The Ypsilanti American Little League was founded in 1953 and is the oldest Little League in Michigan. In addition, our Little League was the first in the world to include a female player. When Little League was founded in 1939, girls were not allowed to participate, but that changed in 1973 when Carolyn King of Ypsilanti played in our league.
A June 4, 1973 article in Time Magazine tells the story. “When Outfielder Carolyn King, 12, tried out for the Orioles, an Ypsilanti, Mich., Little League baseball team, she beat out 15 boys and qualified for a starting position. Not long afterward, Little League headquarters in Williamsport, Pa., cited its rule barring girls from league teams and threatened to withdraw the Orioles' charter. Ypsilanti's city councilmen issued a counterthreat: if Carolyn did not play, they would cut off city support for the league and bar it from public ballfields. After some soul-searching, the Orioles decided to let Carolyn play. Promptly, national headquarters made good on its threat and withdrew the Orioles' charter. Last week, just as promptly, the city council voted 10-0 to file suit in federal court charging violation of the U.S. Constitution. No verdict is likely for weeks.” Ultimately the US Division of Civil Rights ordered Little League to drop its boys-only policy, and in 1974, Little League revised its rules to allow girls to compete. Girls worldwide now enjoy Little League thanks to Carolyn and our league! Carolyn joined us again to throw out the ceremonial first pitch during our 50th & 56th Anniversary Opening Day Ceremonies.
Watch May 11, 1973 national news coverage from CBS & NBC, as well as footage of Carolyn throwing the 2009 ceremonial first by selecting video links below.
1973 CBS National News: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkciYjOGbNo
1973 NBC National News: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1C6zORZ1Qg
2009 Ceremonial First Pitch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqY-MZIEVVQ
2010 Documentary: http://thegirlincenterfield.com
In 2014, The Ypsilanti “American” Little League became the Ypsi-Arbor Little League, when it expanded it’s boundaries to include a portion of the city of Ann Arbor.