Background

The AAGPBL was officially created in the spring of 1943 (“AAGPBL League History''). It was originally formed as a non-profit organization (''AAGPBL League History”). The AAGPBL was also supposed to be a temporary Baseball League, but instead its attendance kept growing after the war (Little). Philip K. Wigley created this league by first setting up a board of trustees which included a Branch Rickey, President, General Manager, and a President of the League (AAGPBL League History). “Before World War II, lots of women played softball and baseball recreationally and in tournaments, but there was no professional league comparable to the MLB'' (Little). Philip K. Wrigley then found the girls in the AAGPBL by sending scouts across the United States, Canada, and Cuba (Little). For the 1943 season 60 women made the cut and were divided into four teams: the South Bend Blue Socks, the Rockford Peaches, the Kenosha Comets and the Racine Belles (Little). The first ever AAGPBL game was then played on May 30, 1943 (AAGPBL League History).