MY KID LIVED THE (MLB ALL-STAR WEEKEND) DREAM

Growing up, watching baseball with my grandfather, MLB All Star weekend was always my favorite part of the game. It showed the players having fun, and seemed to make them more real to me.

Five years ago, when my oldest started playing softball, she knew it was a pastime. 

Women in sports are not as widely respected or fairly paid.

But she absolutely fell in love with the game.

She quickly started following Jennie Finch because, not only was she a multiple Olympic Medalist, she also played at the MLB Celebrity Softball game every year and made it very clear that women in this game are serious athletes.

She took to researching Hall of Famers such as Dottie Komenshek, and more recent athletes such as Lauren Chamberlain, and Cat Osterman.

For the past few years, her heart has belonged to the game, and the game has belonged to her.

Now, that’s not to say that it has always been smooth sailing. At a whopping 4 ft 11 in, she’s always had to work twice as hard to get half of the deserved recognition. She learned quickly- if she was serious about the game, she had to take the pastime and make it a passion.

From that point on, she took off!

The past two years she has been playing with the City Divas - A Bronx RBI team that goes back more than 20 years. With the Divas she has been afforded many opportunities on the field. From playing in the Babe Ruth Tournaments to being part of the HBCU Juneteenth Tournaments in Washington, DC. She’s also become an incredible in-field utility player, with a passion for catching, like my Yankees favorite, Jorge Posada- although behind the plate, she is much more like Pudge Rodriguez. She currently plays 3rd base for the 18U/16U teams.

The greatest opportunity came in May when she was invited to try out for team DREAM out of Harlem, NY to be a part of the Jennie Finch Classic at MLB All-Star Weekend.

Samara says that she was nervous when she learned her coach had suggested her for the tryouts. She came home saying she “showed out.” Whether she was going to make the team or not, she absolutely was going to give it her all. DREAM’s softball coach saw something in my girl, and the rest is history! Have to say- her hard work and the dedicated coaching staff of the City Divas helped get her there.

Samara spent the last week in Los Angeles, California taking part of the MLB All-Star Weekend festivities. She played 3rd base at 2 of the 4 games played by her team and went 4 for 7 the whole weekend.

The highlight for her was meeting Lauren Chamberlain and Jennie Finch herself. Both who spent a significant amount of time in the dugout with each team. Of being at the tournament itself, Samara posted on Instagram that she was “literally living a dream.” Her second at bat during game 4, Chamberlain herself walked over to her, and said “you got this, kid!” Giving her a supportive pat on the helmet before heading into the dugout to cheer with the team. Samara hit a bloop past second for a single, and scoring an RBI. “She (Chamberlain) gave me good luck. I played my best game yet at 3rd after that.”

Samara was also present at the celebrity softball game and Home Run Derby. Seated along the first baseline, she said the softball game was the funniest game she has ever witnessed. She got to witness Bryan Cranston getting “Finched” first hand, saying him being ejected was first rate comedy.

For me, the best part of the week was conversing with Jennie Finch herself. We discussed the importance of having softball and the girls at MLB All-Star weekend. Growing up, young ladies were never represented on that stage. Watching the girls from the 12 MLB Youth Academies being represented is a huge deal.

I appreciate how much work Finch and the other Softball legends have put in to ensure that the game and our girls are represented, respected and honored for their hard-work and athleticism. It’s been a long road, but the change is happening.

Take it from Samara… my kid literally lived the dream!

 

--Erica Morales

BYB Contributor

Twitter: @e_morales1804

AWAKENING THE DREAMERS, MAKING HISTORY

Growing up, I absolutely loved baseball. My grandfather, how had five daughters, desperately wanted someone to share in his love of the game, and I was more than grateful for the lessons. He taught me about all these fantastic men who played the game. He taught me how to read stats, and how to tell the difference between a ball and a strike because "The umps clearly don't know, so you've got to have a good eye." But I was also taught that one of baseballs greatest tragedies was the collapse of the AAGPBL.

