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Should women be allowed to play on Major League Baseball teams?
Results so far:
| Yes | 50% | 757 votes | Total: 1502 votes | |
| No | 50% | 745 votes |
Yes
by David Furritus
Created on: January 05, 2008 Last Updated: October 31, 2008
Why the heck not? This is America where everyone is considered equal!
Throughout history women have always been overshadowed by men in sports. The few times that you hear about a successful women's athlete is during the Olympics. But, rest assured that they can be just as athletic as men. In the military of many nations (especially the US and Israel) women old the same positions as men and are often placed in command positions. They often have to prove themselves to be even tougher than their male counterparts because they're looked down on as being "weak." This is usually a huge mistake.
Long before I saw the movie "A League of Their Own" I saw a lot of women playing baseball that were a lot tougher than the guys in the more popular male leagues. They would make some amazing plays, throw the ball harder, run faster, and just be generally more athletic. Of course, no one ever mentioned them because after all, they were "just girls".
I think that the biggest hurdle about having women on sports teams is not their ability, but the incredibly out-dated concept that women can't compete with men in physical events. This blatant sexism is exacerbated by creating "women-only" leagues like the WNBA, and the women's soccer league. These leagues get a lot less Tv coverage and the players only see a fraction of their male-equivalents. It's almost like saying "Yes, you're good, but still not good enough to compete with us men. Now, go home and cook my dinner, woman!"
But, when you face facts for every Barry Bonds or Derek Jeter, there are a large number of players in Major League Baseball that aren't as good. Out there waiting at tryouts there could be a large number of women that could out-play these guys week in and week out. Of course, they don't get considered because of a few physical differences. This is a shame because I think that the sport which has been plagued by drug scandals, strikes, and all manner of things that have dissuaded people from watching could use a big morale boost.
It's time to face facts, guys. Women are our equals - well, they can actually do something we can't: bear children. They've had the right to vote for almost a century and this year we came extremely close to actually seeing one in the White House. Perhaps it's time that we start treating them like equals and at least letting them try out for a few teams.
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No
by Blah McBlah
Created on: August 22, 2007 Last Updated: May 24, 2010
Many people who debate from the other side of the isle, who argue logically, will continue to call one woman to the stand to take up their defense and that person is, Ila Borders. Borders, was a left-handed pitcher who played in college and independent professional baseball as well as becoming the first female ever to win a minor league game on the night of July 24, 1998.
She would retire from baseball in 2000 at the age of 26. Heartwarming story which I am sure will one day be made into a motion picture but let's look at Ila Borders as a player and not the spectacle.
She had a fastball in the 76-79 MPH range that were knocked around routinely or worst out of the park. She had an OK curveball when she actually controlled it and a screwball which she would occasionally have success with.
Oddly enough, I cannot find accurate stats on Borders' but by all accounts they are not that good and in fact, by the stats I was able to find, downright stink.
It's said that many other managers and players believe she was brought in only because of her drawing power and the media spectacle that followed her.
The New York Times, Newsweek ran stories about her and shows such as Tonight with David Letterman and 60 Minutes all wanted interviews with the 24 year old.
I can honestly say that after researching Ila Borders', I do believe that she really just wanted to play baseball and I believe her passion was real but when it came down to it she just wasn't good enough.
She had a very tough time in an independent league and I think she wouldn't of lasted more than 2-3 starts if she played A Ball for any team affiliated with a major league club.
Also, the rules and changes of an integrated team would be insane. Separated clubhouses, changing rooms and whatnot. Sexual harassment suits would surely come up on a daily basis in this day and age of the story driven media. Even beyond the civil liabilities it's in a woman's interest not to play with the boys.
Could you imagine an NFL linebacker running full bore into a female runningback or Leila Ali (worlds best female 160-166 lbs boxer) stepping into the ring with Jermaine Taylor (the world's best male middleweight). It's best left to just have a women's professional league like the model the NBA has taken, the WNBA. It's not sexist it's common sense.
In closing, I think it's asinine to even compare Ila Borders plight to Jackie Robinson or the plights of racial minorities in baseball in general. While Borders' coverage was mostly positive, Robinson's was not as he endured night after night of insults and threats unlike the scales of nothing any human, male or female, should endure.
Not only that, it was proven in a short period of time that there were a number of very talented baseball players in the Negro Leagues such as Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby, Don Newcombe, Satchell Paige and the likes. Show me that talent from the women's side and you may sway my opinion.
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