Edith Houghton was making a name for herself in baseball long before the ladies who inspired “A League Of Their Own” were doing their thing in skirts, and as awesome as every woman in the game was, Houghton stood out for her drive and early ambition.
In 1922, at age ten, she was the starting shortstop for the Philadelphia Bobbies, an all-girl professional team. As the youngest player on the team, she earned the nickname “The Kid” and wowed audiences and fellow players alike with her skills. She would go on to play against men’s teams as the Bobbies traveled extensively, even going overseas to Japan. When WWII began, she made the move to the Navy and played for their team, as well.
By the time she was 35, Houghton decided she’d done all she could for her teams on the field and wanted to make her mark elsewhere in the game. When she got home from the war, she landed herself a job as a scout for the Phillies and was the first woman hired to do so in the major leagues.
In 2006, Houghton was honored to be featured in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, where one of her uniforms is on display. The legendary player passed away on February 2 at the age of 100.
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Image: MLB.com
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Image: Philly.com