Ila Borders
Encyclopedia
Ila Borders is a former left-handed pitcher
in college and independent professional baseball
player.
to start a men's NCAA
or NAIA
college baseball game, playing for Southern California College in the 1994-96 seasons and Whittier College
in the 1997 season.
She became one of the first female pitchers in integrated men's professional baseball (female players such as Toni Stone
had performed in the Negro Leagues) when in 1997 she signed with the St. Paul Saints
of the independent
Northern League, playing in her first regular season game on May 31, 1997 against the Sioux Falls Canaries. In that debut, she hit the first batter she faced, balk
ed, and gave up three earned runs without recording an out. Her next appearance was much improved; in the one inning she pitched, she walked one but then struck out the side. One month into the regular season, she was traded to the Duluth-Superior Dukes. She pitched from the bullpen for both teams, seeing limited use. Her 1997 season totals were a 7.53 ERA
, 15 appearances, 14 innings, allowing 24 hits and 9 walks while striking out 11. She had no decisions.
She returned to the Dukes for the 1998 season, pitching from the bullpen at first, but then on Thursday, July 7, 1998, she was made a starting pitcher, making her the first woman pitcher
to start a men's professional baseball
game
. The game was an 8-3 home loss to the Sioux Falls Canaries. Her linescore on that night was 5 innings pitched, 3 runs allowed (all earned), 5 hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. She was credited with the loss. She made further starts, and later that season, on July 24, 1998, she became one of the first woman pitchers to record a win in pro men's baseball in a 3-1 home victory against the Sioux Falls Canaries. A baseball from the game and the line-up cards were donated to the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown N.Y. by home plate umpire Steve Wammer. That night she went 6 innings, giving up just 3 hits, walking 2, and striking out 2. This was the start of a streak of 12 scoreless innings that stretched into her next no-decision start vs. the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks
. Following that start, she suffered a severe bout of food poisoning that caused her to miss time, and the most of the rest of her outings that season were poor. The Northern League regular season ended the first weekend in September. Her 1998 season totals were as follows: 1-4 record, 44 innings, 8.66 ERA, 65 hits, 14 walks, 14 strikeouts.
Returning to the Dukes in 1999, a new manager returned her to bullpen duty. They did not see eye-to-eye on her role or her pitching style. In three outings for this manager, she had a 30.86 ERA. She requested a trade at this point and was sent to the Madison Black Wolf
. Here she posted the best numbers of her career in a unique role as a 3-inning starter. Her numbers with Madison that year were as follows: 1-0 record, 1.67 ERA, 15 games, 35 innings, 43 hits, 14 walks, 9 strikeouts. She spent the last two weeks of that season on the disabled list with a minor wrist injury that occurred off the field.
In 2000, Borders moved on to the Western Baseball League
, where she played for the Zion Pioneerzz
. Halfway into that season, disappointed with her performance so far that year (8.31 ERA, 5 games, 8 innings, 17 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts) and with her inability in the preceding offseason to get a look from any clubs affiliated with the major leagues, she retired from baseball.
Borders' style was that of a control pitcher
. She attempted to throw breaking pitches and low fastballs to let the hitters get themselves out on ground balls. With enough regular action to stay sharp, such as in her good streaks in 1998 and 1999 when she was a regular starter, she could be very effective in doing this. Without that, such as when she was used irregularly from the bullpen, her control would waver, and her fastballs in the 76-79 mph range were knocked all around or out of the park. She could, when asked, throw a little over 80 mph, but when she did so the ball's trajectory flattened and became easier to hit. Her best pitch was her curveball
, which could break from 1 o'clock to 7 o'clock as it crossed the plate. She also had a screwball
, and in the 1999 season she found some success with an occasional sidearm delivery.
Borders was elected to the Baseball Reliquary
Shrine of the Eternals for her unique contributions to the game of baseball in 2003.
(The Duluth-Superior Dukes have moved to Kansas City, Kansas
and become the Kansas City T-Bones
. The Madison Black Wolf
have moved to Lincoln, Nebraska
to become the Lincoln Saltdogs
, and the St. Paul Saints
have since left the Northern League and joined the American Association.)
On May 14, 2004, Borders failed to strike out Howard Stern Show comedian Artie Lange during a radio show stunt in Las Vegas.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in college and independent professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player.
