FORT WORTH — There may be no crying in baseball, but as I discovered Thursday night, baseball does have high heels, purple wigs and lots of camaraderie – at least, that’s what was on display at the TCU Baseball Women’s Clinic.
Attending my first “Any Sport” for Women event, I found myself among a throng of females who love baseball. Roughly 150 gathered together with coach Jim Schlossnagle, several coaching staff members, and close to a dozen baseball players, including veteran pitcher Jared Janczak. The event was called the “Unofficial” kickoff to the baseball season, which officially begins when TCU meets Cal State Fullerton in Scottsdale, Ariz., Feb. 15.
“The goal is to generate excitement,” Schlossnagle said. “We have a responsibility to the fans, male or female. They are part of the TCU baseball family. They appreciate the game and are looking for reasons to go to the ballpark.”
The event, held at Lupton Stadium, included Q&As with players and with Schlossnagle, emceed by Brian Estridge, the voice of TCU, followed by drawings from earrings to handbags, a tour of the facilities, and a visit to the batting cages.
Hosted by IMG sports marketing, Jay Fields, TCU-IMG general manager, said the women’s only event is a way for women who enjoy TCU baseball to come together, to feel a part of the TCU baseball community.
If the evening was any indication of TCU baseball community, the women are all in. Nearly every sentence spoken on stage was punctuated with cheers from the tables that filled a tent stationed beside the baseball field, with its lights shining brightly, drawing women to marvel at the beauty of such a well-manicured field. I could sense it was difficult for many to stay off the mound, or keep from running the bases, even on a chilly but pleasant night.
Full disclosure: When I was covering the Dallas Cowboys back in the 1980s and 1990s, if I’d been asked to cover a “Baseball for Women” event, I would have found the idea, the concept and the assignment to be condescending. I’ve learned so much since then. And today I find the idea, the concept and the assignment a joy – for a number of reasons.
Let me go back a few days. I had the pleasure last Tuesday night of speaking to a women’s book club in Euless. Nine women sat around a dining table sharing a dinner, preparing to discuss a novel, When the Men Were Gone, based on the true story of a woman who coached football in Texas during World War II.
But before we got to the discussing the book, we just casually conversed for about 20 minutes about another topic close to our hearts: the Super Bowl. Yes, for roughly 20 minutes, I had the pleasure of talking Xs and Os with a group of school teachers – mostly teachers of English, but a calculus teacher and an ESL teacher were among the group.
At one point, I wanted to explode with joy. The moment was a bit overwhelming. Between bites of a delicious pot-luck meal, I was listening to women that span the calendar – some new moms new to teaching, others new grandmothers long retired – discuss what makes Tom Brady great and Todd Gurley a game-changer.
Discussions like this are not new to me. What was new was there was no man in sight. This was a women-only discussion about the Super Bowl. No one talked about Tom Brady’s smile or full head of hair. No one cared. All anyone cared about was who would win the line of scrimmage. Which defense will step up?
So when I spent Thursday night at the TCU women’s baseball clinic, I saw more of the same. I saw engagement, I saw fascination, I saw a love of baseball. I also marveled at the knowledge of TCU baseball and its history.
In a Q&A with the audience, Schlossnagle asked the women a variety of questions, and not one question went unanswered. Not one answer was incorrect.
“TCU’s first College World Series victory was against?” he asked.
“Florida State,” the winner responded.
“In 2010, who was the winning pitcher at the Super Regional at Texas?”
“Kyle Winkler,” said another winning respondent.
And on it went. Question after question. Winner after winner.
Then it was off to the batting cages where women lined up, eager for a chance to experience the joys of “when bat meets ball.”
Not everyone has the opportunity to come together and share something tailored just for them. For example, Harvard University is embroiled in a legal battle stemming from its declaration that any student who joins a single-sex organization will be banned from leadership opportunities while matriculating at the university. Sororities have had to disband. Women (and men) who participate in single-sex clubs and organizations risk the punitive wrath of the administration.
And that makes me sad. Especially when I see what fun it can be for a group of women with a common interest gather together for an evening – an evening of sisterhood on a baseball field, as it was at TCU Thursday night.
Unlike Harvard, we should not punish women for gathering together for moments like this. We should be celebrating them — the women and the moments.
(Editor’s note: What Marjorie modestly neglected to mention is that she is the author of When the Men Were Gone, and you can order a copy — and trust me, you’ll thoroughly enjoy it — from HarperCollins Publishers at https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062859747/when-the-men-were-gone/ .)
