A Series of Their Own: The History of the Women’s College World Series

June 29, 2013

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 

 

 

New Book Provides History of College

Softball’s National Championship

 

Two Oklahoma City writers have collaborated to publish a new book that provides the history of the Women’s College World Series. A Series of Their Own: The History of the Women’s College World Series chronicles the 44-year journey of collegiate softball’s national championship, from its meager beginnings in 1969 in Omaha, Neb., to its current position in Oklahoma City as the preeminent event for the sport of fastpitch softball.

Authors Bill Plummer III and Larry C. Floyd worked together in the early 1990s at the Amateur Softball Association, the national governing body for U.S. softball with its national office in Oklahoma City. They wrote about and photographed this national championship when it first moved to Oklahoma City and followed the event over the years.

Using their contacts with many of the early organizers and participants, their recently published book provides comprehensive information on tournament play, the growth of college softball, and the sport’s administration for the more than four decades of the Women’s College World Series.

“This women’s national tournament has a history much unlike so many of the other men’s collegiate national championships,” Plummer said. “It started in the 1960s without the NCAA and when there were no athletic scholarships available for women athletes. These college teams were self-funded with bake sales and fund-raisers by the players and coaches.”

A Series of Their Own demonstrates how changing social attitudes toward women as competitive athletes and funding from Title IX legislation combined to promote college softball and its national championship. Some of the media’s role in this promotion is also briefly explained.

The book gives brief follow-ups on the lives of many of the players and coaches after their appearances in the women’s series. In the early years of the tournament and with few opportunities outside college softball, many of these athletes moved on to successful lives outside sports.

In more recent decades, some of the women’s series stars jumped to the world stage as heroines of the U.S. softball team in the Olympics. Some of these softball stars included Jennie Finch, Dot Richardson, Lisa Fernandez, Cat Osterman and other players that became familiar household names following Olympic competition.

This history and more is covered in this 304-page book. It is illustrated with historical and recent photos, team standings, and tournament brackets from this now well established and still growing women’s sports spectacular.

The first book signing for A Series of Their Own will be the morning and afternoon of May 29 in the gift store at the National Softball Hall of Fame, 2801 NE 50th in Oklahoma City. The book will be available for purchase online beginning in late May at http://www.seriesoftheirown.com.

 

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