Female Players?

[5LilPlayers]

I was just wondering....since baseball pretty much everywhere -- games, leagues, online on boards, in forums, and chat rooms-- is still dominated by the men.....how many females are on these boards?

Not sure where else to ask this as they don't have a "real" general discussion board.

I know some don't like to admit it, but you can always PM me if you don't want to "go public" yet (or ever). Heck, I didn't want to admit I was female when I first got here...but after posting in this particular forum, I knew it wasn't going to be long before I'd "have" to tell.

Why is it, especially in this day and age, that some people still can't understand that women can play and would make valuable contributions to the game in more ways than just doing "behind the scenes" stuff?

A lot of females can throw, hit and generally play their positions just as well as..and sometimes better than...they can answer phones, take memos and replenish office supplies!

[Captain Cold Nose]

I was just wondering....since baseball pretty much everywhere -- games, leagues, online on boards, in forums, and chat rooms-- is still dominated by the men.....how many females are on these boards?

Not sure where else to ask this as they don't have a "real" general discussion board.

I know some don't like to admit it, but you can always PM me if you don't want to "go public" yet (or ever). Heck, I didn't want to admit I was female when I first got here...but after posting in this particular forum, I knew it wasn't going to be long before I'd "have" to tell.

Why is it, especially in this day and age, that some people still can't understand that women can play and would make valuable contributions to the game in more ways than just doing "behind the scenes" stuff?

A lot of females can throw, hit and generally play their positions just as well as..and sometimes better than...they can answer phones, take memos and replenish office supplies!

There are two female moderators here, DODGER DEB, in the Brooklyn forum, and VTSoxFan, in the Boston forum. Curious Boston is also a Red Sox fan, and Chelle is an Oriole fan. On occasion, baseballwise will pop in. She's a fomrer moderator of the Cubs forum and a published author on how to make it professionally in baseball. And, of course, there's Jeeping Baseball.

[CuriousBoston]

Females here can let it be known they are females, we are treated with respect. This is the only board I post on, the combination of "real" fans, knowledge, and respect.

Sometimes the "Can women play baseball threads?", or the infamous "Does the female massage therapist belong in the dugout?" can be a little overheated, or interesting, depending upon mood and supply of dark chocolate.

If you have any problems, let the moderators of that forum know.

Is it okay if I ask who your favorite team is?

[5LilPlayers]

Is it okay if I ask who your favorite team is?

Same as yours. I think I came out screaming "GO RED SOX!" Much to my father's dismay...he's a Yankees fan. LOL It really stinks for me, since I'm in Toledo, OH. The only Red Sox stuff around here is usually hats, and I don't wear hats that much. T-shirts are usually Yankees, Mets, Cubs, White Sox, Indians, Reds, and of course, Tigers (I'm located about 5 minutes away from the MI/OH line). Luckily I've found some great sites with Red Sox merchandise. One whole wall of my den is covered in Red Sox signs ("Red Sox Fan Only" parking sign, a Red Sox license plate, etc.)...and my walls are dark purple...my husband wouldn't let me do two walls red and two walls blue....so I figured red and blue make purple so....purple it was. LOL

I do plan, once the baby is old enough to remember, to take the whole family to Boston to see a game AT Fenway...but for now, I settle for a yearly outing to the local (Mud Hens) Minor League game when they play Pawtucket. The kids and I all have matching "Property of Red Sox Baseball" shirts we wear to the games....and it's fun to embarass daddy when the group of us get going (son - 10, daughter 7, daughter - 5, daughter - 3, and daughter - 21 months)...we all get into rooting Pawtucket, and even the baby is learning how to say "Boston". Hubby keeps saying "You're supposed to root for the HOME team. Don't you listen to the song?" LOL

[NotAboutEgo]

Hey, 5LilPlayers, I am a female baseball player who just joined this forum today (just found it through a search on women's baseball). Stand tall and don't be ashamed to be talking baseball just because you are a girl!!! )

I will take any guy, or anyone on for that matter, when it comes to talkin' baseball and women's baseball. I have been involved with it since 1998, playing, managing, forming teams, etc., and I have done a bit of research on it as well. Feel free to talk about anything and to ask anything. Hopefully I can be of help!

