movie, A League of Their Own centers on the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League’s (AAGPBL) first season; the league was initiated to bridge the chasm that was formed by disbanding of the Major League Baseball on account of the Second World War. For the very first time in baseball history, young females from urban softball and farm leagues across America were sought for playing professional baseball. The league was fairly short-lived, partly due to a return of the men following the war’s culmination and subsequent re-establishment of MLB; as a result, the AAGPBL’s popularity dropped. The dozen years for which the league operated left its mark on sports history, since it offered female athletes a chance to professionally pursue baseball and make much more money than factory workers.

How does the film relate to what you read about the early history of sport (Module 3: The Early History of Sport in North America)

In the U.S., gender forms one among the key stratification categories. The central ideology of Americans is that “Every man is created equal.” However, women have not been mentioned anywhere in the American Constitution. It has been asserted that sport was a fundamental means to convey the dominant belief regarding the superiority of males. This has been witnessed via the comparison between abilities of men and women (e.g., the infamous tennis match between Bobby Riggs and Billy Jean King) (Early History of Sport in North America). Male superiority in the sports arena is established by media marginalization of female sports, branding female sportspersons as lesbians, the very way athletes are defined, and what sports are counted as the “major” ones. All this reflects male dominance. Sports history, in fact, echoes male dominance, resulting from societal patterns that establish who participates as well as how sports must be managed, played and viewed. A majority of sports exhibit male strength and are structured to reflect the physiology of males rather than females. Thus, sports have frequently played the role of an agent for the reproduction of male dominance (Early History of Sport in North America).

This process was outlined by Whitson (1990), who writes that sport is classified as “a male institution,” in its numerical sense (noted by many) as well as, more significantly, in the behavioral standards and values espoused by it; it eventually naturalizes, not just on the playing field but “in organizational hierarchies” as well. Secondly, and in turn, he states that, it has been maintained that the acclaim and attention which are, thus, given to the male lifestyle facilitate with confirming patterns of female subordination and male privilege (and, in fact, dominance structures) existing outside of sports (p. 20) (Early History of Sport in North America).

The baseball movie A League of Their Own revolves around females in a not-very-traditional sport setting (i.e. professional baseball). This choice of sport offers a greater likelihood of noting the evident barriers females need to surmount for achieving heroic status. Traditional society does not exactly approve of women playing baseball. Though, in the past 20 years, there has been a shift in what constitutes acceptable sport, there have been no new definitions to address this issue (Vantornhout, 1995). Taking into account the era the movie is set in, the definition for less traditional forms of sports, as stated by a 1965 study of Metheny’s, appears to be relevant for this movie. The period’s cultural beliefs and history closely impact women’s depiction in sport. Several women have been portrayed as sex symbols in the movie (Miller 1985), or as the seductive, powerful Pandora (Kaplan, 1985). While the film is a 1992 production, it is based on an older time period (i.e., 1943-1954) (Vantornhout, 1995).

What issues from your reading from Module 3 were portrayed in the film?

In the mid-nineteenth century, there were a number of major economic and social changes in western society, including the development of industrial hubs in cities, the emergence of a capitalist, industrial economy and corresponding societal reforms. A research on the females of North Carolina’s Petersburg maintains that the role of women (as well as their political influence and economic independence) expanded during the early part of the 19th century. It is only after application of gender analysis to sport’s development that one can explicate why sport thrived in an increasingly rationalized society. During a time when manliness and sexuality were important, sport became a sensible and meaningful activity. Just like wealth accumulation was an indication of an ethical lifestyle or salvation in an earlier era, athletic skills signified dominance, morality, and reasonableness and, among youth, denoted a measurable indication of a clean life and success in the future (Crosset, n.d.).

Dottie’s story reveals the key tactic employed to keep at bay the threat women sportspersons posed to national identity’s stability. In spite of the diverse composition of the team (ranging from a barmaid to a former beauty queen), the story focuses on the sisters Dottie and Kit (the star of the whole story is Dottie).Via this screen domination, Dottie rises as an example of the ideal American woman. However, her life choices reflect conservative repressiveness, outshining the rest of the team, and Kit’s choices that are slightly more modernistic. Though some researchers contend that the movie may be viewed as part of a pursuit of feminists to uncover the history of women, the highly conservative femininity exhibited by Dottie neither defies, nor extends, the limitations of present gender roles; on the contrary, it appears to have reinforced them (Bonzel, n.d.).

