It's How You Play The Game

IT'S HOW YOU PLAY THE GAME

The Women's Liberation Movement was not well received in the town of Haverhill, Mass. recently. Twelve year-old Sharon Poole realized her potential in baseball and set out to prove what she could do as a Little League player. The only female player in the traditionally all-male league, Sharon got through the first game with no problems, but by the time the second game started she had raised a lot of anger in the community and an immediate and violent reaction ensued.

The television news cameras were there to cover the major crisis that warm afternoon on the diamond. Batting clean-up, Sharon scored one run, drove in another and out-fielded all other players on the team. Even though she was the most valuable player the crowd booed her continuously, and every time she came near the stands insults were shouted at her.

Immediately after the game the leagues ten managers met in an emergency session to decide how best to deal with the situation. Their decision was one that can be expected from those brought up in Amerikan society -- Sharon was kicked off the team. The manager that recruited her was dismissed and the two games that she played in were declared Invalid.

The town was so uptight that the Boston Globe ran a major editorial on the incident. When a reporter asked Sharon if she understood why she was kicked off the team, she replied, "Just because I am a girl, I guess."