[NotAboutEgo]

Why is it, especially in this day and age, that some people still can't understand that women can play and would make valuable contributions to the game in more ways than just doing "behind the scenes" stuff?

A lot of females can throw, hit and generally play their positions just as well as..and sometimes better than...they can answer phones, take memos and replenish office supplies!

It's called the "mighty male ego", and we women need to break it down!

[Brian McKenna]

Hey, 5LilPlayers, I am a female baseball player who just joined this forum today (just found it through a search on women's baseball). Stand tall and don't be ashamed to be talking baseball just because you are a girl!!! )

I will take any guy, or anyone on for that matter, when it comes to talkin' baseball and women's baseball. I have been involved with it since 1998, playing, managing, forming teams, etc., and I have done a bit of research on it as well. Feel free to talk about anything and to ask anything. Hopefully I can be of help!

welcome to bbf - but why the combative nature (I will take any guy, or anyone on for that matter) as your introductory statement? - has someone offended you on your first day?

[Brian McKenna]

It's called the "mighty male ego", and we women need to break it down!

this is a respectful forum where interested parties meet to discuss baseball history and many related topics - let's all do so in a noncombative, friendly and respectful manner with as little name calling as possible

[JeepingBaseball]

I am a proud female who plays baseball. I love every minute of it

Welcome to the forum

[CuriousBoston]

this is a respectful forum where interested parties meet to discuss baseball history and many related topics - let's all do so in a noncombative, friendly and respectful manner with as little name calling as possible

She is being assertive. 99% of baseball forums do not treat females as males are treated. I believe it is true that each female here has had to have moderators intercede because of gender issues. On the best forum I have found.

If you are referring to "the mighty male ego" as name calling, my life experience, and probably hers, has proved it to be fact a certain percentage of the time. The percentage depending upon the topic and the individuals involved.

I daresay the females that find their way here have strong, assertive personalities. This may seem to be aggressive to males. each gender cannot totally understand the other genders viewpoint totally, it is impossible.

It is interesting to note that some believe females are better at understanding the male experience, because they must understand the patriarchal society and planet. Females have had to adjust to legislative and societal laws written or imposed by men. I originally wrote that in the past tense, but that would be inaccurate.

I'm not trying to be combative, just explaining my point of view, and perhaps the view of others. When in an enviroment dominated by males, whether physical or virtual, a female acts differently. It can range from survival mode, to wariness, to assertiveness. Entering a new male dominated enviroment, we use what our past life experience has proved to be most successfull in similar circumstances.

[5LilPlayers]

I believe it is true that each female here has had to have moderators intercede because of gender issues.

I haven't.........yet. Though I am waiting for it. LOL

I'm not trying to be combative, just explaining my point of view, and perhaps the view of others. When in an enviroment dominated by males, whether physical or virtual, a female acts differently. It can range from survival mode, to wariness, to assertiveness. Entering a new male dominated enviroment, we use what our past life experience has proved to be most successfull in similar circumstances.

Yep. That's why, at all the other baseball boards (as well as chat rooms, newsgroups, etc.), and when I first joined up here, I tried/try to "hide" the fact that I'm female as long as I can. It's not that I lie about it, but I don't start every post with "Hey, I'm female....check this out..." or something. Growing up as I did, I've seen how women are treated differently in certain situations. Unfortunately, it's fact...a lot of men do still treat women differently when speaking of certain topics, just because they're female.

Thankfully, other than a very small handful, most of the boys/men here have been very accepting towards "us". There's no way I could possibly read all of the old posts, in every single forum....but the forums I have been able to get too and the threads I've been able to check and participate in, the males I've encountered so far, I'm happy to say, are pretty open-minded. : I have officially set up residence at BFF because of this. Everywhere else I've been to (in regards to baseball), it was funny (not "funny - ha ha" but funny "odd") to see how the males were taking my advice, "Oh, that's a great idea" or debating me on certain aspects of the game, etc. Then, as soon as they found out I was female, it was "That wouldn't work" or "That's stupid"....most were comments from the SAME male members who supported me before they found out I was female.

I'm with Curious on this one. Sadly, I do understand all too well as to why some newer female members may seem to come off as aggressive/assertive, especially in their first few posts.

