Ladies League Baseball

After the movie A League of Their Own, a fictional movie based on the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, several women's baseball leagues were attempted. The Ladies League Baseball started in 1997 and consisted of four teams. The first five teams in the league were The San Jose Spitfire, San Francisco Bay Sox, Long Beach Aces, Phoenix Peppers, and Los Angeles Legends.[1][2]

1997 Season

The 1997 season consisted of five teams; the San Jose Spitfire, San Francisco Bay Sox, Long Beach Aces, Phoenix Peppers, and Los Angeles Legends. In the league's championship the San Jose Spitfires won over the Los Angeles Legends.[3] Janelle T. Frese, of the Los Angeles Legends, won the Ladies League Baseball "Most Outstanding Pitcher" for the 1997 Season.[4]

In 1997 the Long Beach Lady Aces were located in Long Beach, California and played at Blair Field, the home of the Long Beach State University Baseball program.

The Aces where Coached by Don Barbara, former professional player and assistant coach at Sacramento State. Barbara played at Long Beach State and was a Dirtbag assistant coach. Barbara became the head recruiter and hitting coach at Sacramento State.

The Aces were also coached by Joe Magno who assumed the role of Aces Bench Coach. Magno was a scout with the Cincinnati Reds and a minor league bench coach for the Western League Champions Long Beach Breakers in 2001. Magno's coaching career started as an assistant coach at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, and then at Long Beach State where he ran the Dirtbags showcase camps from 1995 to 1997. Magno currently coaches High School baseball in Mayfair High School in Lakewood, CA.

The Aces had a difficult time filling the stands at Blair Field and were forced to disband after the inaugural season.

Expansion

In 1998, the League expanded and changed their name to the Ladies Professional Baseball League. The league expanded eastward adding teams in Buffalo, NY, Augusta, NJ, and the Los Angeles Legends moved to Homestead, FL. The newly expanded league planned on a 56-game schedule starting in July and ending in September.[5]

Cancellation

The Ladies Professional Baseball League canceled the second season only 12 games of the 56 game schedule. Michael Ribant, League president and founder, blamed low fan turnout. The average attendance was less than 500 per game. The projected losses for the 1998 season became too great and the league folded.[6]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.aagpbl.org/faq.cfm?qid=11
  2. ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/1997/jul/11/local/me-11794
  3. ↑ http://www.seaternal.com/baseball/history.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewShortStory.asp?AuthorID=65336&id=29716
  5. ↑ http://www.aagpbl.org/faq.cfm?qid=11
  6. ↑ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=875&dat=19980730&id=TsgLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PVYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6666,2654532
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