THE GIRL WHO CHANGED LITTLE LEAGUE

Pepe tells the story of how she stepped up to the plate at a time when Little League was strictly for boys.

Eleven-year-old Maria played baseball every day after school. Though girls were barred from Little League in 1972 New Jersey, she tried out for the team anyway and was awarded a spot. Despite Maria’s excellent pitching, Little League headquarters threatened to revoke Hoboken’s league charter if they let her play. She was devastated at having to turn in her jersey, but her fight wasn’t over. The National Organization for Women suggested that they take Maria’s case to court. For better or worse, Maria became a household name, featured on TV and in the papers. When the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights finally heard Maria’s case two years later, the verdict was clear: Girls must be allowed to play. At 13 years old, Maria was now too old for Little League, but she was proud to have helped open the door for so many girls who would follow. Green’s colorful digital gouache illustrations are pleasing, though they generally reflect the text rather than building upon it. Two spreads are presented sideways, a formatting choice that makes the text a little challenging to read, though Maria’s inspiring story—told in her own words—shines through. Maria is white; many of the professional players she idolizes are Black.

The empowering story of a girl who changed the game and opened the field for all.