A Whole New Ball Game: The Story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League [Hardcover]

Sue Macy (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

"An interesting and informative look at the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that operated from 1945–1954.... A significant title." --School Library Journal, starred review

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Macy offers an excellent introduction to one of the least explored areas of baseball history (recently popularized in the film A League of Their Own ). Established by Chicago Cubs owner and chewing-gum magnate Phil Wrigley in 1943 as an entertainment alternative to the war-depleted major leagues, the AAGPBL lasted until 1954--and until very recently was all but forgotten. Macy has wisely chosen to focus not on the trivia of games past (although the appendix offers enough statistics to satisfy the most rabid baseball addict) but on the social history that produced the league and on the experiences of its players. She writes frankly about such problems as alcoholism and unwanted sexual advances from team officials, fans and sportswriters. The book is particularly astute in its observations on the league as a forum for female bonding, something that few women of the time had at their disposal. Perhaps the most affecting passages concern the reluctance of AAGPBL veterans to discuss their experiences until the rise of the women's movement gave them a renewed sense of self-worth. These tough and funny women emerge as heroic figures worthy of admiration and emulation. Archival photographs add to the book's historical value and its sense of fun. A worthy addition to the library of any baseball fan. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-- An interesting and informative look at the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that operated from 1945-1954. Using interviews with former players, various newspaper and statistical accounts, and sound research, Macy has pieced together a book that not only tells the story of the league but also provides sociological insight into the United States during World War II and the postwar era. While the players' accomplishments on the field are documented, readers will also become privy to the trials and tribulations these athletes faced, which went far beyond the daily hassles that male professional players encountered. They included severe rules governing personal appearance and off-field activities so as not to sacrifice femininity for athleticism. Macy includes a wonderful hodgepodge of useful appendixes that include the league's rules, teams, and statistics, along with a chronology, notes on the author's sources, further reading, and places to obtain more information on the AAGPBL. An array of black-and-white photos, including posed photos of the players checking their makeup during games and plenty of action shots, further enliven the very readable text. A Whole New Ball Game is a significant title that may have to be promoted, but its shelf life will far outlast the majority of sports books currently being published. --Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st edition (April 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805019421
• ISBN-13: 978-0805019421
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #408,695 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > Children's Books > Sports & Games > Girl Scouts & Girl Guides

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A cronicle of fierce competition and determination, December 7, 2006

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A Whole New Ball Game: The Story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (Hardcover)

There has been some recent publicity regarding the women's professional baseball league of the late forties and fifties. However, at the time this book was published (1993), few people knew that there had once been such a league. Started in the latter years of World War II to provide entertainment for the hard-working people on the home front, it survived for twelve seasons. By all reasonable accounts it was a success, the women played very hard and there was a great deal of fan interest. In the end, it failed due to a change in the country. Once the national emergency of the war was over, the public mood turned against the idea of women engaging in such an "unfeminine" activity.
This book is a chronicle of those times, although the focus is on the business strategies the league officials carried out. There is very little about how the players lived their lives as baseball players. Three main themes are clear.

*) The players worked very hard, their schedule was grueling. During the season they almost never had a day off and many days they played two games.
*) Keeping with the spirit of the times, the women were required to maintain a feminine appearance. They wore makeup on the field and were constantly coached in proper female deportment. Of course, the best photos in the book show the players hitting, sliding and fielding. My favorite photo is on page 38. It shows Faye Dancer sliding hard into a base. The angle is from her feet, her skirt is up around her waist, dirt is flying everywhere and there is a fierce look of determination on her face. My second favorite is on page 48, where Merle Keagle is arguing with the home plate umpire. These are images that baseball fans appreciate and respect.
*) The level of the game was very high. One major league scout called one of the players the best fielding first "baseman" he had ever seen. Some of the players occasionally went up against men and did rather well.

Along with nearly every other area of society, women have made great strides in the athletic arena over the past three decades. In this book, it is easy to see that the problem with women's athletics has always been a societal one. Hopefully, women's sports are now fully entrenched and there will not be a reversal on the magnitude of the one that led to the death of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1954.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Play Ball!, March 24, 2002

By 

Elizabeth Medina (North Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Whole New Ball Game: The Story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from an adult's perspective. I enjoy baseball a lot, especially when it comes to women playing ball. If you're interested in learning about the AAPGBL and enjoying a trip back in time then Sue Macy's book is a good read!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Book, April 29, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: A Whole New Ball Game: The Story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (School & Library Binding)

A Whole New Ballgame by Sue Macy was a great book. It told what some of the women did during World War 2 to help out in their communities. Some women played baseball. Baseball helped raise the spirits of the town. The women made some fabulous plays and were just as good as the men who were now overseas. They were great players and I'm sorry that the league wasn't able to hold on. I definitely recommend this book to girls who like baseball or softball.