Biography
Borders was the first woman pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
to start a men's NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
or NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
college baseball game, playing for Southern California College in the 1994-96 seasons and Whittier College
Whittier College
Whittier College is a private liberal arts college in Whittier, California. As of January 2009, the college has approximately 1540 enrolled students.-Overview:...
in the 1997 season.
She became one of the first female pitchers in integrated men's professional baseball (female players such as Toni Stone
Toni Stone
Toni Stone , also known by her married name Marcenia Lyle Alberga, was the first of three women to play Negro league baseball....
had performed in the Negro Leagues) when in 1997 she signed with the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the independent
Independent baseball
Independent baseball leagues are professional baseball organizations located in the United States and Canada. They are not operated in conjunction with either a Major League Baseball team or an affiliated minor league team. Being independent allows teams to be located close to major-league teams...
Northern League, playing in her first regular season game on May 31, 1997 against the Sioux Falls Canaries. In that debut, she hit the first batter she faced, balk
Balk
In baseball, a pitcher can commit a number of illegal motions or actions that constitute a balk. In games played under the Official Baseball Rules, a balk results in a dead ball or delayed dead ball. In certain other circumstances, a balk may be wholly or partially disregarded...
ed, and gave up three earned runs without recording an out. Her next appearance was much improved; in the one inning she pitched, she walked one but then struck out the side. One month into the regular season, she was traded to the Duluth-Superior Dukes. She pitched from the bullpen for both teams, seeing limited use. Her 1997 season totals were a 7.53 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, 15 appearances, 14 innings, allowing 24 hits and 9 walks while striking out 11. She had no decisions.
She returned to the Dukes for the 1998 season, pitching from the bullpen at first, but then on Thursday, July 7, 1998, she was made a starting pitcher, making her the first woman pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
to start a men's professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
game
Game
A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...
. The game was an 8-3 home loss to the Sioux Falls Canaries. Her linescore on that night was 5 innings pitched, 3 runs allowed (all earned), 5 hits, 2 walks, and 2 strikeouts. She was credited with the loss. She made further starts, and later that season, on July 24, 1998, she became one of the first woman pitchers to record a win in pro men's baseball in a 3-1 home victory against the Sioux Falls Canaries. A baseball from the game and the line-up cards were donated to the Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown N.Y. by home plate umpire Steve Wammer. That night she went 6 innings, giving up just 3 hits, walking 2, and striking out 2. This was the start of a streak of 12 scoreless innings that stretched into her next no-decision start vs. the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks
Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks
The Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a professional baseball team based in Fargo, North Dakota, in the United States. The RedHawks are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
. Following that start, she suffered a severe bout of food poisoning that caused her to miss time, and the most of the rest of her outings that season were poor. The Northern League regular season ended the first weekend in September. Her 1998 season totals were as follows: 1-4 record, 44 innings, 8.66 ERA, 65 hits, 14 walks, 14 strikeouts.
Returning to the Dukes in 1999, a new manager returned her to bullpen duty. They did not see eye-to-eye on her role or her pitching style. In three outings for this manager, she had a 30.86 ERA. She requested a trade at this point and was sent to the Madison Black Wolf
Madison Black Wolf
The Madison Black Wolf was a Northern League baseball club located in Madison, Wisconsin from 1996 to 2000. They played their home games at Warner Park which was then nicknamed "The Wolf Den". The club was owned by Madison Baseball, LLC, which folded operations following the 2000 season...
. Here she posted the best numbers of her career in a unique role as a 3-inning starter. Her numbers with Madison that year were as follows: 1-0 record, 1.67 ERA, 15 games, 35 innings, 43 hits, 14 walks, 9 strikeouts. She spent the last two weeks of that season on the disabled list with a minor wrist injury that occurred off the field.
In 2000, Borders moved on to the Western Baseball League
Western Baseball League
The Western Baseball League was an independent baseball league based in the Western United States and Western Canada. It's member teams were not associated with any Major League Baseball teams. It operated from 1995 to 2002....
, where she played for the Zion Pioneerzz
Zion Pioneerzz
The St. George Pioneerzz were a minor league baseball team located in St. George, Utah. The team played in the independent Western Baseball League, and was not affiliated with any Major League Baseball team. Their home stadium was Bruce Hurst Field....
. Halfway into that season, disappointed with her performance so far that year (8.31 ERA, 5 games, 8 innings, 17 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts) and with her inability in the preceding offseason to get a look from any clubs affiliated with the major leagues, she retired from baseball.
