NFL
By: Zachary Draves
Despite wind in the Windy City, early rain showers, and a fall like Chicago chill, history was made in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field and not for anything baseball related.
The Chicago Red Stars took on Bay FC before a crowd of 35,038, the largest to ever watch an NWSL game. In order to capitalize on the recent surge in popularity for women’s sports, the Red Stars took up the mantle of the pioneers in women’s sports who paved the way for this moment and they did so in grand style.
(Courtesy: Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Though they came up short 2-1 in the end despite a valiant second half effort and a goal at the 92nd minute by forward Penelope Hocking, daughter of former MLB player Denny Hocking, this day will be remembered as another breakthrough moment in women’s sports that lives up to the moniker of Field Dreams, “if you build it they will come”.
The match became the first women’s sporting event held at Wrigley in 80 years, when ithe All American Girls Professional Baseball League hosted the stadium’s first ever night game in 1943. The same All American Girls Professional Baseball League that was later immortalized in the 1992 cult classic A League of Their Own starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, and Madonna, where many of the scenes were filmed at Wrigley.
(Courtesy: Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
From there, women’s sports began a gradual growth before the 1960’s and 1970s when women athletes, much like in society, were demanding equal treatment and respect.
On September 20, 1973, over one year after the passage of Title IX, such respect was earned by Billie Jean King when she took to the tennis court against Bobby Riggs and came out victorious in the historic Battle of the Sexes at the Houston Astrodome in which 52,000 fans were in attendance and 40 million were watching on television.
(Courtesy: Courtesy: Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
In the world of women’s soccer, this match comes as the 25th anniversary of the historic 1999 Women’s World Cup approaches which became a milestone moment for both the game and women’s sports at large.
That tournament of course culminated in the final between the US and China before 90,000 fans at the Rose Bowl which resulted in Brandi Chastain’s landmark penalty kick that sealed the victory for the US.
Today, the viability of women’s sports to draw big crowds has become even more commonplace and for the players on this night it will surely be an experience they won’t forget.
(Courtesy: Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
“I think the numbers speak for itself,” said Red Stars forward Hannah Anderson. “Obviously there is a huge following of the NWSL, but women’s sports in general. Just to be a part of it and checking the growth especially as a player is really an awesome experience. Obviously my first start, my first ninety minutes, super thankful to be a part of it in any way I can be. Just having the opportunity to be able to say we are a part of history is something we all need to acknowledge and be proud of.”
As women’s sports continues to grow by leaps and bounds, the Red Stars are looking to use this moment as leverage in an ongoing battle to secure public funding for a potential new stadium that is within city limits and with the potential to draw in bigger crowds. They have played in SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, 15 miles north of Chicago, since 2016.
In a stadium that seats as many as 20,000, the Red Stars averaged over 4,000 fans last season.
As they strive towards the long term, even in defeat, the Red Stars using baseball terminology, knocked it out of the park.
