'A League of Their Own' inspired baseball pioneer Croteau

There were moments when Julie Croteau’s baseball path was a lonely one even as she turned in a career historic enough that Cooperstown wanted her glove.

Little League with mostly boys. Suing her high school to take the field on the varsity team (she lost). Notoriety as one of the first female NCAA baseball players.

It wasn’t until the smooth-fielding infielder made the roster as an extra in the Penny Marshall-directed movie “ A League of Their Own ” that she realized she wasn’t so alone.

There may be no crying in baseball, but there certainly are trailblazers.

Croteau was introduced to the world of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was featured in the 1992 film starring Geena Davis, Madonna and Tom Hanks. The film was voted No. 10 in The Associated Press Top 25 favorite sports movies poll.

“To see their part of history come alive in this movie, it truly was a gift,” said the 49-year-old Croteau, who’s now the director of communications for wellness programs at Stanford University. “To know that I wasn’t alone. Because I felt like I was alone.”

Croteau was 20 when she showed up on the movie set that Marshall made sure was full of actors and extras who actually resembled ball players.

No worries with Croteau, who was already carving out her place in hardball history.

Growing up in rural Virginia, Croteau wanted more than anything to be a left-handed shortstop in the majors. Coaches pointed out that left-handers don’t play shortstop in the majors.

So she moved to first base — and kept the same dream.

Croteau made national news in the late 1980s when she sued her high school in Manassas, Virginia, to allow her to play. The court ultimately ruled she had received a fair tryout.

“I remember when we lost our lawsuit, I...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/A-League-of-Their-Own-inspired-baseball-pioneer-15208060.php