The All American Girls Professional Baseball League started in the spring of 1943. Most men from 18 years old, and over, were off to war, and many minor league teams were disbanded. America needed baseball. A couple of big wig businessmen got together, and created a women baseball league. The idea was incredible. They scouted females from already established softball teams, and put them out there to play. Unfortunately, the league was set up for failure. The teams were in far off small towns that were difficult to get to. While men were off to war, fans more than willingly made the trips. But once they came home, these treks to obscure locations no longer made sense. Eventually, it was disbanded, leaving girls like myself, who had dreamed of being a baseball player, with only stories of the women who had the opportunity, but not even a snowballs chance that we might play ourselves.

On Sunday afternoon, one young female just stirred the dreamer in us again. 16-year old, Melissa Mayeux, a short-stop on the French U-18 junior nationals team, became the first female in history to be added to the MLB's international registration list. Which means she becomes eligible to be signed by a Major League club on July 2nd.

Honestly, I'm kind of overwhelmed with emotions right now.

Before someone comes along to attempt to burst my bubble, I'll do it for you... though Mayuex can be signed, that does not mean that she will be. That is besides the point. The list is reserved for those players who have the potential to be signed. The fact that she was added proves her ability and skill as a player. And yes, it is that much more special because she is a female.

The sports world is completely dominated by men. Even as a female writer, I often get questioned on my knowledge. Because my gender seems to take away from my credibility. I've held conversations with individuals that have outright called me wrong, and have had a male friend repeat exactly what I have said, and he was thought a genius. Simply put, females have to work twice as hard to earn respect in the sports world. So, when a female is able to make history in this way, it's fantastic news.

MLB Director of International Game Development, Mike McClellan has had Mayeux on his radar for a few years. He said "She's a legitimate short stop who makes all the plays, and is smooth and fluid in the field. She swings the bat really well and is fearless."

To Mayeux credit, her only goals seem to be to remain in baseball for as long as possible. If she is signed, she will have the chance to attend extended Spring Training. If not, she will be given the chance to play in the American University system. Perhaps even play as the short-stop for the 2017 French WBC team.

Mayeux, from every little girl who grew up wishing they could be Dottie Kamenshek, congratulations! I'm so very proud of you, and incredibly grateful that I could see history made in my lifetime. Whether you are signed to the MLB or not, I wish you a long, successful, and happy baseball career. You are a SHero! You've awaken the dreamers. Thank you!

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

  




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A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: JEAN FAUT

In it's short 11 year run, the rules for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League changed quite a bit. The pitching rule, for example, changed three times.

Originally, pitchers threw under hand with a large ball, much like softball. Two and a half seasons in, they switched to sidearm pitching, with a smaller ball. By 1948, the pitching changed to over hand. While the size of the ball continued to decrease and the pitching distance increased over time, over hand pitching remained. In the 7 years of over hand pitching in the AAGPBL, there were only two perfect games pitched. Both were thrown by South Bend Blue Sox pitcher, Jean Faut.

Originally, the AAGPBL thought to capitalize on the softball craze. They pulled a lot of their early talent from already existing softball leagues. But, in an effort to streamline the game, and make it more appealing to MLB fans, they switched the pitching to make it resemble the already popular baseball game. The switch from underhand pitching to over hand pitching did not go as well as expected, however. Not every pitcher was able to make the change, and so they started transitioning outfielders who threw relatively hard to begin with into the pitchers position. Faut happened to be one of those players.

Faut grew up two blocks away from a practice field for a semi pro team, in East Greenville, Pennsylvania. She spent a lot of time hanging around the field, wishing she could play, and by the time she was 13, the players had relented and taught her how to pitch.

"I had more experience than most of the girls in the AAGPBL. I came into the league with a fastball, a sharp curve, screwball, drop and change - and a lot of deviations from these basic pitches."

Jean Faut, far left. Manager Karl Winsch.

