As time goes by, the playing field gets bigger for womens’ sports. In shows, books, and media, there have been stories of girls playing baseball; whether it was because it was the only sport available or they were interested. Though, those stories are about to become reality with a Pro Baseball league for women coming in 2026. 

Back in the 1940s, there was a professional baseball league for women. However, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was short-lived, as it lasted from 1943 to 1954. The first four, and main, teams of the league were from the Midwest, the Rockford Peaches, South Bend Blue Sox, the Racine Belles, and Kenosha Comets. There would be other teams that joined the league, such as the Grand Rapid Chicks and the Fort Wayne Daisies. Unlike modern baseball uniforms, the AAGPBL’s uniforms had a jersey and swapped the pants for skirts since the league’s president, Max Carey, stated, “Femininity is the keynote of our league…”. Though it wasn’t around for long, it gave hundreds of girls the opportunity to play sports, especially in a time when it was not as common as now. 

The CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball team, Keith Stein, is co-founding the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL), the only professional baseball league for women in the country. The non-profit will encourage girls in baseball across the country. The other co-founder, Justine Seigal, is one of the best co-founders for this league as she was the first female coach in Major League Baseball (MLB), coaching for the Oakland A’s. She also founded a non-profit organization to get more girls involved, playing, and coaching baseball, which is Baseball For All. Throughout the league, some advisors have great knowledge of baseball and all it has to offer. As an MLB manager, Cito Gaston, and Japanese pitcher, Ayami Sato will both be on board for this project as special advisors. 

The WPBL, which will begin its inaugural season in 2026, will stimulate not only women’s baseball but also all other women’s sports leagues. When the season begins, there will be six teams, mostly from the Northeastern United States, though with time, more teams will be added. Some might think, “Why don’t the women in this league just play softball?”. The two sports, though they seem similar, are very different. They use different bats, rules, and distances. As an example, baseball uses an overhand pitch, while softball uses an underhand pitch. The length between the bases is different in each one, baseball has 90 feet while softball has 60 feet in between each base. The actual ball in baseball is smaller and lighter than the one used for softball. 

Overall, 2026 will be the beginning of the Women’s Professional Baseball League and many baseball journeys for many girls and women. The league will surely follow in the MBL’s footsteps to becoming one of America’s favorite pastimes.