Women’s Baseball Is Back In Rockford

One of the most historically significant women’s baseball venues in the United States is back thanks to efforts by the City of Rockford and the International Women’s Baseball Center, which is leading a three-phase redevelopment of the former home of the Rockford Peaches – the team made famous in the film “A League Of Their Own.”

“Thanks to our generous donors and partners, Beyer Stadium at Maybelle Blair Park now features a beautiful new stadium, field and family park that are wonderful resources for the community,” says Dr. Kat Williams, CEO of IWBC. “As we look to events like the WBSC Women Baseball World Cup this week in Rockford, Beyer Stadium will also be enjoyed by visiting fans and athletes from the region, nation and around the world.”

The campaign dubbed “A Place of Their Own” includes the recent renovation of Beyer Stadium at Maybelle Blair Park and further establishes Rockford, Illinois, as the international epicenter of women’s baseball.

The ballpark celebrated its official reopening on July 18. The first phase of the $5 renovation included new bleachers, modernized restrooms, resurfaced playing field, renovated dugouts, upgraded lighting, an improved scoreboard and restoration of the historic ticket booth.

The completion of Beyer Stadium at Maybelle Blair Park is the first of a three-phase comprehensive vision designed by Belvidere, Illinois, native Jeanne Gang, architect and founding partner of Studio Gang. In addition to the $7 million raised by the IWBC that supported the planning and Phase One completion, Phase Two is projected to cost $22.8 million and includes the construction of a state-of-the-art sports and community center and immersive museum at the park. Phase Three is projected to cost $3 million and covers the artifacts and exhibits built inside of the museum hall highlighted by a restored Rockford Peaches World War II-era team bus.

The completed IWBC campus is targeted for 2030 and is intended to become the international home for the history, development and promotion of women’s and girls’ baseball.

“The IWBC is tremendously proud to bring this historic place back to glory, and we continue to work toward building an iconic indoor sports and community center and museum,” adds Williams.

The reopening was timed to launch Women’s Baseball Week in Rockford, leading into several major events including the WBSC Women’s Baseball World Cup Group Stage; Baseball For All Nationals, the largest girls’ baseball tournament in the United States; and the reunion of former players of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL).

Beyer Stadium is not just a renovated ballpark it’s a heritage venue similar to historic sports sites like Fenway Park – the oldest, active MLB stadium – or the ballparks of the Negro League. The six-acre campus is preserving the story of women breaking barriers in professional sports. With growing attention on women’s baseball, Beyer Stadium is positioning itself as a national landmark as well as an active ballfield.

The site began around 1913 as Kishwaukee Park and was originally used for men’s baseball. It later became known as Rockford Municipal Stadium and was used for high school athletics, football, track and community events. It was renamed Beyer Stadium in 1948 in honor of Charles Beyer, a longtime Rockford high school athletics coach.

The stadium’s place in sports history was secured when it became home to the Rockford Peaches of the AAGPBL from 1943 through 1954. The Peaches played their home games at Beyer Stadium throughout the league’s 12-year existence. They were the only team in the league to win four titles in 1945, 1948, 1949 and 1950.

The team was created during World War II when Major League Baseball feared a shortage of players because many men were serving in the military. The league became a pioneering professional opportunity for women athletes and the team became a symbol of women’s athletic achievement.

After the AAGPBL ended, Beyer Stadium continued hosting local sports. Over time, the facility deteriorated and the grandstands were removed in the early 1990s. Interest surged following the movie and the stadium was renovated and rededicated in 2010, with former Peaches players honored during the celebration.

Today, the nonprofit IWBC is responsible for the field’s use, upkeep and transformation from a vacant lot into a major destination for women’s baseball. The park is named for Maybelle Blair, who played in 1948 for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and in the National Women’s Softball League. As a pioneer in women’s baseball and a lifelong advocate for girls and women in sports, Blair also helped found the International Women’s Baseball Center in 2014.

“We’re going to have a home for women in baseball — right here in Rockford,” says Blair. “Thank you for sticking with IWBC all these years and for everything we’ve accomplished together. This is just the beginning. We’ve still got plenty of work ahead of us, but I know we’ll get it done.”