Siegals In Baseball

In 2013, I was selected to play on the only all girls baseball team in the largest tournament for twelve year olds in the United States, Cooperstown Dreams Park in Cooperstown, New York. Baseball has always been a male dominant sport and because of that, I have always been praised for being the only girl on the all boys team. Since I was four years old, I had only played with boys. Everyone welcomed me and saw nothing wrong. However, as I grew older and know-it-all dads began coaching their sons, the same faces who welcomed me, turned their backs. Countless times, I was told to switch to softball. “Baseball isn’t for girls!” one sexist father said to me. No amount of persuasion or bullying could make me leave the sport I loved. Being only 5’3, 135 pounds, I knew I would never be as strong as the boys, who gain strength naturally. It meant I had to work three times harder.

She also was the first woman to throw batting practice to all 30 MLB teams. She once said, “If you tell a girl she can’t play baseball, what else is she going to believe she can’t do. If you tell a girl she can play baseball, what is she going to believe she can do.” That quote is one all of us girl ball players carry around with us. Ever since listening to that quote, I have committed my time to helping women and girls play baseball. Over the years I have been able to create a face for myself in Plymouth Canton Little League, throwing a perfect game, 18 batters up and 18 batters down, becoming the only girl in the city to do that. It was a blessing to show younger girls that we can do anything. Currently, I play on two all girls baseball teams. Both are based out of Chicago, Illinois. My love for these teams is like no other before, and I am honored to be a part of them. However, I am most proud of the fact that I have been able to show younger girl what we are capable of and that we can prove all others