5 Interesting Things To Know About Women’s Baseball
Why does it always happen that women’s sports are given lesser name, fame and priority? Did you know that women’s baseball around the world has been going on since times immemorial? Surprise surprise! In fact, if I tell you the winner of the 2010 women’s baseball world cup, you’ll gape at me. It was Japan! Can you believe that? The 2010 runner up was Australia and the 2009 runner up was Canada. But hey, what the heck, even if USA didn’t win the league, Americans have been pioneers and evergreen fans of the game. Check out these interesting facts about women’s baseball.
1. The American national team of women’s baseball
Do you know where the next World Cup of women’s baseball is going to be played? It’s going to happen in 2012 in Edmonton, Canada. Yep – this place has seen many a sizzling matches before. You’ve seen tons of men baseball teams, I’m pretty sure, but did you know that there is a women’s national baseball team that plays in international competitions? It’s a shame if you don’t! It’s called the Women’s World Cup of Baseball. Unlike the other World Cup tournaments played every 4 years, this World Cup is played in even years and started in 2004. Apart from America, countries across the globe such as Australia, Canada, Cuba, Japan, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Taiwan and Venezuela also have women’s national baseball teams. Not too late to catch up on all this.
2. Women’s baseball’s place in the world
You must have heard your parents or teachers often talking about how international politics affecting world championships, haven’t you? Well, but that’s true, unfortunately! It’s terrible that only those sports that attract maximum viewership will get sponsored funding and a wide telecast. I felt a little sad when I got to know that women’s baseball was dropped as an Olympic sport after the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. But then, a friend of mine told me that even men’s baseball and softball were dropped out. That was a shock. You do know what I’m getting at right? Yes – a sport is likely to have a diminishing future if it doesn’t get into international tournaments. Pray for women’s Baseball.
3. Background of women’s baseball
I was talking to a dear friend of mine one day and the conversation turned to women’s baseball. She told me some really amazing facts about how it all started. I must share this with you. It’s fascinating! It actually started with a motive of removing barriers for women to be able to work in industry during the war. Several small town entrepreneurs joined hands to create the first professional baseball league for women. It had the very same ground dimensions as men’s baseball – with the only difference being that there were nine players rather than ten. Can you imagine – we wouldn’t have our lovely women playing the ball if it weren’t for those guys!
Here’s something I bet you wouldn’t know. Have you seen the film, “A League of Their Own” starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis and Madonna? This blockbuster hit introduced many cine-buffs & moviegoers to the fact that a professional baseball league for women had existed in the United States from 1943 until 1954.
