The Revival of Women’s Pro Baseball Starts in Illinois in 2026

The Women’s Pro Baseball League starts up in 2026. The last time a professional women’s baseball league tried to make a go of it in the United States was in 1997-98. Before that we had the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that ran from 1943-1954. That’s the league that was the basis for the movie “A League of Their Own”.

Maybelle Blair - player from A-A-G-P-B-L

That league started with teams in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. For the AAGPBL 1948 season there was a team in Springfield called the “Sallies”. The “Sallies” aren’t back, but Springfield is back in the Pro Women’s baseball business – at least for now.

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The WPBL is launching the league with four teams. Boston, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Traditional rival cities in Major League Baseball, but 3000 miles separating the California and Northeast teams. This is where Springfield comes into the conversation.

Michelle Roche - WPBL draftee hopeful

For the 2026 season all of the women’s league games will be played at Robin Roberts stadium in Springfield. Located on the North Side of Springfield, Illinois, Robin Roberts field is where the Prospect League’s Springfield “Lucky Horseshoes” play their home games. The “Sallies” played at Jim Fitzpatrick Memorial Stadium which today is right next door, where Springfield Lanphier High School plays football.

Robin Roberts Stadium - Springfield, Illinois

The WPBL will have their inaugural draft Thursday November 20th, and the league begins in May of 2026, with a four-week regular season, an all-star week, and a two- week playoff. The league has current plans to grow the league by two more teams in 2027. Based on the rival cities approach, will that mean new teams in Chicago and Milwaukee? Chicago and St. Louis? Stay tuned.