A New Chapter for Women’s Baseball
The Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL) is set to begin its inaugural season on August 1, bringing professional baseball to Springfield, Illinois, where four teams will compete at Robin Roberts Stadium over a 30‑game schedule.
Games will be played on Wednesdays through Sundays, each lasting seven innings, and tickets start at $22, making the sport accessible to a broad audience while the league experiments with aluminum bats that produce a distinctive “ping” on contact.
The brainchild of Justine Siegal and Keith Stein, the WPBL was created to showcase the growing participation of women in baseball, a trend reflected in the roughly 1,300 high‑school girls who played the sport in the United States as of 2024.
Notable athletes such as Kelsie Whitmore, the first overall draft pick, and Mo'ne Davis, who later signed with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Banana Ball League, headline rosters that span ten countries, underscoring the league’s international appeal.
Former Major League players have taken on managerial roles, with Matt Williams guiding the San Francisco Firebells, Eric Young Sr. steering the Los Angeles Queens, and Keith Foulke leading the Boston Hunters; Cito Gaston serves as a special advisor, and Tony LaRussa is expected to attend the opening night.
The league has partnered with the Friends of Robin Roberts Stadium, and a historical exhibit on women’s baseball will be on display at the Sangamon County Building through November 2, while a panel discussion featuring retired AAGPBL players and a baseball historian is scheduled for July 28 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.