itself. There are more talented players this year.”
