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WOMEN TALK BACK from
Secret Storm (undated but probably 1975-1976)
(Editors Note: The CWLU workgroup Secret Storm organized sports teams
in the Chicago Parks against the opposition of people who felt women
did not belong in sports.This article from their newspaper-also called
Secret Storm- is a report on the progress made in the parks.)
Even though your entry fee has been paid, which ranges. from $150
- $200, that alone doesn't entitle your women's softball team to voice
an opinion or raise a question. Each year at the beginning of the
season, the men's and women's leagues at the Chicago Parks have league
meetings, which supposedly entitle them to discuss the rules and regulations.
A change can be called for and a vote is usually taken. This year,
however the Welles Park supervisor didn't consider it necessary to
have a women's softball league meeting, but did find it justifiable
to raise the women's teams’ entry fees.
But if you were
on one of the women's teams at Horner Park you were told to stand
along side the wall while the men’s meeting continued. You probably
heard something like this in the brief 15 minutes that were allotted
to the women. 'If you aren't satisfied with the way things are now,
we will gladly refund your money and just drop the women's league.'
Meanwhile, the men were receiving their game schedules, and the women
were being told that theirs would be ready in a week or so (we were
supposed to begin playing the following week.)
Horner Park
did a little back-bending this year, but just far enough to pocket
a mere $1200 from the eight women's teams that play there in a league.
We understand though, that this being the first year women have played
softball at Horner, John Parker, Park Supervisor, has to be given
time (but how much?) to sit down and consider that women's teams
are equal with the men's and Little Leagues.
We spoke with
many members of the women's teams at various parks and found, interestingly
enough; that procedures differ a great deal. For instance, Welles
found it easy enough to up the women's fee to $165 from $135,
but couldn't afford the time, to have a meeting among the teams.
Kosciuszko Park
seemed to have the nicest people employed at their fieldhouse. It
was the only park out of those we went to that actually has a female
supervisor of the women's softball league. All the others apparently
felt that only men were capable of doing some light organizing. Why,
Grosse Park doesn't even feel that women umpires would be able to
handle the women's games, 'cause ‘women are just too emotional.'
But Grosse Park hurriedly pointed out that the DePaul University team,
which plays in the Grosse women's league, umpires at Horner Park.
We have yet to see them. Do they umpire at Little League games?
Many women have
small children and can only sit by and watch their husbands play.
Aren't the parks for the whole family? These women would love to
play softball and use the facilities at their neighborhood park,
but unfortunately there's no organized childcare inside the fieldhouses.
It’s been
hard for the women with small children who do manage to play on a
softball team. They too, would appreciate some childcare. Then they
could relax enjoy the game instead of always looking around to make
sure children are OK.
A member of
the Covettes a women's team which plays Welles Park on Wednesday
nights told us that out of 15 women her team, only two have children.
One has children old enough take care of themselves and one has
a husband who watches the baby. The lack of child care means it's
very hard for young mothers to play ball. The women are there who
want to play and take part in other activities at their local parks,
the sponsors fees are easy enough, to obtain therefore all the park
district has to do is provide childcare and take half the interest
in women that they take in men boys, and then the parks might really
serve all the citizens of Chicago.
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