Early into the movie, the boundaries of women’s social comportment and what constitutes appropriate female behavior have been established. With the men either off to war or back home and deeply traumatized in the 1940s, women were mobilized to enter the workforce and there was significant anxiety in the nation over whether these females would readily relinquish their newfound social and financial independence and return home to tend to their families. One of the scenes in the movie directly and explicitly addresses this issue of females taking charge — Dottie, her sister and the rest of the team are at tryouts, and the sport action is interrupted and superimposed with commentary by a concerned, elderly lady from Chicago, Maida Gillespie through a radio network, The Mutual (Bonzel, n.d.). This scene, subtly accepting the modern audience’s positions, concurrently mocks these traditionalist concerns and gives voice to them:

Miss Gillespie states that: higher education and careers are causing female ‘masculinization’, posing an immensely dangerous consequence to children, families and the nation. When the young men return from war, “what kind of girls will they be coming home to?”She further voices her opinion of “the most disgusting example of this sexual confusion,” addressing Harvey Bars’ Mr. Walter Harvey — the man behind the AAGPBL — and calls him ‘completely nuts’. She expresses her disappointment regarding the fact that young girls from Chicago leave home, and pitch against one another to see who is more masculine.

In the above scene, clearly, humor conceals the hard-fought nature and gravity of gender role maintenance; this is because, though the girls are not intentionally striving towards being ‘masculine’, they play a game like athletes — in an era when, often, the athletes were men (Bonzel, n.d.)

It is contended that women’s association with domestic life as well as the role played by them in a nuclear family represented a relatively modern, 18th century ideology. It, however, assumed the shape of a popular ideology that defined women and was linked directly to her belonging to the feminine gender. Bourgeois families’ solidification co-occurred with industrial capitalism’s development, and with the onset of the 19th century, it became a major social institution that rendered females relatively powerless. One intrinsic component of the patriarchal society (with which the females colluded), and which was tied to ideas regarding gender identities, family arrangements, women’s biological, moral and psychological characteristics, and sexual moves, was the primary assumption with regard to family as a natural unit that exists separate from the overall formation (Hargreaves, n.d.).

Was the film historically accurate? If there were inaccuracies, what were they?

By autumn 1942, several small league teams broke up because of the war. All American youth (aged 18+) were sent off to war. Philip Wrigley, the chewing-gum manufacturer and MLB executive, fearing that the trend of team dissolutions would continue, leading to collapse of MLB parks in the country, began seeking a solution to the problem. He approached Ken Sells, who worked as assistant to the General Manager of Chicago Cubs, with a proposition to lead a committee and brainstorm ideas. Sells’ committee suggested establishment of a female softball league whose games could be played at MLB parks in the event that attendance falls because of the absence of a majority of crowd-attracting quality players (AAGPBL, n.d.). Immediately after the war, the League was still thriving. The women as well as supporters agreed to and appreciated the introduction of a bigger diamond and truer, smaller hardball making the game a lot similar to that played by men. Initially, the League only had four teams; by the year 1948, however, when the fans grew to nearly a million, the number of teams also grew to ten. (AAGPBL, n.d.)

However, as the years wore on, men rejoined the game and home entertainment modes like the TV grew popular, the all-girl league lost popularity; its last season was played in 1954. Also, the girls began retiring, and franchise owners stopped recruiting fresh players; consequently, women’s baseball disappeared from the sports arena. Several accounts of baseball history, while citing America’s joy at having the men back at the game, fail to mention the all-girl’s league and how, at the time of war, America’s women assumed the mantle of ensuring baseball’s continuity (AAGPBL, n.d.)

The movie, A League of Their Own, makes use of fictional players, events, and team managers for communicating the AAGPB’s general history in an interesting way. The movie’s key events, like players’ recruitment and the World Series are based on actual occurrences and are depicted relatively accurately (McLaughlin, 2014).

Recruited players were, in reality, gathered from across America. But in trials, a team only comprised 15 girls, and not 16, as the movie depicts. The film features four teams — these were the teams that existed from the league’s beginning; ultimately, however, the number of teams had grown to ten. The girls depicted in the movie fictionally represented a fusion of the kind of girls that made up the real-life teams. The movie’s writer and director, in this manner, could accurately depict the road trips and everyday life of the era. The players are shown to use overhand pitch, a larger diamond, and the smaller true hardball all through the movie; however, these regulations only got introduced some years following formation of the League.

