Play Ball

1. What caused the shortage of male baseball players?

• Women were gaining independence and strength

• Men were sent to fight in World War II.

• The economy entered a slump, and even banks ran out of money

• Men were in the professional leagues

2. The author describes a sequence of events related to the development of a women’s baseball league. What event takes place first?

• Fran Russmann joined the Blue Island Dianas, a minor league team in Chicago, Illinois

• The women’s baseball league ran from 1943 to 1954.

• Young men, including baseball players, were sent off to fight in World War II.

• Philip K. Wrigley decided to start a women’s baseball league

3. Based on the information in the second paragraph, what can the reader most likely conclude about Phillip K. Wrigley, the person who started the women’s baseball league?

• Mr. Wrigley knew that the Blue Island Dianas would earn money for him.

• Mr. Wrigley cared greatly about the sport of baseball.

• Mr. Wrigley did not think female baseball players would be as popular as male players.

• Mr. Wrigley had always dreamed of starting a women’s baseball league.

4. What can be concluded about the experience of the women who played in minor league baseball?

• They were rejected by many baseball fans who did not think female players were as good as the male players.

• They faced certain challenges male players did not have to face

• They were treated poorly by the owners of the minor league baseball teams.

• They were so inspired by the positive experience of playing in minor league baseball that they continued to work in professional sports

5. What is the essay mainly about?

• the differences between women’s baseball and men’s baseball during WWII

• the impact of World War II on society in America

• one woman’s experience on a women’s minor league baseball team

• how the sport and culture of baseball has changed over the course of several decades

According to the text, what are strawberries and what causes them?

• Strawberries are bright red bruises that sometimes bled. Women baseball players got these because their uniform required skirts that exposed their legs.

• The Maya were an American Indian people who lived in Mesoamerica long ago.

• While their impressive civilization disappeared many years ago, archaeologists have studied the ruins of their cities, including their hieroglyphs, to learn more about them

In what ways was Mrs. Fran Russman part of a “historic event,” as stated by the author?

• Mrs. Fran Russman was part of a historic event because she was part of the professional women’s baseball league. The league was the first of its kind, making it historic. Additionally, this particular league only lasted for eleven years (1943 - 1954), meaning it is no longer a part of present-day professional baseball. This also makes it historic.

• I’m sure you know what baseball is. You might have seen it on TV once or twice, or you might be the biggest fan in the world!

• And I’ll bet you know that only men play in the professional league. But have you ever heard of women playing professional baseball? This is the amazing story of a woman who was part of women’s minor league baseball during World War II (1939–1945).

______________ she was nervous to play in front of thousands of fans, Mrs. Fran Russman enjoyed hearing the crowds cheering

• Instead

• Initially

• For example

• Even though