A League of Their Own

How many of you remember the 1992 film starring Tom Hanks and Geena Davis? It’s one of my favorite flicks, showcasing yet another way women stepped up (to the plate??) to do their bit in support of WWII.

The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was founded seventy-five years ago this month by chewing gum mogul and Major League Baseball executive, Philip K. Wrigley as a way to keep baseball in the minds of fans. Combining rules and regulations of softball and baseball, teams were mostly located in the Midwest. Similarities to softball included the ball size and the underhanded windmill-style pitch. The use of a pitcher’s mound and nine-player teams were the equivalent of baseball.

Uniforms were tunic-type dresses that were to be no more than six inches above the knee. (Trying running the bases in that!). Underneath were satin shorts. Belted with the team logo sewn on the bodice, the skirt was flared. Ball caps completed the outfit. Salaries ranged from $45-$85 per week, considered quite high for the time period.

Even though women were once again taking men’s place, expectations were that the gals would maintain their femininity. According to one source, players were expected to attend charm classes to ensure appropriate behavior. Wrigley insisted that “no pants-wearing, tough-talking female softballer will play on any of our four teams.”

Rules of conduct were published and included statements such as: “Always appear in feminine attire when not actively engaged in practice or playing ball. This regulation continues through the playoffs for all, even though your team is not playing. At no time may a player appear in the stands in her uniform, or wear shorts or slacks in public.”

Statue at Baseball Hall of Fame

Or how about: “Boyish bobs are not permissible and in general your hair should be groomed at all times with longer hair preferable to short cuts. Lipstick should always be on.”

Reasons for why the girls joined the league were varied, but to a person, they agree with player Katie Horseman who said in 2012, “Those were the best times of my life.”

Watch a moving segment about these ladies on YouTube here.

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, journalist, blogger, and history geek. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry, Linda has lived in historical places most of her life. She is a volunteer docent at the Wright Museum of WWII and a Trustee for her local public library. Active in her church Linda serves as treasurer, usher, and choir member. Linda has written numerous historical romances and mysteries. To find out more about Linda and her books visit www.LindaShentonMatchett.com. Sign up for her newsletter for links to free ebooks, book reviews, historical tidbits, and more.

Homestands by Sally Bradley

Homestands by Sally Bradley is full of romantic whimsy! She writes big city fiction with real issues and real hope.

The story starts with Meg, a single mom who bumps into her ex-husband, Mike, who just happens to be a professional baseball player. When he meets her 6-year-old, who happens to share his last name, Meg is not prepared for this revelation of a secret she’s been keeping since he hurt her all those years ago.

Mike is surprised, but thrilled to have a son. Terrell is thrilled to have a dad. Meg is not thrilled to be hanging out with Mike on a regular basis again. Mike and Meg battle guilt and deep hurts as memories of their relationship pop up on a daily basis, spreading confusion and longing all over the place.

Chicago is the author’s hometown, and it’s obvious in this, her second novel. She paints the town with a personal touch, deftly weaving details that this former Chicago resident recognizes with glee. I like that the professional baseball team she chooses is a fictional team: The Chicago Wind. This team replaces the Cubs in Bradley’s fictional Chicago, but don’t worry, The White Sox remain.

The pacing is spot on, never flagging. I love the adorable 6-year-old boy, and I love how Meg’s thoughts and feelings ring very true to life. There’s lot to love here, check it out for yourself!

Since this story takes place in Chicago, I have to ask this: Have you tried Chicago Style pizza? Which is your favorite? Leave us a comment to win our prize this week!

Zippity Do Dah! Zippity MEME!

Hello all you lovely people! Caryl McAdoo here! 

Do you know what  a meme is? Up until a few months ago, I didn’t! I was even making them, but had no idea what they were called. I started noticing them showing up.  

My cousin’s daughter kept posting the coolest collages of her photos…and I'd see lovely scripture references…and authors posted such nice photos with their book covers in them along with text.

