Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – It all starts Saturday: the Women’s Professional Baseball League.
Four teams will play for the next seven weeks at Robin Roberts Stadium. WPBL commissioner Justine Siegal (pictured) told the city council this week the players are enjoying their hotels and Airbnb’s — and learning where the better restaurants are in town.
About the players: “We are about thirty percent international,” said Siegal. “We have women who work full-time jobs, and they are going to be working remotely. We have mothers in our league. We have a great population of baseball players who are really the best in the world, and they’ve all come here to Springfield.
“One of the great things about coming to our games is the accessibility to our players,” continued Siegal. “You’ll be able to get autographs. Boys and girls will be able to get pictures with the players and really feel like they are part of the magic, because they really are.”
Ald. Erin Conley praised the players for being role models for girls and young women.
Saturday’s Opening Night is a sellout.
Springfield Lucky Horseshoes chief storyteller Jamie Toole called the league “probably the most exciting thing that’s happened in my professional career.”
