Hoboken Little League Honors Woman Who Paved The Way For Girls
HOBOKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork)-- Saturday was the start of Hoboken Little League season, and to make the occasion, the city is honoring a woman who stepped up to the plate and changed the history of the game.
This year's honored guest is Maria Pepe, and she's familiar with the mound.
Although her little league career only spanned three games, what she was able to accomplish has allowed girls like 10-year-old Alexa to carry on the family tradition, CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported.
"I've always loved the sport my whole life and it's pretty cool to play on my dad's team," Alexa said.
In April 1972, after playing with the guys on the street, 12-year-old Pepe upped her game and tried out for Coach Jimmy Farina, the leader of the Young Democrats.
"I said well can she play? They said yes. So i said, 'Bring her in!'" Farina said.
With that, Pepe was the first-ever female little leaguer. But after just three games, the National Little League told her she could not play because she was a girl. That spurned a civil rights suit.
"I just really wanted to play baseball. I didn't want the celebrity status, I didn't want the news following me home," she said.
The courts eventually ruled in Pepe's favor, and in favor of all girls playing little league. By that time she had aged out and could no longer take the mound for herself. She did, however, take her place in history.
"A little bit of hurt in my youth has brought me a lot of happiness in my adult life," Pepe said.
"I'm basically playing baseball because of her," one player said. "I like it better than softball, i like to play with the boys."
Now the batting cages at her home field will be emblazoned with her image, watching over kids playing the game she loves.