Borders' style was that of a control pitcher
Control pitcher
A control pitcher is a pitcher who succeeds mostly by using accurate pitches, as opposed to a power pitcher who relies on velocity. By issuing a below average number of bases on balls he exhibits good control of his pitches...
. She attempted to throw breaking pitches and low fastballs to let the hitters get themselves out on ground balls. With enough regular action to stay sharp, such as in her good streaks in 1998 and 1999 when she was a regular starter, she could be very effective in doing this. Without that, such as when she was used irregularly from the bullpen, her control would waver, and her fastballs in the 76-79 mph range were knocked all around or out of the park. She could, when asked, throw a little over 80 mph, but when she did so the ball's trajectory flattened and became easier to hit. Her best pitch was her curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
, which could break from 1 o'clock to 7 o'clock as it crossed the plate. She also had a screwball
Screwball
A screwball , is a baseball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action....
, and in the 1999 season she found some success with an occasional sidearm delivery.
Borders was elected to the Baseball Reliquary
Baseball Reliquary
The Baseball Reliquary is a nonprofit, educational organization "dedicated to fostering an appreciation of American art and culture through the context of baseball history and to exploring the national pastime’s unparalleled creative possibilities." The Reliquary was founded in 1996 in Monrovia,...
Shrine of the Eternals for her unique contributions to the game of baseball in 2003.
(The Duluth-Superior Dukes have moved to Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City, Kansas
Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas and is the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is a suburb of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the third largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city is part of a consolidated city-county government known as the "Unified...
and become the Kansas City T-Bones
Kansas City T-Bones
The Kansas City T-Bones are a professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Kansas, in the United States. The T-Bones are a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
. The Madison Black Wolf
Madison Black Wolf
The Madison Black Wolf was a Northern League baseball club located in Madison, Wisconsin from 1996 to 2000. They played their home games at Warner Park which was then nicknamed "The Wolf Den". The club was owned by Madison Baseball, LLC, which folded operations following the 2000 season...
have moved to Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
to become the Lincoln Saltdogs
Lincoln Saltdogs
The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, and the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
have since left the Northern League and joined the American Association.)
On May 14, 2004, Borders failed to strike out Howard Stern Show comedian Artie Lange during a radio show stunt in Las Vegas.
See also
- Dr. Alta WeissAlta WeissAlta Weiss Hisrich , born Alta Weiss, was an American minor league baseball pitcher from Ohio who drew large crowds to exhibition games at minor league and major league venues in the US states of Ohio and Kentucky...
- pitched for the Vermilion Independents then the Weiss All Stars starting in 1907 - Jackie MitchellJackie Mitchell (baseball)Virne Beatrice "Jackie" Mitchell Gilbert was one of the first female pitchers in professional baseball history...
- pitched for the Chattanooga LookoutsChattanooga LookoutsThe Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
briefly in 1931, then later with the House of David - Mamie JohnsonMamie JohnsonMamie “Peanut” Johnson was one of three women, and the first female pitcher, to play in the Negro Leagues. She was born in Ridgeway, South Carolina in 1935...
- pitched for the Indianapolis ClownsIndianapolis ClownsThe Indianapolis Clowns were a professional baseball team in the Negro American League.- Founding :They began operation in Cincinnati in , and operated between Cincinnati and Indianapolis in 1944 and 1945 before officially moving in...
in the 1953-1955 seasons - Eri YoshidaEri Yoshidais a high-school student at Kawasaki-kita Senior High School in Kawasaki, who at the age of 16 became the first female drafted by a Japanese professional baseball team, Kobe 9 Cruise of Kansai Independent Baseball League, to play alongside male teammates....
- pitched for the Kobe 9 Cruise of the Kansai Independent Baseball LeagueKansai Independent Baseball LeagueThe is a professional baseball league in Japan. Its debut season was in .The league's activities became public in 2008. Plans to form the league were announced at a press conference on March 6. On July 30, the names of the four teams were released....
in the 2009 season and the Chico OutlawsChico OutlawsThe Chico Outlaws are a professional baseball team based in Chico, California, in the United States. The Outlaws are a member of the Western Division of the independent North American League, which is not affiliated with either Major League Baseball or Minor League Baseball...
in the independent US Golden Baseball LeagueGolden Baseball LeagueThe Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
in the 2010 season.
External links
- Baseball Reliquary 2003 Induction Day ceremony recap
- "Woman Pitcher Wins Again", New York Times, February 26, 1994.