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Life, Missouri History Today

Missouri History Today April 30, 1931: First female player on a minor league baseball team set to debut.

by Missouri Life

On this date 92 years ago, Vada Corbus was scheduled to be behind home plate catching for her hometown Joplin Miners of the Class C Western League. Vada came from a baseball family – her oldest brother Luke had just been moved up from his role as catcher to the Miners’ outfield. 

Athletic 19-year-old Vada, who had been playing in Joplin’s City League for three years, was one of the hopeful catchers who tried out.

She suited up as a bullpen catcher for a preseason exhibition game and was expected to be with the team for their season opener. But after a story in The New York Times, Western League officials quickly put an end to Vada’s career before it began.

Based upon content from the book Missouri 365: This Day in Missouri History by John W. Brown, broadcaster and Missouri historian. Get your copy at Reedy Press.

Photo from Unsplash

 

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