Commissioner Ford Frick Bans Women

[NotAboutEgo]

Old Boys' Club doesn't fashion women as athletes

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... For more womens facts - see Pages 123, 139, 140and 141 of American Heroes

[Brian McKenna]

In actuality organized baseball wanted nothing to do with female ballplayers long before the Frick ruling. The ruling body's concerned centered around men who might be called "showman" pulling a marketing "stunt" by employing a female ballplayer on their roster.

It became a concern in June 1952 when the Harrisburg Senators of the Class-B Inter-State League announced that they were going to sign 24-year-old shortstop Eleanor Engle. Before she could take the field, the league president stepped in and banned the signing of women. On the 21st Commissioner Ford Frick went one step further and formally banned the signing of women on all teams in organized baseball. The ruling stands today.

Judge Landis had previously nixed the signing of Jackie Mitchell.

Jackie Mitchell may have been the first woman of the century to sign a professional contract in organized baseball. In 1932 the “Barnum of Baseball,” Joe Engel, was manager of the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern Association. Mitchell was only 17 years old at the time but had been trained to pitch by Hall of Famer Dazzy Vance. In a publicity stunt on April 2nd she struck out a chuckling Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Engel planned to use her in regular league games but the next day Judge Landis overturned her contract claiming that organized baseball was “too strenuous” for women to play.

[sandlot]

One would have thought that the Frick ruling would be challengeable today as blatantly discriminatory. Has anyone ever sought to bring a legal challenge to it, and if so what was the result? The argument about "strenuousness" has been pretty well shot down in cases regarding, e.g., firefighters. Perhaps the Frick ruling reflected his perception (or misperception) of the degree of unhappiness that would have arisen among players of that era if women were allowed to play; that is not a justification, only an observation. But while I'm sure there would be unhappiness among some players today (look at the reaction among certain male pro golfers to Sorenstam and Wie), I would hope and expect it to be much less. The question is, how can the Frick ruling be allowed to stand?

[Brian McKenna]

Perhaps the Frick ruling reflected his perception (or misperception) of the degree of unhappiness that would have arisen among players of that era if women were allowed to play


I think the Frick ruling had more to do with the 'old boys network' and probably as most MLB rulings had little to do with whatever the players wanted (though I'm sure the players didn't want any women around).

By 'old boys network' I mean conservative businessmen who have for so long run corporate America and who for even longer have detested people unlike themselves - i.e. blacks and women to name two groups.

[NotAboutEgo]

I think the Frick ruling had more to do with the 'old boys network' and probably as most MLB rulings had little to do with whatever the players wanted (though I'm sure the players didn't want any women around).

By 'old boys network' I mean conservative businessmen who have for so long run corporate America and who for even longer have detested people unlike themselves - i.e. blacks and women to name two groups.

Right... that's how I see it, too. I'm not sure if anyone has ever challenged Frick's and Landis' and others' rulings. I would think no one has, but perhaps it would be a good idea. Perhaps then the 'good ole' boys' network of MLB will break down a bit. I don't understand why anyone would want to disclude someone from helping their team, if they have the right tools, regardless of gender, culture, etc. Obviously, it's because of their huge egos that are caused from a lot of incsecurity, but nevertheless, I still don't understand that frame of mind.