A Leauge of Their Own

A League of Their Own

A League of Their Own is a movie written during a time of war and during a time where women are expected to stay at home and tend to the womanly duties. This movie demonstrates many issues that women faced in this time as well as in society today. Three main things this movie reveals are women being too masculine, women trying to live up to someone else’s standards, and the double-bind they all faced.

In the commentary of the career of higher education it was said that women were plucked from their families to see who could be the most masculine. Scouts were looking for girls to play baseball. This was to keep the people at home entertained and Mr. Harvey making money, as stated in the movie, women playing baseball was leading to the enormous dangerous consequences of masculization to the home, children, and our country, as well as a disgusting example of sexual confusion. What would our men be coming home too?

Raised by her widow father, Marla Hooch is an example of a women being to masculine. Marla was one of the best hitters that the scout had looked at, but because of her appearance of looking like a guy he did not want her. Being raised by her father and around nothing but guys, Marla had no true knowing of how to act like a lady. Her daddy had raised her like one of the guys on his baseball team her whole entire life. Although she and other girls have some masculinity about them each girl had to go to charm and beauty school. This was to help each girl become a lady and maintain their lady like ability. The league didn’t want girls who looked like and acted like men. They wanted ladies that knew how to play ball.

Secondly, this movie shows how one wants one to live up to another’s standards. When joining the league, each lady had their own personality and way of doing things. However, everyone had to be pretty much alike. They all had to be good at playing baseball, but also be ladylike while doing so. I think that in this movie Dottie Henson set the tone for all the other girls. Dottie was the best all around player. And while upon playing she still conducted herself in a ladylike manner. She was someone who every man thinks a woman should be like.

When Dottie made the team for the Rockford-peaches she was the leader for the team. Therefore she set the tone for everyone else on the team. Mr. Lowenstein looked up to her to make something happen in order to keep the games still going.