The Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) opened its inaugural 30‑game season this weekend with a sold‑out crowd of 5,000 at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois, where the Los Angeles Queens faced the New York Heights. The games are being televised on ESPN and streamed on the Scripps Sports Network, giving the league a national platform from the outset.
For Kelsie Whitmore, a 28‑year‑old pitcher/outfielder who once chased a dream of Major League Baseball, the moment was emotional. Growing up as the only girl on boys’ teams and later playing softball in college, she had long felt the isolation of a sport that offered no professional pathway for women until now.
The league’s tryout camp in August 2023 at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., drew 600 women from ten countries, all willing to pay their own way to compete. Among the standout participants are Mo’ne Davis, who famously shut out batters in the Little League World Series, and Ayami Sato, a six‑time gold medalist with Japan’s national team.
A league born of frustration and hope
Co‑founder Keith Stein, a Toronto entrepreneur inspired by the documentary "See Her Be Her," describes the WPBL as "this isn’t a league, it’s a movement" that seeks to change perceptions and provide representation. The league’s salary structure, with a top pay of $500 per game and a minimum of $300, reflects a focus on opportunity rather than profit.
Managed by former MLB stars such as Matt Williams, Eric Young, Keith Foulke and Rachelle “Rocky” Henley, the WPBL also benefits from advisory input from four‑time 20‑game winner Dave Stewart. The initiative is supported by organizations including the Women’s Professional Baseball League, the All‑American Girls Professional Baseball League, Grassroots Baseball and See Her Be Her, all of which share a mission to leave a lasting impression on the sport and on the lives of young girls.
Beyond the field, the league’s creation addresses the decades‑long frustration of women like Whitmore who were forced to play softball or compete with men because no professional avenue existed. With games scheduled across six weeks and teams representing Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Boston, the WPBL hopes to inspire a new generation and prove that baseball can be a sport for everyone.