One young lady, still in high school but with her first book published already. I’d made friends with her and so asked how she did that. She told me at PicMonkey, so I went there and found it very user friendly, even for a Grami! You can do all sorts of things there. They have truly awesome tutorials!

Digital Birthday Blessings, Congratulations messages, fun thank yous! Anything your imagination can conceive!

Memes are creative ways to get the word out, bring joy to someone you love and even to people you don't know! Tell them all sorts of things like 'God loves you'! 

And don't forget the holidays! Memes are a great way to say Happy Happy Day!

My husband calls me an addict! Ah ha ha ha! I'd just be a contented lady if I could design memes all day :) I love seeing how creative others get and try to hone my skills! They are boss when advertising a sale...like the one I have going on now! A Little Lower Than the Angels is volume one in my newest series, The Generations, Biblical fiction. I personally don't believe God's story should be changed at all - not a jot or tittle! But I love bringing His stories to life! This first on is about the first man, and his helpmate and sons..with a liberal dose of angels, and how they live in Heaven, the good battle evil.

And if you see any memes advertising a sale of one of your favorite authors, do click share to let your friends know about the great price they can get on a fantastic novel! Good for friends, and good for your author. You've done something to help others!

And there's Facebook banners. Change them as often as you like and have fun at PicMonkey. They've got the perfect size! (Be sure not to put anything in the lower left hand corner you don't want covered up with your profile photo! Do you hear the voice of experience? :) Here's one that has all my newest titles - those since March 2014!

    

I know there are other sites as well where you can make memes. Y'all mention other ones if you know of them and tell me if you've seen any you particularly enjoyed. In the meanwhile - - - go forth and MEME! And have a blessed, favor filled day! For a comment, I'll put your name in the drawing for a FREE COPY of my new JULY RELEASE > ONE AND DONE < It's a contemporary Red River Romance with a Texas Ranger pitcher for a hero!   So LEAVE A COMMENT! 

    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  And BE BLESSED!  

Caryl McAdoo currently writes three series: the historical Christian ‘Texas Romance’; a contemporary ‘Red River Romance’; and The Generations, her Biblical fiction. The novelist loves singing new songs the Lord gives her, and she paints. In 2008, she and her high school sweetheart-husband Ron moved from the DFW area—home for fifty-five years—to the woods of Red River County. Caryl counts four children and fourteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings believing all good things come from God. Praying her story gives God glory, she hopes each one will also minister His love, mercy, and grace to its readers. Caryl and Ron live in Clarksville, the county seat, in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State.

Links: All Books  /  Website  /  The Caryler Newsletter  /  Facebook  /  Blog        

A Gentleman of America's Game

A little on the history of one of the greatest - maybe THE greatest pitcher of all time. Well, I do love Nolan Ryan, and he did break one of Mister Johnson’s records. 

     The elder struck out 3,508 batters, and that record held until 1983 when our Texas Ranger beat it. I still remember cheering for Mister Nolan that season.

     Some researching is so much fun! See, I’m so blessed to be the wife of not only the kindest and most honorable man I know, but the wisest, too. My husband’s brain just amazes me, and he turned me on to Walter Johnson when we started discussing plans for a baseball story. He coached all our 3 sons and all but two of our eight grandsons, too, so we've lived many a summer at the ballpark.


     On the right is from 1983, when my sons played: Baby Russell, Cathryn, Matt and Greg, plus Ron and I, of course.
     And on the left, 2009 with the four grandsons God saw fit to give us to rear :) A second set of Matt & Greg (Matthew and Gregory to help keep things straight) with Christian and Benjamen--plus my beloved and me. The man in the black shirt on left is my firstborn, Matthew, the one in glasses on the right. Family so easily distracts, don't they? Who doesn't love sharing their families?

