113: Sports & Gender - "A League of Their Own" - Talking About Organizations Podcast

The story and impact of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL), 1943-1954, as portrayed in the 1992 film A League of Their Own, directed by Penny Marshall and starring Geena Davis and Tom Hanks

This episode is our annual foray into film, and this year’s edition features one of the great sports comedies of the late 20^th century, A League of Their Own, directed by Penny Marshall and starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, and an incredible ensemble cast. We chose this film not only because of its entertaining value but also because it lends itself to an organizational analysis around many topics, from the creation of novel organizations to the dynamics of institutionalized norms. Besides, it touches on the interplay of gender and organizations, a meaningful topic of contemporary research and public debate which has been covered by a few recent TAOP episodes.

While women athletes in some individual sports have garnered success both on- and off the field, until recently, women’s team sports in the USA have not gained the same levels of financial rewards or general interest among sports fans. A notable change is in the recent collegiate basketball championships, which saw the women’s championship earn greater numbers of viewers and an increasing status of players. Such a change yet is has its roots in history, and many contemporary women’s athletes have honored the legacy of past pioneers.

One of these is the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, or AAGPBL, a women’s baseball league from 1943 to 1954. Founded during WWII, the league was established out of fear that the war would damage the business of baseball due to the loss of players to military service. However, the ownership initially saw the league as a temporary stopgap, but success convinced them to keep the league going after the war.

The movie is heavily fictionalized, designed to offer a glimpse into the lived experiences of the players rather than present a documentary-style biopic (still, the lead characters were all based on real people). Besides, the setting and context were accurate: the players were chaperoned, had to wear make-up and uniforms ill-suited for baseball, and attend “charm school” to act more “ladylike” in public. Still, the experience was pioneering, and the players would stay closely connected for decades after the league folded.