In 1952 Major League Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick sent notice that women are not to play on major league teams, stating his 'purpose was to prevent teams from using women players as a publicity stunt.'

The result of this banning has kept highly skilled women, especially fastball pitchers, from playing in the minors or major leagues. Even 10 years later in 1964, an all-female team petitioned to join the men's class-A Florida State League but was rejected. In the late 1980s, Julie Croteau challenged men-only collegiate teams and was the first women to played at the college-level. She earned all-conference honors at first base on the St. Mary's College (Maryland) men's baseball team but left during the middle of her junior year rather disillusion because she believed women were treated as inferior to men. Generations of young girls can now thank a series of 1970s court battles that game them the opportunity to play baseball in the Little Leagues. And, most of us men, in our lifetimes, have played with or saw girls playing baseball that were equal or better than many boys... baseballhistorian.com - Womens Baseball History...