AN ARTICLE FROM THE BASEBALL
MAGAZINE:DEC.
ONEMOREINNING
A DREAM DEFERRED: COLORADO SILVER
BULLETS
GRAND CENTRAL, EARLY MORNING
and
the shadows from the enormous windows near the ceiling have started to cover
the station. Flickering off ticket booths, slashing past the fabled terminal
clock, and working its way into and out of the commuters going to work,
it cascaded down to a group of young women dressed in baseball uniforms.
They were imprinted against a corner, huddled together in little clusters,
sitting on bags, trunks and stuffed valises, and holding on to bats and
gloves.
Some were taking long, lazy swings, arcing their bats at imaginary
balls, a few were talking animatedly to each other.
Getting closer, I noticed Colorado Silver Bullets written on their
jerseys and warmup jackets. I went over, started to talk to two of
the girls and told them I thought what they were doing was terrific. Suddenly
I was surrounded and all the girls started talking at once, What was amazing
to me was that no one else bothered to spend time with them. Here we had
a group of women who were competing against men in baseball (courageous stuff
indeed) and no one in the station bothered to spend time with them.
The years have gone by, and so have the Bullets. During the recent
Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremonies I spent some time with Phil Niekro and
discussed the Bullets and women being allowed to play the game on the highest
level. Later I had an extended interview with him and the emphasis was on
the Bullets.
OMI:
Is it true that Bob Hope convinced Coors to sponsor an all girls baseball
team, gave a million dollars towards it, and suggested you for the
manager?
PN: Im not sure how it was set up. Coors did put in over a million
dollars and yes-Hope asked if I would be interested in doing it.
OMI:
How many girls made the team and what was the overall
age?
PN: The first year, I believe we carried 23 players, age average was
around 22.
OMI:
Did the girls have a tough time (remarks, etc) playing against
men?
PN: Very, very,
little.
OMI:
What changes did the girls have to go through going from softball to baseball?
PN: Baseball is much different than softball. We had to change their
mental outlook from softball to baseball and we conditioned quite differently
than they had been for softball.
OMI:
What sort of teams were you playing against?
PN: All mens teams, started against older players at first,
the better we got we started playing against the younger
players.
OMI:
How many games did you play in a season?
PN: 40 to 50.
OMI:
Besides the games were there a lot of promotions that the team was involved
in?
PN: Very, very many. Our players had to do them and I myself was
overloaded with them.
OMI:
What was your biggest thrill coaching them?
PN : Actually teaching them about the game, our first win and our
last game in 97 in Albany Ga. It gave us our first winning
season.
OMI:
First year 6-44, last year 23-22. What made the
change?
PN: Practice, practice, practice.
OMI:
Over the years Coors has had problems with Gay Rights groups, and has funded
Anti Labor, Anti Environment and various Right-Wing organizations. Did you
encounter any of that from them while you were managing the team?
PN:
No.
OMI:
Coors put in eight million dollars in funding the team. Why did they decide
to get involved with the venture in the first
place?
PN: You will have to ask them that
question.
OMI:
Before you became involved with the Bullets, did you feel women could play
against men and hold their own?
PN: I didnt know. Coaching, managing them would tell me.
OMI:
Have any feelings about women playing in the Majors.
PN: I do feel there can be a woman in the big leagues if given a chance.
OMI:
A final, overall word about women being allowed to play baseball on all levels.
PN: I think they can play. They just need the chance and the
opportunity.
THE COLORADO SILVER BULLETS
..A DREAM DEFERRED
..A MOMENT
WHEN THE
IDEALS OF OUR COUNTRY, FAIR PLAY, MORAL DIGNITY, RECOGNITION OF ABILITY,
ALMOST CAME TO FRUITION.
TO TALK ABOUT BASEBALL BEING INTEGRATED IS A FARCE. DOES BASEBALL
REALLY
BELIEVE THAT ONLY MEN CAN HIT AND FIELD AND PITCH. THAT WOMEN CANT
HIT
FOR POWER AND AVERAGE OR
THROW FATBALLS AND CURVES.
OR THAT WOM-
EN CANT FIELD THEIR
POSITION WITHOUT MAKING ERRORS? AS
IF ALL MEN CAN
DO ALL THESE THINGS.
THE STRENGTH OF
OUR DEMOCRATIC IDEALS CRIES OUT FOR EQUAL OPPORTUN-
ITIES FOR EVERYONE. TO PERSISTENTLY DENY THAT TO ANY GROUP IN ANY
ENDEA-
VER IS A DETRIMENT TO WHAT BASEBALL & OUR COUNTRY SHOULD STAND
FOR.
ITS
SUPPOSED TO BE A NATIONAL PASTIME
.A NATIONAL GAME. IM AFRAID
ITS
NOT
NOT YET.
THE DREAM HAS BEEN DEFERRED.