Give NotAboutEgo time, she'll see that most of the boys/men here are generally respectful towards us women. Not to say any of "us" will lose that...what some see as...aggressiveness...but yes, entering a male-dominated venture of any sort can be intimidating to females. But the reverse goes as well. I have seen female dominated forums/real-life situations where the men are treated like crap just because they're male and women think the men don't know anything about the subject.

I came out aggressive...that's just my nature...but it takes really specific topics to set me off (see my "Pet Peeves" in the History of Baseball section, under the "Who are we?" thread ). Talking about baseball just doesn't automatically set me off into that mode, though.

[NotAboutEgo]

I'm not being combative, bkmckenna. I'm simply answering the questions of others who are asking why our society (in general) still holds the opinion that softball is for women and baseball is for men and that women can't play baseball. It DOES have to do with the male ego, because that is what has heavily shaped this ideology. And yes, I have had to deal with the male ego my whole life... wanting to do what I enjoy doing, but running into barriers and road blocks that I've had to overcome and continue to try to overcome.

I find it very interesting that when men (I'm saying it this way because that is the subject we are on in this thread and am not saying that you are dominant of women) dominate women, they see it as being OK. But, when women are assertive with issues such as what we are talking about, men say we are being combative and sarcastic. Why is that so? Are we not allowed to state the facts and stand up for ourselves? Is it that men are insecure about knowing/facing why women are being more assertive now... because we are sick of being dominated and being told we can't do something when we want to?

[NotAboutEgo]

By the way, I wasn't name calling when I made reference to the "mighty male ego" in a previous post. I was simply stating my perception of the way things are.

[NotAboutEgo]

Also, I grew up playing sports with both females and males, and my parents never told me I couldn't play a sport, or do anything for that matter, just because I'm a female. I grew up playing with both dolls and "girly things" and also with trucks, cars, tractors, hot wheels and tracks, Legos, Tinker Toys, and other "male" things. I never had limits placed on me by my parents, and when I do have them placed on me from others, I fight to break them down.

I didn't mean to come off as being aggressive, but rather, I am stating the facts based on my life experiences and perceptions. When it was said that women don't support women's sports, I had to state my opinion as to why that is. I agree that there needs to be more support for women's sports, but that issue stems from male dominance and not televising and supporting women's sports in other ways so that people know they are out there.

It's like the famous line from "Field of Dreams"... "If you build it, they will come." If it is not there (meaning the advertising and televising), then who is going to know about it to support it?

[ItsOnlyGil]

Gee, I haven't felt the inclination to identify my gender, skin color, religious beliefs, handicaps, nor the date on which my incarceration will end. Why not everyone keep their personal baggages to themselves, and just come here for fun, to exchange information and insights, and share the stuff we each feel is important enuff to blurt out.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Gee, I haven't felt the inclination to identify my gender, skin color, religious beliefs, handicaps, nor the date on which my incarceration will end. Why not everyone keep their personal baggages to themselves, and just come here for fun, to exchange information and insights, and share the stuff we each feel is important enuff to blurt out.

The subject of female baseball is quite relevent and important to many here. Was it really necessary to revive a thread after nearly three years for that?

[dl4060]

The subject of female baseball is quite relevent and important to many here. Was it really necessary to revive a thread after nearly three years for that?

I don't know.

But I will say, that looking at this board I noticed notaboutego's comment about male ego.

So, is it then fair for me to bring up say, 'irrational female emotion?' I mean it is something that I have experienced in my personal life. If I am reprimanded for this, but notaboutego isn't, that is a clear bias.

I think that on a board which supposed to be about equality, and breaking down gender barriers, my point is a fair one. If women can refer to male behavior in a blanket and derogatory way, why can't men refer to female behavior in a blanket and derogatory way?

I am not bringing this up to start a war, or to flame anyone, and I am not a troll. I have a fair complaint that should be addressed.

As to people who think that a female baseball league would be as successful as the MLB.....I don't see that as very likely. Look at the WNBA, how are its ratings and revenues? People have every opportunity to follow the WNBA, and make it a financially viable league, and they have not. I know they have their fans, but without the support of the NBA the WNBA would not exist. The idea that they are financially viable on their own is simply not true. I hope the league is able to build on its success, and one day stand alone, but at this point they are not their yet.

[BSmile]

1915 Tigerton Ladies BB Team (Wisconsin)