Hoboken Honors Baseball Pioneer: This Is Why Girls Can Play Little League

Hoboken, NJ – It was only 44 years ago that girls were banned from playing Little League baseball.

On Saturday, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer designated the city’s batting cages in honor of Hoboken resident Maria Pepe, who became one of the first girls to play Little League at the age of 12.

According to a city news release, in 1972, Pepe was one of the first girls to play Little League baseball at a time when girls were banned from the sport. After only three games, she was forced to stop playing when the Little League organization threatened to revoke Hoboken’s charter. A successful gender discrimination court case filed on her behalf by the National Organization for Women led to girls being able to play Little League.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude for this dedication today,” said Maria Pepe. “I am humbled and honored to receive this recognition, but also proud that more than five million girls have participated in Little League baseball and softball programs over the past 30 years. I am privileged to know that I get to play forever through all the girls who came after me.”

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Photos: Chris Capaci/Capacity Images