March is Women’s History Month, and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame marked the occasion by hosting a panel discussion, Diamond Girls to Draft Day: Women in Saskatchewan Baseball Past, Present and Future.
The discussion was hosted by SSHF curator Robyn Jensen and her four guests are writing the next chapter of women’s baseball in Saskatchewan or chronicling its rich history.
Braidy Birdsall made history during the inaugural Women’s Professional Baseball League Draft. She was the first Saskatchewan-born player to be drafted. A versatile infielder from Saskatoon, she has represented Team Saskatchewan and competed nationally. Braidy was selected by the Boston franchise and is among the first generation of players stepping into a new era of professional women’s baseball when the WPBL debuts this summer.
Joining her in the WPBL is fellow Saskatchewan player Addie Ziebart, an outstanding outfielder from Saskatoon who has competed in multiple national championships with Team Saskatchewan and earned a spot on Canada’s national development team. Addie was selected by the New York franchise in the WPBL Draft, just one pick after Braidy, marking a milestone moment for Saskatchewan women’s baseball.
Maureen Ulrich is a Saskatchewan playwright and author whose work celebrates women in sport. She is the creator of the acclaimed stage production Diamond Girls, which tells the story of three Saskatchewan women who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the 1940s: Mary “Bonnie” Baker, Arleene (Johnson) Noga, and Daisy Junor. Through theatre, Maureen has helped bring the history of women’s baseball to new audiences and remind us that the roots of today’s game stretch back decades.
The final panelist is Teagan Witko, a sports broadcaster and reporter with Harvard Media, appearing on The SportsCage and the Saskatchewan Roughriders broadcast team. Teagan has quickly become one of the voices helping tell Saskatchewan’s sports stories, covering everything from grassroots athletics to professional sports across the province. Her work helps bring attention to emerging stories in sport, including the growing momentum behind women’s athletics.