Should Girls Be Allowed to Play Baseball Instead of Softball?

Introduction: Gender Equity and Baseball

This paper examines whether girls should be allowed to play baseball rather than being steered toward softball. This issue has persisted for quite some time, and at its core lies a straightforward principle: women ought to be given the same opportunities as men. The position taken here is in support of women's inclusion. Girls and women should be given rights, liberties, and opportunities in the same manner as men — provided they have a full understanding of the demands such participation entails and are prepared to meet them.

A substantial body of literature addresses the question of girls and women being included in baseball. In many instances, girls are discouraged from taking part in baseball from a young age and are instead funneled toward softball. This is an unbalanced approach, as every individual ought to have the freedom to participate in whichever sport they love and wish to pursue, regardless of gender. Girls should be allowed to play in Little League teams alongside boys (Coakley, 50).

Historical Discrimination Against Women in Baseball

Discrimination in baseball dates to the 19th century. Women were largely excluded from the sport because participation was considered improper conduct for a young woman. It can also be argued that, owing to societal expectations, most women at the time did not actively aspire to play baseball. Nonetheless, an all-women's team known as the Bloomer Girls was formed in the 1890s. This team claimed to have defeated every men's baseball team they faced on multiple occasions and was popular with crowds and fans alike.

Despite their popularity, the Bloomer Girls faced significant scrutiny and discrimination from the press. Several newspapers argued that the only reason the team was skilled was because team administrators had men dress as women to play for them (Ball State University, n.d.). This reflects how difficult it was for many people of the era to accept that women could genuinely defeat men in baseball. Furthermore, a number of churches opposed the idea of women playing baseball altogether, consistently favoring the notion that women should remain in the stands cheering on their brothers and husbands rather than competing on the field (Ball State University, n.d.).

Arguments Against Including Girls in Little League

Several arguments have been raised against including girls in Little League teams and creating mixed-gender rosters. One claim is that mixing girls and boys would detract from the quality of play. The concern is that boys might become more protective and less aggressive when playing alongside girls, which would undermine the competitive development of the game. It is also argued that boys and girls would distract one another — for instance, a boy might not pitch effectively to a girl he likes, and players on both sides might try to impress each other rather than focus on the game. Proponents of this view contend that including girls would dilute the competitive intensity typically expected in baseball (Thornton, 495).

Additional concerns include the belief that girls are more prone to injury and would require frequent first aid, disrupting the flow of the game, and that girls would prefer to play with other girls. It is also argued that mixed-gender teams would lead boys to hold back out of concern for injuring their female teammates — for example, by pitching less aggressively (Thornton, 495). On the opposite end, there is the fear that if male players discover that female players are more talented, they might respond with increased aggression and intentionally harm them. Conversely, some argue that men might feel unable to play to their full potential when competing against women. These are the principal arguments pitched against allowing girls to play baseball alongside boys.

Conclusion

As the literature demonstrates, girls ought to be included in baseball rather than being redirected to softball. Girls have the physical capacity to match their male counterparts. As shown, girls between the ages of 8 and 12 typically mature faster than boys, making them larger and fully capable of playing alongside and against them. Concerns about injury risk are addressable: coaches can teach girls the protective techniques and game skills they need, in the same way they do for boys. Little League Baseball and governing bodies should revise their policies to ensure girls have a fair and equal opportunity to participate in the sport of their choosing.

References

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Ball State University. (n.d.). Discrimination in Early Baseball. Retrieved 24 October 2015 from http://www.bsu.edu/eft/baseball/p/teachers/classroom_discrimination.html

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