Compulsory enrollment of the players in charm and beauty school for protecting their feminine image is a historically accurate occurrence. The film depicts the League striving to gain popularity, leading the girls to consider showboating gimmicks for attracting crowds — this part is false. Right from the start, the AAGPBL had a big fan following (McLaughlin, 2014).

The girls’ uniforms and the way they react to them, as depicted in the film, is very accurate. One girl states that “That’s what they wanted” and expected, for the girls to appear feminine while playing like boys — they were expected to wear dresses and keep their hair long. She goes on to state further that “When I first saw those uniforms I said, ‘Oh, I’ll never play for them,’ because you didn’t show your legs in those days.” Subsequently, she realized that in order to play, they had no other choice but to don on that uniform. The Racine Belles really did win the World Series; however, the competing team was not the Rockford Peaches in reality, but the Comets. There are only two key elements that were not accurately depicted in the movie: the League’s popularity at the start, and the use of a smaller ball, overhand pitch, and a larger field, right from the start (McLaughlin, 2014).

Bibliography

AAGPBL. (n.d.). League History. Retrieved from www.aagpbl.org: http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/pages/league/12/league-history

Bonzel, K. (n.d.). A League of Their Own: The Impossibility of the Female Sports Hero. Retrieved from www.screeningthepast.com: http://www.screeningthepast.com/2013/10/a-league-of-their-own-the-impossibility-of-the-female-sports-hero/

Crosset, T. (n.d.). Masculinity, Sexuality, and the Development of Early Modern Sport.

Early history of sport. in North America. (n.d.)

Hargreaves, J. (n.d.). The Victorian Cult of the family and the early years of female sport.

McLaughlin, J. (2014, February 2). A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, 1992. Retrieved from melissawalker1962.wordpress.com: https://melissawalker1962.wordpress.com/2014/02/02/a-league-of-their-own-1992/

Miller, G. (1985). The (sex) symbol: Marilyn prime time, and the Nielsens. Literature Film Quarterly, 13, 257

Kaplan, E. A. (1985). Hemingway, Hollywood and female representation: The Macomber affair. Literature Film Quarterly, 13, 22.

Vantornhout, K. (1995). Film analysis of A league of their own: myths and portrayals of heroines in sport. San Jose State University.

Get Professional Assignment Help Cheaply

Are you busy and do not have time to handle your assignment? Are you scared that your paper will not make the grade? Do you have responsibilities that may hinder you from turning in your assignment on time? Are you tired and can barely handle your assignment? Are your grades inconsistent?

Whichever your reason is, it is valid! You can get professional academic help from our service at affordable rates. We have a team of professional academic writers who can handle all your assignments.

Why Choose Our Academic Writing Service?

• Plagiarism free papers
• Timely delivery
• Any deadline
• Skilled, Experienced Native English Writers
• Subject-relevant academic writer
• Adherence to paper instructions
• Ability to tackle bulk assignments
• Reasonable prices
• 24/7 Customer Support
• Get superb grades consistently

Online Academic Help With Different Subjects

Literature

Students barely have time to read. We got you! Have your literature essay or book review written without having the hassle of reading the book. You can get your literature paper custom-written for you by our literature specialists.

Finance

Do you struggle with finance? No need to torture yourself if finance is not your cup of tea. You can order your finance paper from our academic writing service and get 100% original work from competent finance experts.

Computer science

Computer science is a tough subject. Fortunately, our computer science experts are up to the match. No need to stress and have sleepless nights. Our academic writers will tackle all your computer science assignments and deliver them on time. Let us handle all your python, java, ruby, JavaScript, php , C+ assignments!

Psychology

While psychology may be an interesting subject, you may lack sufficient time to handle your assignments. Don’t despair; by using our academic writing service, you can be assured of perfect grades. Moreover, your grades will be consistent.

Engineering

Engineering is quite a demanding subject. Students face a lot of pressure and barely have enough time to do what they love to do. Our academic writing service got you covered! Our engineering specialists follow the paper instructions and ensure timely delivery of the paper.

Nursing

In the nursing course, you may have difficulties with literature reviews, annotated bibliographies, critical essays, and other assignments. Our nursing assignment writers will offer you professional nursing paper help at low prices.

Sociology

Truth be told, sociology papers can be quite exhausting. Our academic writing service relieves you of fatigue, pressure, and stress. You can relax and have peace of mind as our academic writers handle your sociology assignment.

Business

We take pride in having some of the best business writers in the industry. Our business writers have a lot of experience in the field. They are reliable, and you can be assured of a high-grade paper. They are able to handle business papers of any subject, length, deadline, and difficulty!

