Over a decade removed from her Little League World Series moment, Mo’ne Davis is poised to make history again

When Mo’ne Davis heard that there was going to be a professional women’s baseball league, she couldn’t believe it.

“I thought it was fake at first,” Davis said. “I just thought it was a fan’s idea of wanting to see a women’s baseball league.”

Then she saw Kelsie Whitmore (the first woman to play in a MLB partner league) sign on as a player and former baseball and softball standout Alex Hugo sign on as an adviser and thought, “OK, this might actually be a thing.” After confirming that the Women’s Pro Baseball League was actually happening and being encouraged to think about it, the Philadelphia native and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy graduate joined the 600-plus women trying out August 2025 to be considered for the draft that fall. From there, she was drafted 10th overall by the Los Angeles Queens.

Now preparing for the sold-out opening day on Saturday in Springfield, Ill., Davis, a center fielder, is ready to pave the way for what she hopes is years of pro women’s baseball to come.

The league currently has four teams: the Los Angeles Queens, the Boston Hunters, the New York Heights, and the San Francisco Firebells. The season consists of 30 games, running through Sept. 6, followed by two weeks of playoffs to determine the inaugural champion. Players from 11 countries and territories ranging from ages 18-40 are ready to take the field at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, which will host every game this season.

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Though the league is all-new, the players share a love for a sport that often lacked opportunities for women.

Davis has been a pioneer in the sport since her legendary Little League World Series game in 2014, when, with the Taney Dragons, she became the first girl to win and pitch a shutout. More recently, she took her skills to Banana Ball with the Indianapolis Clowns, where she’s spent the summer throwing trick pitches and dancing on the field, and she’s ready to bring what she’s learned to the WPBL.

“In Banana Ball, we’re so used to just keeping people entertained,” Davis said. “But it’s all the same sport, and, at the end of the day, it’s all about still being able to have fun.”

There has been growing interest in women’s baseball. MLB hosts annual girls’ baseball training camps, such as the Trailblazer Series and the Elite Development Invitational, that are growing in numbers every year.

Davis says it’s important to remember that as the sport grows, they are following in the footsteps of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which ran from 1943 to 1954.

One of the AAGPBL players was Jeneane “Lefty” DesCombes Lesko, who pitched for the Grand Rapids Chicks in 1953 and 1954. Like many of the women in the WPBL, DesCombes grew up learning baseball and loving the game without many opportunities to play. Now 91 years old, she is cautiously optimistic about the future of the sport.

“I’m just really anxious to see how many people actually attend,” Lesko said.

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Lesko and Davis want to see more publicity for the WPBL and its players. Davis believes that having the games in a central location will help build a community around the sport, and that the Queens can become a “fan favorite” by showing off their personalities on the field and on social media.

“I think that’s the biggest thing, is having someone relate to you that can allow this to grow and want more people to watch because they’re like, ‘Oh my God, that person — I agree with what they’re saying, I agree with their lifestyle,’ whatever the case may be." Davis said.

Lesko also emphasized the importance of supporting young girls in baseball to continue to propel interest and opportunities at the professional level.

“My real dream has always been that every girl has the opportunity to play baseball, that they have that option,” Lesko said. “We haven’t even begun to tip the iceberg to really concentrate on finding all these girls who were brought up that way and can play baseball.”

It’s been over 70 years since the nation has had a professional women’s baseball league, but Lesko and Davis show that there are great opportunities for girls and women in the sport.

“When you finish and you’ve done the very best you could in sports — just like the men, you have friends forever." Lesko said, reflecting on her pro career. “It’s been the greatest thing in my life, actually. I have a family, and I have another family, and that’s the baseball family.”