     Back to Walter Johnson!I found this quote the renowned pitcher said of himself: "I was the greenest rookie that ever was. One evening I was standing out on the sidewalk when a stranger approached and said, 'You're famous already, kid. See, they've named a hotel for you.' I looked across the street and, sure enough, there was a big illuminated sign that read, 'Johnson Hotel.'   Well, do you know that I was so green that I actually believed the man?"
   
     I love humble and chose him to be my hero’s great-great uncle in my new contemporary baseball-backdrop romance, One and Done. Matter of fact, his Pappaw named him after the family ancestor and the Babe, too, because he didn’t know if his grandson would be a hurler or a hitter. George Herman Walter Johnson proved a big name to grow into for Jidge.
   

Wary over leaving his farm home for the big city, the nineteen-year-old Johnson, joined the American League playing for the Washington Senators in 1907 and began gaining fame right away for his pitching. "There’s only one way to time Johnson’s fastball. When you see the arm start forward-swing," Birdie McCree, an executive of the New York Highlanders, claimed in 1908.
     And it didn’t take Ty Cobb, a Detroit Tiger, long at all to recognize the remarkable talent of the pitcher nicknamed 'Sir Walter' and the 'White Knight' for his legendary good sportsmanship and gentlemanly ways. Mister Cobb said, “The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup – and then something went past me that made me flinch. I hardly saw the pitch, but I heard it. Every one of us knew we’d met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ballpark.”
     Regularly honored with the All-Star and Most Valuable Player Awards during the first seventeen years of his career, Mister Walter finally took the Senators to the Word Series in 1924, and with President and First Lady Coolidge in the stands, beat the Giants 4-3. Johnson’s mother, Minnie, attended, too, her very first major league ballgame. All accounts say he doted on her.
   

     The Senators went back once to the series, but lost, and The Big Train, another moniker given him because of his size, six-foot-four, and velocity of his throws (no radar back then). Johnson retired in 1927 after a twenty-one-year career with 416 wins in the record books, 110 of them shut outs, the strikeouts mentioned, and a 2.17 ERA.
     He came back two years later as manager of the Senators, but that didn't last long. In honor of his contributions to the game of baseball, Johnson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936 with Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, three years after the All-Star break was instituted.

   
     And speaking of the All-Star break (sneaky segue, right?), traditionally falling mid-season to pump up renewed fan support, that’s when One and Done debuts! It’s book three of my Red River Romance series and should be ready for pre-order at Amazon soon.

     A Dallas weather girl, Samantha Danielle, is thrilled and flabbergasted when her station sends her to Mexico wanting her to scoop the rumor that the Texas Rangers are interested in a hard throwing rookie. What comes down after that, proves way more astonishing! Sammi Dan can hardly believe the whirlwind she gets caught up in!
   
     This is a story you can enjoy then pass on to your husband then to your teens! My motto is: Praying my story gives God glory!

BE SURE TO COMMENT to enter TWO giveaways: a FREE copy of One and Done AND a chance to win A Hemorrhaging of Souls by Nicola Furlong

And copy and tweet this:

#Giveaway Enter to win 1 of 2 #freebooks Comment or tweet! #NewRelease #TexasRangerBaseball backdrop by @CarylMcAdoo  http://stitchesthrutime.blogspot.com/

Bio: Christian, hybrid (Simon & Schuster & Indie) author Caryl McAdoo is currently writing three series from a perspective of faith: her historical Texas Romances; the contemporary Red River Romances; and The Generations, her Biblical fiction. The novelist loves singing new songs the Lord gives her and painting. In 2008, she and her high-school-sweetheart husband Ron moved from the DFW area—home for fifty-eight years—to the woods of Red River County. Caryl counts four children and fifteen grandsugars life’s biggest blessings believing all good things come from above. Praying each story gives God glory, she hopes it also ministers His love, mercy, and grace to its readers. Caryl and Ron live in Clarksville, the county seat, in the far northeast corner of the Lone Star State.

Links: AllBooks  /  Website  /  Newsletter  /  Facebook  /  Blog  /  GoodReads  /  Google+  /  Twitter   /  Pinterest