A League Of Their Own

Story of the All-American Professional Baseball League (1943-1954), the first professional sports team for women in the United States.

Growing up, Pat Brown had two dreams: to play baseball and to attend college. She was told she couldn't play baseball because she was a girl and couldn't attend college because she had no money, but in spite of the obstacles, she achieved both of these dreams, playing for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1950 and 1951 and going on to attend college. She is among the few women professional baseball players to be included into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. "As the only former AAGPBL player to have written about the League," Brown says, "I feel like I have finally pitched my no hit game." This is a memoir of playing baseball on the sandlot, discovering and playing in the AAGPBL, and playing basketball in college. Brown shares her thoughts on the League's history, including what Philip K. Wrigley sought to do by creating the AAGPBL, what happened after Wrigley left to give more attention to the Chicago Cubs, and why the League ended. She also considers the future for women's professional baseball. Interviews with such former AAGPBL players as Helen Hannah Campbell, Patricia "Pat" Courtney, Madeline "Maddy" English, Lenora "Smokey" Mandella, Jacqueline "Jackie" Matson, Jane Moffet, Mary "Sis" Moore, and Janet "Pee Wee" Wiley are included.

How champions win and how they can be beaten. A League of Their Own provides readers with a closer look at the FIFA Club World Champions, such as FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester City. Readers will catch a glimpse into the history of these clubs while also learning about the individual philosophies of some of the top coaches. This book discusses different tactical philosophies as well as how these tactical approaches have been adjusted by some of soccer’s greatest coaches, such as Pep Guardiola, José Mourinho, Luis Enrique, and Louis van Gaal. Finally, readers will be taken through case studies of each individual team with a step-by-step analysis of how these tactical setups are successful and how they can be exploited. Each case study will provide a discussion of how each team sets up when in attack, defending, and in transition. Not only addressing how and why these tactical setups are powerful, this book also breaks down and specifies just how lesser teams can exploit the subtle weaknesses by adjusting their attacking, defending, and transition strategies. Winning the tactical battle on the pitch creates endless possibilities, and perhaps evens the playing field to continue intrigue of the game.

THE MOVING SAGA OF RACHEL CAMPBELL AND HER FAMILY CONTINUES... It's October 1954 and life in post-war Britain is slowly starting to return to normal. For Rachel Campbell, however, her family is proving to be a constant challenge. As her children grow older and start families of their own, Rachel must help them learn the often difficult lessons of life. Back from his National Service in Korea, Sam quickly rises through the police force, but soon finds himself in competition with his younger brother Paul. Meanwhile, Carrie realises that the joys of marriage may not create the easy life she had hoped for. And on what feels like the other side of the world, Rachel's eldest daughter Hannah faces the harsh realities of life on a Hebridean island. Through blessings and tragedies, streaks of luck and blows of misfortune, the Campbells will face their most trying days. But when surprising news brings the opportunity for redemption, can the family learn to put the past behind them? Millie Gray once again brilliantly recreates the atmosphere of the era with all the hardships and struggles as well as the fun, warmth and humour of everyday life.

This book chronicles the history of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and the stories of the first women to play professional baseball in a league of their own. In 1941, the world was at war, and with able-bodied American men fighting overseas, professional baseball was in danger of becoming a quaint relic—until women stepped up to the plate. In this heartwarming illustrated history, the League's story is told by the ones who know it best: the players. Author Anika Orrock collects a variety of funny, charming, wince-worthy, and powerful vignettes told by the players themselves about their time playing the American pastime. • Features stories of grit and perseverance against all odds, told by the players themselves • Filled with player statistics, historical beats, headlines, and more; and fully illustrated in Anika's vibrant style • A visually engaging, readable women-led history book Written in an approachable manner and beautifully illustrated, The Incredible Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is a one-of-a-kind story told through the women's own voices and their own perspectives. This book ultimately proves that the incredible women of the AAGPBL truly were in a league of their own. • A unique celebration of a specific moment in women's and sports history • A great read for experienced and new sports fans alike, readers young and old, baseball fans • Perfect accompaniment to books like Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky, Strong is the New Pretty by Kate T. Parker, and Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries who Shaped Our History . . . and Our Future! by Kate Schatz

The Chicago Cubs tradition is one built on spectacular losing streaks and even more spectacular collapses. Yet despite all the losses and disappointments, an amazing thing happens every summer at the corner of Addison and Sheffield: millions of fans flock to Wrigley Field and millions more fans across the country regularly tune in to watch Cubs games broadcast on television. Exactly why Cubs fans support their squad with such reckless abandon isn’t entirely clear—these people represent a remarkable aberration of human psychology, epitomizing the spirit and experience of dedication to a desperate cause. And the whole time, they’re oddly happy. The Cubs Fan’s Guide to Happiness reveals what makes Cubs fans tick and what keeps them happy. It explains why it’s not over until you’re mathematically eliminated, why winning really isn’t everything, and why it’s perfectly acceptable to blame all your trouble on a scapegoat—which may or may not be an actual goat. The fully revised edition also provides educational sidebars, practical applications, and true words of wisdom from celebrity Cubs fans as well as surviving the planned renovations to the product on the field and Wrigley Field itself.

In a League Their Own! is the true story of the Dick, Kerr Ladies FC. Formed at a munitions factory in Preston, their unique history lay buried for far too long as they became football's best kept secret. They set the football world alight during the First World War and went on to become the best in the world. On Boxing Day 1920, 53,000 spectators packed Goodison Park, Everton to watch them play, and by 1921 their popularity was at its height. However, the FA saw things in a very different light and changed the course of the women's game forever. On 5 December 1921, they banned women from playing on League grounds, and the ban remained in force for almost fifty years. Against all the odds, the Dick, Kerr Ladies continued playing until 1965 and raised in excess of £10 million for charity. This 2021 edition reveals yet more amazing stories of these incredible women, and documents an accurate playing history from 1917-1965. My grandmother Alice Kell, never really spoke about her time playing football, other than to blame her severe arthritis on it. I always knew she had been captain of a women's football team in her youth, but never realised just what an enormous contribution she had made to the history of the Dick, Kerr Ladies. It wasn't until I returned to Preston and read Gail's book that I learned just what an amazing group of women they were. I am immensely proud of my grandmother and everything she achieved. Val Conn My family and I are delighted that my cousin, Lily Parr, has been acknowledged and portrayed with such accuracy in this book. Thanks to the dedicated and thorough research undertaken by Gail, we feel that people can now get to know the real Lily who was always a very special part of our lives. June Patten I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Gail Newsham's book about the Dick, Kerr Ladies. The late Florrie Redford, was my auntie and how proud she would have been to know that the team would be part of the history of Preston. Mrs J Shaw, Blackpool