Women's Softball Celebrates Two Decades of Sportsmanship And Camarederie

About two decades ago, women in Melrose formed a softball team. A century prior to this, in 1895, the first women's softball team was formed in Chicago at West Division High School and didn't even have coaches until 1899.

The Melrose women's over-30 softball league today has grown with six teams and various sponsors. The league accepts players of all abilities and is constantly adding members to their teams. The teams, which go by colors instead of names, play a slow-to-modified pitch and follows most Amateur Softball Association of America rules with leniency.

Jen Gentile, coach for team Teal sponsored by Melrose Glass — one of the longest running sponsors — is one of the original members of the women's softball team and is a lifetime resident of Melrose.

Gentile said that many of the women have been playing for almost 15 years. 

"One of the things that brings people back, I think, is we are perpetually upbeat," Gentile said. "You will always hear us laughing and razzing each other during games. No one is sacred. It comes down to just having a lot of fun and really liking each other."

The players have also been with one another through changes in their personal lives. Gentile said five years ago, the league had a string of weddings and, three years ago, a string of baby arrivals.

"Now our bench is crawling with toddlers," she said. "We have older kids too who watch the little ones, and of course the dads watching the moms play. This year a new player told me, 'I have five children under the age of  seven — is it okay if I bring them to the games?' I said, 'My God of course, have you seen our team?'"

Some of the differences in rules are no sliding, no stealing and no bunting. Gentile played softball at Suffolk University said playing with these rules created a bit of a different atmosphere on the field.

"It took some time adjusting to the modified rules, but I've really enjoyed playing in the league all these years," she said.

Female softball has become a popular sport in the United States.  In 1996, women's softball became an Olympic medal event.  Many girls now begin playing at age eight and look forward to scholarships for college. Despite the game's name, the standard softball is not soft — it is just as hard as a baseball. Teams play on smaller diamonds and pitch underhand.

On Saturday, Aug. 28 the Melrose Women's Softball league will begin their playoffs in a one-day single elimination tournament to be followed by an annual awards banquet. Currently, there are several teams neck-and-neck competing for the first place title this summer, with teams sponsored by Absolutely Fabulous, Melrose Glass, and JJ Grimsby's are ones to watch at the moment.

Teams can be seen at local fields in Melrose, Hesseltine Park and the Common. The team schedule and standings can be located on www.quickscores.com