It has been said that Faut had incredible control over her pitches. Dottie Kamenshek once said "She put them all just where she wanted." On July 21, 1951, Faut pitched a perfect game against the Rockford Peaches, retiring 27 consecutive batters. Dottie, the leagues greatest hitter who struck out twice that night, said it was "the best game I've ever seen pitched. It was just perfect. Overpowering." She was elected AAGPBL Player of the year that year, and again in 1953 after her second perfect game. She was the second person in league history to have received the award twice.

Her 1952 season really shines. She had a 20-2 record with an incredible 0.93 ERA. She only walked 42 and allowed 111 hits in 184 innings pitched. She won the pitching triple crown that season, leading the league in ERA, strikeouts and tying the wins with Rose Gacioch.

Faut retired in 1953. Her then husband, Karl Winsch, was also the manager of the Blue Sox. There was a lot of dissension among the team. Players would not speak to the manager, and by default, would not speak to Faut either. Between raising a child, and the tension among the team, Faut thought it better to retire. She ended her career with a 1.23 ERA. The lowest in the leagues history. She also was the only pitcher in the league to throw two perfect games.

Faut was to pitching, what Dottie was to hitting. Phenomenal!

Don't forget to also check out: A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: DOTTIE KAMENSHEK

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

 

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A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN: DOTTIE KAMENSHEK

As a female, and a baseball fan, one of my greatest laments is never having witnessed the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The beginning and end of the AAGPBL happened way before I was born. I've heard stories... my grandparents remembered the women who played professional baseball between 1943 and 1954. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if the league hadn't been set up for failure from the very beginning.

I want to set up a new series here at BYB. One about the women who time has all but forgotten. The women of the AAGPBL. Their stories aren't told enough. They aren't given nearly enough respect for their accomplishments. And I'll start with the woman who inspired the 1992 movie "A League of Their Own," Dorothy 'Dottie' Kamenshek.

Dottie, also known as Kammie, was a star in the AAGPBL. At 17, she was an excellent outfielder on a local softball league. A scout for the AAGPBL saw her play and convinced her to tryout in Chicago. Dottie made the league and played for the Rockford Peaches, in Illinois for the entirety of her career, from 1943 to 1953.

She started her career in the outfield but was moved to first base. She became one of the best fielders in the game, having finished her career with a .950 fielding average. She won the leagues batting title in 1946 with a .316 BA, and in 1948 with a .306 BA. When the league created the All-Star team in 1946, she made the team every year until her retirement. She finished her career with a .292 BA in 3,736 at-bats, coming in fourth on the leagues leader board. She also stole 109 bases in 107 games in 1946. She once commented:

"I'm not one for statistics, really. I never paid any attention to that. I didn't consider myself an individual player, team victories were more important to me."

Dottie played so well that she garnered attention from former New York Yankee, Wally Pipp. According to a report in TIME, Pipp called her "the fanciest-fielding first baseman I've ever seen, man or woman." He wasn't the only one impressed by Dottie. A mens minor league team in Fort Lauderdale, attempted to recruit her. She refused believing that it was a publicity stunt.

In 1953, Dottie was forced to retire due to back injuries. She went on to study at Marquette University, and got a degree in physical therapy. She became the director of the Los Angeles Crippled Children's Services Department.

Dottie was quoted as saying "Baseball was just natural. I didn't have to work at it too hard." The Baseball Hall of Fame has files and clippings on Dottie, and she is included in the Diamond Dreams exhibit. She is remember by many as the greatest women's baseball player.

Dottie passed away May 17th, 2010. Growing up with stories of Dottie made ma believe that I could play professional baseball if I wanted to. She carried herself with the same kind of grace and heart that many of my childhood Yankee heroes did. She remains an inspiration for many female baseball fans, like myself. She is a baseball legend.

--Erica Morales BYB Senior Writer 
Twitter: @e_morales1804

 

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!  Also, don't forget to check out the BYB Hub!