Statistics

We boast of having some of the most experienced statistics experts in the industry. Our statistics experts have diverse skills, expertise, and knowledge to handle any kind of assignment. They have access to all kinds of software to get your assignment done.

Law

Writing a law essay may prove to be an insurmountable obstacle, especially when you need to know the peculiarities of the legislative framework. Take advantage of our top-notch law specialists and get superb grades and 100% satisfaction.

What discipline/subjects do you deal in?

We have highlighted some of the most popular subjects we handle above. Those are just a tip of the iceberg. We deal in all academic disciplines since our writers are as diverse. They have been drawn from across all disciplines, and orders are assigned to those writers believed to be the best in the field. In a nutshell, there is no task we cannot handle; all you need to do is place your order with us. As long as your instructions are clear, just trust we shall deliver irrespective of the discipline.

Are your writers competent enough to handle my paper?

Our essay writers are graduates with bachelor's, masters, Ph.D., and doctorate degrees in various subjects. The minimum requirement to be an essay writer with our essay writing service is to have a college degree. All our academic writers have a minimum of two years of academic writing. We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure that we get only the most competent essay writers in the industry. We also ensure that the writers are handsomely compensated for their value. The majority of our writers are native English speakers. As such, the fluency of language and grammar is impeccable.

What if I don’t like the paper?

There is a very low likelihood that you won’t like the paper.

Reasons being:

• When assigning your order, we match the paper’s discipline with the writer’s field/specialization. Since all our writers are graduates, we match the paper’s subject with the field the writer studied. For instance, if it’s a nursing paper, only a nursing graduate and writer will handle it. Furthermore, all our writers have academic writing experience and top-notch research skills.
• We have a quality assurance that reviews the paper before it gets to you. As such, we ensure that you get a paper that meets the required standard and will most definitely make the grade.

In the event that you don’t like your paper:

• The writer will revise the paper up to your pleasing. You have unlimited revisions. You simply need to highlight what specifically you don’t like about the paper, and the writer will make the amendments. The paper will be revised until you are satisfied. Revisions are free of charge
• We will have a different writer write the paper from scratch.
• Last resort, if the above does not work, we will refund your money.

Will the professor find out I didn’t write the paper myself?

Not at all. All papers are written from scratch. There is no way your tutor or instructor will realize that you did not write the paper yourself. In fact, we recommend using our assignment help services for consistent results.

What if the paper is plagiarized?

We check all papers for plagiarism before we submit them. We use powerful plagiarism checking software such as SafeAssign, LopesWrite, and Turnitin. We also upload the plagiarism report so that you can review it. We understand that plagiarism is academic suicide. We would not take the risk of submitting plagiarized work and jeopardize your academic journey. Furthermore, we do not sell or use prewritten papers, and each paper is written from scratch.

When will I get my paper?

You determine when you get the paper by setting the deadline when placing the order. All papers are delivered within the deadline. We are well aware that we operate in a time-sensitive industry. As such, we have laid out strategies to ensure that the client receives the paper on time and they never miss the deadline. We understand that papers that are submitted late have some points deducted. We do not want you to miss any points due to late submission. We work on beating deadlines by huge margins in order to ensure that you have ample time to review the paper before you submit it.

Will anyone find out that I used your services?

We have a privacy and confidentiality policy that guides our work. We NEVER share any customer information with third parties. Noone will ever know that you used our assignment help services. It’s only between you and us. We are bound by our policies to protect the customer’s identity and information. All your information, such as your names, phone number, email, order information, and so on, are protected. We have robust security systems that ensure that your data is protected. Hacking our systems is close to impossible, and it has never happened.

How our Assignment  Help Service Works

1.      Place an order

You fill all the paper instructions in the order form. Make sure you include all the helpful materials so that our academic writers can deliver the perfect paper. It will also help to eliminate unnecessary revisions.

2.      Pay for the order

Proceed to pay for the paper so that it can be assigned to one of our expert academic writers. The paper subject is matched with the writer’s area of specialization.

3.      Track the progress

You communicate with the writer and know about the progress of the paper. The client can ask the writer for drafts of the paper. The client can upload extra material and include additional instructions from the lecturer. Receive a paper.

4.      Download the paper

The paper is sent to your email and uploaded to your personal account. You also get a plagiarism report attached to your paper.

PLACE THIS ORDER OR A SIMILAR ORDER WITH US TODAY!!!