Prior to her Women’s Pro Baseball League tryout, Mo’ne Davis said that she was anxious.
The 600 players who gathered to the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy on Friday to compete for roster places in the six-team circuit, which is scheduled to debut next year, included the former Little League wonder.
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Being the first female pitcher to win a Little League World Series, Davis is accustomed to being in the spotlight. She is 24 years old, hasn’t participated in competitive sports for almost five years, and says her nervousness left her as soon as she stepped onto the field.
I’ve visited this place many times. Davis, who worked in the outfield and participated in batting practice, remarked, “I’ve played here plenty of times.” I felt a little more at ease when I saw people I knew.
WPBL co-founder Justine Siegal spoke to the players to begin the first day of the league’s open trials.
According to Siegal, we are standing on the shoulders of other pioneers. It’s your turn now.
The four-day showcase, which started Friday with a series of workshops led by league adviser and former US women’s baseball team star Alex Hugo, was anticipated to draw women from ten countries, including Japan, Australia, and Mexico. The workouts, which included baserunning drills and bullpen work, will end on Monday with a game at the ballpark of the Washington Nationals.
Participants included both current and retired athletes with different ability levels, and their ages ranged from 17 to 57. Baseball stars, including members of the national team, were also present.
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Davis participated in a bullpen session and tried out in center field.
She said it’s wonderful to see so many ladies who are passionate about the sport come out and have the chance to play professionally. It’s truly amazing to witness. I’m really excited to just go out there.
From softball fields to baseball dreams
A day prior to her tryout, Allison Dougherty went to the ballpark to watch the action since she was so excited about the weekend showcase.
“To be honest, if you’re a woman who loves baseball, this is probably the biggest moment of your life,” she remarked.
Dougherty, a native of Tampa, Florida, is prepared to reconcile her business career with a possible opportunity to play professional baseball. She runs two restaurants. She is scheduled to try out at first base on Saturday.
“Being a woman, I had to play softball,” Dougherty, a player at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, said. Since baseball is the game I like to play, I was particularly excited when the chance to play it presented itself. Additionally, I’ve never had the chance to play baseball. I’m simply thrilled to get the chance.
Social internet is how 32-year-old Heather Strong, a flight attendant from Palmer, Massachusetts, learned about the tryouts. Up until high school, Strong played Little League baseball with guys, but she was also compelled to transition to softball.
Strong, who participates in a women’s slow-pitch softball league, adding that it was awful. I participated in Little League games with the lads. I had to convert to softball and learn a completely new game because all the boys played baseball for the high school team.
Strong aims to at least reach Day 2 and expressed confidence in her performance on Friday morning. She values being a part of history if she doesn’t.
Strong stated, “I just came to be a part of something that means a lot to not only people who played baseball before me but also the younger generations coming up.” For young girls everywhere, this means the world. regardless of their identity or place of origin.
Veteran players help guide the tryouts
On the field Friday, athletes who have already signed with the league, like as Canadian sensation Alli Schroder and Japanese pitcher Ayami Sato, assisted the hopefuls.
Other baseball coaches arrived from all around the world.
Tamara Holmes’ 43-year baseball career brought her to the first professional women’s tryouts in eight decades, something she could scarcely have predicted.
One of the coaches assisting on Friday was Holmes, a 1996–1998 player for the Colorado Silver Bullets women’s club.
After the morning session, Holmes remarked, “I don’t think it hit me as much until I got here and saw this first group.” You don’t get the opportunity to be among the first people at something very often. When I arrived and saw how widespread it was, I undoubtedly respected that more.
According to Holmes, a significant percentage of the player pool will be made up of softball players who switch to baseball because it’s a slower sport.
“Over the years, I’ve found that baseball players make great softball players,” she said. Although the opposite change can be a little challenging, many women are undoubtedly capable of doing it.
Holmes stated that most players were there for an incredible experience and to claim that I did it, but the majority of women that try out probably won’t make the league.
She said, “I respect anyone who would take the field with a moving ball and have either 20 years or a little experience.” Personally, I’m not sure whether I could pull that off.
