Femininity was a high priority to Wrigley who contracted with Helena Rubinstein’s Beauty Salon and the Ruth Tiffany school to instruct players in proper etiquette, personal hygiene, mannerisms and dress. The players who played in the league were expected to act “ladylike,” on the field and off. “They wanted us to look like Marilyn Monroe and play like Joe DiMaggio,” said Sophie Kurys. Sophie Kurys played for the Racine Belles. She played second base, her batting average was .286, and she stole 201 bases out of 203 attempts in her career. She played with the league for nine years and then retired.
Kenosha Comets Locker Room, 1945, RACKED
The ladies were forbidden from smoking in public and drinking alcohol. During the league’s first two seasons all the women were required to attend charm school, where they were taught how to walk, talk, sit, and put on makeup. The women were held to a great extent of rules such as:
All social engagements must be approved by chaperones
Do to shortage of equipment, baseballs must not be given as souvenirs without permission
Relatives, friends, and visitors are not allowed on the bench at any time
Baseball uniform skirts shall not be shorter than six inches above the knee cap
To obtain their femine qualities there were more restrictions that they had to follow.
Replica uniforms, 2008, flickr
Next Page
Previous Page