`See Her Be Her' documentary shines light on the progress, challenges of women's baseball worldwide

SAN FRANCISCO -- Gathered astir nan mini surface captivated by a item reel from shot World Cup qualifying past year, a Ugandan female beams. Then 1 much smiles widely. And another.

They return turns expressing really they excessively mightiness radiance connected nan large world shape 1 day.

Indeed, an world prima for illustration U.S. pitcher Kelsie Whitmore aliases Japan’s Ayami Sato yet could travel from nan African state wherever women’s shot has planted roots successful caller years.

“Baseball has done a batch successful our lives,” said Lillian Nayiga, a azygous mother playing shot successful Uganda while besides school different women.

In nan upcoming “See Her Be Her” documentary, sports photographer Jean Fruth and her squad chronicle 7 standout women doing acold much than conscionable playing nan crippled successful their corners of nan world spanning nan United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Japan, South Korea, Cuba and Uganda.

“We’re representing women successful sport, and that’s thing really powerful to clasp onto,” said Whitmore, who 2 years agone became nan first woman to motion pinch a regular-season men's master squad successful an MLB partner league, playing for nan Atlantic League's Staten Island Ferry Hawks.

Whitmore sounded this past summertime for nan independent Oakland Ballers and became nan first female to commencement a Pioneer League game.

The astir 2-hour film, group to premiere Sunday nighttime connected MLB Network betwixt Games 2 and 3 of nan World Series, follows nan teams done 2023 qualifying for this year’s Women’s Baseball World Cup — won by Sato and seven-time reigning champion Japan complete nan U.S.

There’s Canadian Alli Schroder, who useful grueling two-week stretches fighting awesome wildfires. She showed up to play this summertime pinch burns connected a manus from falling into an ash pit and deals pinch chronically sore shoulders and knees that mightiness shorten her playing career. The fingers connected her non-throwing, near manus were injured capable she worried whether she could moreover plaything a bat.

“I figured earlier that I burnt myself retired from playing shot and training, but it’s incomparable to moving 14-day shifts successful a statement fighting wildfires,” Schroder said. “There’s a batch much astatine liking connected nan occurrence statement than location is successful a large game, and I deliberation that’s thing that I’ve really been capable to usage to calm myself down connected nan shot section successful large situations.”

Korean standout Soyeon Park typically tin only play connected weekends while she trains to go a pilot. Fellow countryman Chan Ho Park, nan erstwhile large convention pitcher, is simply a fan.

In nan baseball-crazed Cuban culture, first baseman Libia Duarte wants to spot women playing shot astatine a precocious level accepted truthful they tin break nan stereotype that they should instrumentality to being housewives.

Gabby Vélez of Puerto Rico shares her ain intelligence wellness struggles, and each of these women springiness backmost successful their unsocial measurement trying to pave an easier way for nan young women coming aft them.

“These women will touch your heart,” Fruth said. “They surely touched mine.”

Each faced her ain struggles — doubters, favoritism — competing successful a athletics chiefly played by boys and men for good complete a century. Those skeptics who judge women don't beryllium motivate Whitmore, who connected her telephone keeps a screenshot of demeaning societal media posts.

The women besides person immoderate salient backers.

Former Seattle Mariners prima Ichiro Suzuki has go an ambassador for them, starring efforts to build nan women’s crippled successful Japan.

“People travel and spot Major League Baseball games, but nan aforesaid doesn’t use to women’s baseball,” Suzuki says successful nan film. “People who stock nan aforesaid passion should travel together. Instead of discussing nan level women’s shot is at, we person to first create nan shape for them. That’s what drives motivation. I dream this activity will dispersed and turn each complete nan world.”

Ferguson Jenkins, Cal Ripken Jr. and Jimmy Rollins are each in, too. Their support matters.

“There is nary Cal Ripken Jr. of women’s shot — yet,” Fruth said.

The documentary is nan imagination of non-profit Grassroots Baseball, founded by Fruth and erstwhile longtime National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum President Jeff Idelson. They traveled extensively crossed six countries and Puerto Rico to supply an friendly glimpse into nan athleticism, talent and determination of these ladies putting shot connected nan world map.

Executive Producer Wendy Selig-Prieb, nan erstwhile Milwaukee Brewers CEO and a girl of retired shot Commissioner Bud Selig, was thrilled to get down this activity astatine a infinitesimal erstwhile liking successful women’s sports is exploding.

“To beryllium location and to watch nan full film, it is powerful, inspiring and eye-opening. And I opportunity eye-opening because nan value of play and title not conscionable successful nan U.S. but globally surely exceeded what I understood earlier and what I deliberation a batch of group know,” Selig-Prieb said. “And truthful what Jeff and Jean are doing by providing visibility for not only nan imaginable and possibilities that beryllium going forward, but much importantly what’s happening correct now successful women’s baseball, is conscionable tremendous.”

Grassroots Baseball besides is releasing a book to travel nan movie featuring a postulation of Fruth’s photos taken during nan project.

Selig-Prieb hopes nan movie provides girls and women everyplace a glimpse of what is possible, moreover if shot isn’t her passion.

“The sanction sums it up, right, See Her Be Her,” Selig-Prieb said. “I ne'er aspired to beryllium nan first female to do anything. It was not an aspiration aliases a extremity I had. But it is wherever I person sometimes recovered myself. And what I learned from that is erstwhile you are, you summation a voice. And I for illustration utilizing excavation to support others and amplify others who are forging a caller path."

In Uganda, they are aiming large successful shot — moreover if immoderate show up to play barefoot aliases successful dresses. The joyful women clasp hands successful a ample circle, dancing this measurement and that.

“I want to transportation 90 mph,” 1 subordinate shares.

“I want to beryllium a catcher professionally,” offers another.

Americans for illustration Whitmore, Anna Kimbrell, Ashton Lansdell and Meggie Meidlinger are among those helping turn nan crippled by walking to Uganda to supply instruction and support. Meidlinger had been antecedently to lead clinics and was inspired by nan liking and stayed involved.

It goes measurement beyond baseball.

“Why nan crippled is much than conscionable a crippled is to beryllium capable to tie successful each those different young girls astir successful nan crippled and who emotion it," Whitmore said, "and conscionable to beryllium personification for them."

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