Don't forget the women, Abigail wrote John. Are you listening, Boston Globe? Big jump in Final Four women's coverage, and room for improvement with other sports. Women and baseball; a short history.
Yet another engaging and informative Substack post; I am so enjoying these! Learning even more via the comments section. Just ordered the book and looking forward to seeing one of the discussions. Keep up the great work!
Absolutely absorbing to hear about Ella Black, and I cherish the details you've shared about her experiences as a baseball writer, albeit for a relatively short time. Thanks so much for sharing her story with me and, in turn, with others who will take the opportunity to read comments on my Substack. Ever so grateful, Melissa
Following up on your coverage of trailblazing women baseball writers and “Don’t forget the women”:
Ella Black was the first woman baseball correspondent with a weekly column in The Sporting Life in 1890 (the year of the Brotherhood League) reporting from Pittsburgh. Her baseball knowledge was often dismissed, and some fellow correspondents accused her of being a man, until famed sportswriter Henry Chadwick met her and confirmed that she was a “talented and educated lady,” a “capital journalistic ‘find’” and congratulated The Sporting Life on hiring her.
On May 10, 1890, she wrote: “Everyone seems to think that all a woman knows how to do is to work around her home, talk dress and fashion. I do not advocate woman’s rights in the same way as Dr. Mary Walker and others of her stamp, but still I think they have just as much brain and can do most things quite as good as the men. I only hope some day, unless The Sporting Life should remove me from its staff, to be able to force some of the brilliant (?) masculine members of humanity, who have seen fit to ridicule the idea of a woman writing base ball, to admit that I am competent to do it.” (The parenthetical question mark is hers.)
On the flip side, Ella obtained scoops by overhearing team owners openly discussing sensitive baseball matters within her earshot, assuming she wouldn't know what they were talking about since she was "only a woman" (a phrase she quoted and sardonically adopted). Then she published the scoops, including their sexist characterizations of her. Sadly, Ella only wrote for that single season and her life story remains a mystery. She would surely be proud of you and other women sportswriters who have proven that you are more than “competent to do it.”
Yet another engaging and informative Substack post; I am so enjoying these! Learning even more via the comments section. Just ordered the book and looking forward to seeing one of the discussions. Keep up the great work!
Absolutely absorbing to hear about Ella Black, and I cherish the details you've shared about her experiences as a baseball writer, albeit for a relatively short time. Thanks so much for sharing her story with me and, in turn, with others who will take the opportunity to read comments on my Substack. Ever so grateful, Melissa
Following up on your coverage of trailblazing women baseball writers and “Don’t forget the women”:
Ella Black was the first woman baseball correspondent with a weekly column in The Sporting Life in 1890 (the year of the Brotherhood League) reporting from Pittsburgh. Her baseball knowledge was often dismissed, and some fellow correspondents accused her of being a man, until famed sportswriter Henry Chadwick met her and confirmed that she was a “talented and educated lady,” a “capital journalistic ‘find’” and congratulated The Sporting Life on hiring her.
On May 10, 1890, she wrote: “Everyone seems to think that all a woman knows how to do is to work around her home, talk dress and fashion. I do not advocate woman’s rights in the same way as Dr. Mary Walker and others of her stamp, but still I think they have just as much brain and can do most things quite as good as the men. I only hope some day, unless The Sporting Life should remove me from its staff, to be able to force some of the brilliant (?) masculine members of humanity, who have seen fit to ridicule the idea of a woman writing base ball, to admit that I am competent to do it.” (The parenthetical question mark is hers.)
On the flip side, Ella obtained scoops by overhearing team owners openly discussing sensitive baseball matters within her earshot, assuming she wouldn't know what they were talking about since she was "only a woman" (a phrase she quoted and sardonically adopted). Then she published the scoops, including their sexist characterizations of her. Sadly, Ella only wrote for that single season and her life story remains a mystery. She would surely be proud of you and other women sportswriters who have proven that you are more than “competent to do it.”
Great line from the Doris O'Donnell column: "it was easier to get inside the Kremlin than it is to get into a baseball press box."