Title/Author:
“A Game of Their Own: Voices of Contemporary
Women in Baseball” by Jennifer Ring
Tags:
Baseball, history
women
Publish date:
April 1, 2015
Length:
304 pages
Rating:
5 of 5 stars (outstanding)
Review:
In 2010, Japan
defeated Australia 13-3 in the championship game of the Women’s World Baseball Cup. If you don’t
remember anything about that tourney or know the names of any players,
including the team from the United States, you are not alone. Women’s baseball
has not been as publicized as much as a small fraction of the men’s game. This
doesn’t mean that there are not female baseball players, and the stories of
eleven members of the US squad are captured in this excellent book by Jennifer
Ring.
Ring tells the story
of each player, one of which was her daughter, on a team that was largely ignored
by the press. Compounding the issue is something
that each woman faced while pursuing their athletic dreams – they were told
that baseball wasn’t the proper game for them to play, instead they should play
softball. Ring’s writing beautifully illustrates the determination of these young
women saying “no” to this belief and instead continuing on with their baseball careers.
No matter which player
is telling her story, the reader will be captivated by their grit and
persistence. The reader will also learn about the systemic exclusion of girls
and women in baseball and why the belief that softball is an “equal” sport is wrong
on so many levels. It should be also
mentioned that many of these players were excellent at the game, that many of
them played with males in high school and college and more than held their own.
The extra pressure many of them were under because they had to “prove”
themselves will also be felt by readers as well.
More than just the
content or message, what I really believe makes this book very good is Ring’s
writing. Her style captures the emotions
and heart of each player instead of just reporting on what they did on the
field. If nothing else, for that reason
alone everyone who reads baseball books should add this one to their libraries.
I wish to thank University
of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest
review.
Book Format Read:
Paperback
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