Trailblazing Teams and Historic Firsts
The inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League is set to open its doors in August, marking the first organized professional baseball competition for women in the United States in more than seven decades. Four franchises — each christened after pioneering women who reshaped sport and society — will contest a schedule that runs from Wednesday through Sunday in Springfield, Illinois, before traveling to venues in New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Beth Greenwood, a 24‑year‑old catcher raised in Rochester, will wear the Boston Hunters uniform as the league’s newest star. Greenwood becomes the first American woman to assume the catcher’s role in an NCAA game, a milestone that follows a decade of service on the USA Women’s National Baseball team and a recent appointment as Director of Baseball Development at Baseball For All, an organization dedicated to expanding girls’ access to the sport.
Having honed her craft at Vassar College and spent two years as a Minor League Development coach within the Philadelphia Phillies system, Greenwood brings a blend of playing experience and mentorship to the professional ranks. She was selected in the third round of the league’s inaugural draft, a testament to both her on‑field prowess and her growing reputation as a coach who loves working with young athletes.
Off the diamond, Greenwood will be based in Springfield‑area hotels for the next two months, training in university batting cages while her mother, who manages multiple sclerosis, plans to attend games. The prospect of sharing the experience with her parents adds a personal dimension to what she describes as a whirlwind summer of historic achievements and new responsibilities.
The league’s four teams — named for trailblazing women such as Harriot Hunt, Lizzie Murphy, Dorothy Height and Lillie "Firebelle Lil" Hitchcock Coit — reflect a deliberate effort to honor those who paved the way for future generations. Merchandise bearing the team logos sold out within days of the name reveal, underscoring the enthusiasm of fans eager to support the new competition.
Games will be streamed live on YouTube, giving viewers across the country a front‑row seat to a sport that has long been a male‑dominated arena. The Boston Hunters, representing the Boston region, will open their season against a New York franchise, setting the stage for a cross‑country showcase that includes the Los Angeles and San Francisco clubs.
Beyond the on‑field action, the league’s organizers have partnered with institutions such as the University of Rochester and Upstate Girls Baseball to nurture talent from the grassroots level. The collaboration aims to create a pipeline that mirrors the success of the USA Baseball program, which captured silver at the 2024 World Cup, and to ensure that the next wave of female athletes has both role models and resources.