Girls of Summer: In Their Own League by Lois Browne is a colorful chronicle of a forgotten women's professional baseball league, as recalled by the very women and men who were a part of it all.

The idea for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League came from Philip K. Wrigley, the great chewing-gum mogul and owner of the Chicago Cubs, who feared the effect of WWII on the major leagues, many of whose players weren't waiting to be drafted before joining up.

Women answered the recruiters' call from all over the U.S. and Canada.

They were drawn by the lure of bankable money and an escape from dead-end jobs and small towns.

- Mary "Bonnie" Baker - the well-groomed stylish player from Regina, Saskatchewan who embodied the virtues of the All-American girl

- Alma "Gabby" Ziegler - the great morale booster and captain of the Grand Rapids Chicks

- Dorothy "Kammie" Kamenshek - rated the best all-round player in the League

- Dorothy Schroeder - she lied about her age to join in the league's first year and played every year until the league ended 12 years later

They were all superb athletes, but they also had to be perfect ladies.

Chaperones directed their every move. Feminine uniforms included a knee-length skirt, and Charm School to teach them everything they needed to know about how to dress and act like a lady.

Through all this, the All-American was a magnificent success.

In its heyday, stadiums packed in fans and players were shipped off to spring training in Cuba and Florida. The All-American League teams played their first game in 1943 and their last game in 1954.

Book details

• Format Hardcover
• Pages212 pages
• LanguageEnglish
• ISBN100002158388
• ISBN139780002158381