ALL-AMERICAN LEAGUE LEGENDS PITCH INSPIRATION AT SOFTBALL OPENER.Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer The first pitches of the 1996 Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. Bobby Sox softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' season were delivered straight and as hard as the two 70-year-old women could muster TO MUSTER, mar. law. By this term is understood to collect together and exhibit soldiers and their arms; it also signifies to employ recruits and put their names down in a book to enroll them. . Marge Wenzell and Dottie Kamenshek aren't the same ballplayers they were in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. History Although the name All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . But the Thousand Oaks residents brought enough to the field behind Los Cerritos Intermediate School to inspire the hundreds of girls gathered with their teams for Saturday's spring opener. "We never lost it. We can still throw, catch and hit," said Wenzell, an All-American league infielder and outfielder for nine years. "Just don't ask us to run to first base very fast," said Kamenshek, who played first base in the All-American league for a decade. All-American league veterans helped open the girls softball season in Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. , throwing out first pitches, posing for photographs and even signing autographs. They also urged their young counterparts, outfitted in bright uniforms, expensive gloves and cleated athletic shoes An athletic shoe is a generic name for a shoe designed for sporting and physical activities, and is different in style and build than a dress shoe. Originally known as sporting apparel, today they are known as casual footwear. , to make the most of the opportunity to play in organized leagues. "Gals, this is the time of your life. It was for us," Wenzell said. As young women discouraged from athletics, the All-American veterans managed through sandlot sand·lot n. A vacant lot used especially by children for unorganized sports and games. adj. Of, relating to, or played in a sandlot: sandlot baseball. softball to develop skills that would enable them to earn money playing hardball hard·ball n. 1. Baseball. 2. Informal The use of any means, however ruthless, to attain an objective. hardball Noun US & Canad 1. before as many as 1 million fans per season in the 1940s and early 1950s, said Thelma Eisen, 73, of Pacific Palisades Palisades, cliffs along the west bank of the Hudson River, NE N.J. and SE N.Y., extending from N of Jersey City, N.J., to the vicinity of Piermont, N.Y., with a general altitude of from 350 ft to 550 ft (107–168 m). , an All-American league outfielder for nine years. "Girls never get the recognition they should. They need the support," said Eisen, who participated in opening day festivities fes·tiv·i·ty n. pl. fes·tiv·i·ties 1. A joyous feast, holiday, or celebration; a festival. 2. The pleasure, joy, and gaiety of a festival or celebration. 3. for the Simi Valley Girls Softball league. "When I was young, people would come out and say, 'Why are you playing ball? That's for boys.' " Softball players opening the season Saturday showed their appreciation for what the All-American league veterans accomplished, waiting patiently to get autographs - at no charge - on programs, gloves and caps. Many of the girls likely know something of the All-American league because they watched "A League of Their Own," the comedy film about the professional women's baseball Women's baseball is currently played in several countries. The strongest and most organized women's baseball leagues are in the United States, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Cuba and Canada. Those countries have national governing bodies that support girls' and women's baseball programs. league. The All-American league began in the Midwest in 1943 as a response to the disappearance of minor league teams after players left to fight in World War II. After the war, the league remained popular and even expanded to 10 teams before it dwindled back to four teams then closed in 1954. The league itself was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., in 1988 and was the subject of a documentary, also titled "A League of Their Own." It was this documentary that inspired the film. Today's softball players inspire grand hopes among some of the All-American league veterans. League All-Star teams were recognized at both opening ceremonies. The Simi Valley team of 14-and-under stars also was recognized for capturing the national Amateur Softball Association title. Some of the nation's most talented softball players are switching to baseball, playing in a growing number of women's amateur leagues. Pepper Paire Davis said there is momentum to organize a women's professional league, using the amateur leagues as a farm system to develop the talent. "Had we had a farm system, we would still be going. We lasted 12 years without a farm system," said Paire Davis, 71, who was an All-American league catcher for 10 seasons. "They can make it if they want to. You have to work hard," she said. "We know that it can be done because we did it in an era when girls weren't accepted as ballplayers." CAPTION(S): PHOTO Photo (1--ran in SIMI only--color) Despite a little wind, the weather was perfect Saturday for the first game of the Bobby Sox Softball league. (2--color in CONEJO edition only) Ashley Hernandez, left, and Kinsley Mittel of the Mustangs compete for a pop fly Saturday at Arroyo Montessori Park in Simi Valley. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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