Women’s baseball history connects generations at Rockford luncheon

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – Former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League players and cast members from ‘A League of Their Own’ met nearly 200 fans Friday during a luncheon celebrating women’s baseball history.

The sold-out event gave fans a chance to collect autographs, take pictures and hear stories from the women who played professional baseball and the actors who helped bring their history to the big screen.

The luncheon marked one part of a larger week of women’s baseball events in Rockford, including the Women’s Baseball World Cup and the Baseball For All Nationals.

Announcement

Megan Cavanagh, who played Marla Hooch in the 1992 film, said the cast did not realize how deeply the movie would connect with future generations when they made it.

“At the time that we filmed it, we had no idea that it would be this successful. We hoped it would because we wanted to tell the story for the women from the AAGPBL, but yeah, it’s a phenomenon, and I’m so happy to be part of it,” said Cavanagh.

Cavanagh said she later met young athletes who watched the movie before traveling to their own tournaments.

She also celebrated the growing number of girls who now remain in baseball rather than feeling pushed toward softball.

“The cool thing is they’re playing baseball now,” said Cavanagh. “They’re not having to play softball, which is something that was forced on girls.”

“They’re standing on the shoulders of the women who played in the 1940s,” she said.

For sisters Kathleen Ahee, Sandy Johnson and Wendy Walton, the week honors their mother.

Their mother, Carol Courneene, received an invitation to try out for the Grand Rapids Chicks in 1954.

The Chicks competed in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, but the league folded that year before their mother could attend the tryout.

“It’s so exciting that there are women’s sports now because when my mom started, there wasn’t. So she grew up playing with the boys. Then she carried on that tradition for us,” said Johnson.

Courneene later coached her daughters and helped build a youth softball program in Michigan.

The event also gave young players a chance to meet the women who helped create opportunities in the sport.

“It really just makes a path for little girls like me and we can look up to it,” said Summer Paul.

Paul is a 10-year-old girl who traveled from California to compete in the Baseball For All Nationals.

She started playing baseball when she was three and attended the luncheon to collect autographs and meet former professional players.

When asked what she wants women’s baseball to look like when she becomes an adult, she gave a simple answer.

“With me in it,” said Paul.

The day ended with a behind the scenes look at some of the clips from the film: