November Monthly Meeting 2008
Wilma
The speaker at our November meeting was Wilma BRIGGS, a member of the All American Girl's Professional Baseball League. In 1942 during WWII, the Girl's Professional Baseball League, was established as an alternate to the men's leagues which were experiencing a shortage of players due to the military draft. This woman's league disbanded in 1954.
Wilma was a joy to listen to as her love and enthusiam for the sport is still infectious. Even those of us who may have little interest in sports were fascinated with her experiences - she started out as a country girl who worked on her family farm in East Greenwich to one of the best players in the league.

She talked about the league, her experiences with coaches, Plaques of Max Curry and Jimmy Foxx
and showed us the different size of baseballs that were used.

the uniforms that they worn and she showed us her bat.

She talked about her baseball card
Back side of card then gave everyone one!

Here is some of the baseball memorabilia she brought with her picture of things picture of things picture of things Wilma close-up patch We had a large audience and it was surprising to see that so many were familiar with the 1992 movie "A League of Their Own" which she appears in.
If you haven't seen the movie, get a copy and you'll hear one of the most quoted movie lines "Crying...there's no crying in BASEBALL!

Visit some of these sights on the web for more information on the subject...at:
Wilma's Page
All American Girls Professional Baseball League
Baseball Hall of Fame Museum
American Women's Baseball Federation
Pawtucket Slaterettes Baseball League
Women's Baseball League, Inc.
The Society For American Baseball Research

Home Page
PVHistory@yahoo.com