Women's Pro Baseball League Launches with Game in Springfield, Illinois

The Women’s Pro Baseball League commenced on Saturday with a game between the Los Angeles Queens and the New York Heights at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois. Martha Reeves, the lead singer of Martha and the Vandellas, performed the national anthem before the game. Her rendition received criticism on social media. This event marked the first women’s pro baseball game in the U.S. in nearly 30 years. Mo’ne Davis, a notable player from the Little League World Series in 2014, played center field for the Queens and scored during the game, which ended with a 10-8 victory for Los Angeles. Heights catcher Denae Benites highlighted the significance of 99-year-old Maybelle Blair, who threw out the first pitch and played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1943 to 1954.