Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Stars of tomorrow got to meet the stars of yesterday right on the ball field, at the annual Legends Game, hosted Saturday night by the Springfield Lucky Horseshoes at Robin Roberts Stadium.
Former Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinal players took the field with Lucky Horseshoe players and the newly announced Women’s Pro Baseball League.
Former Cardinals closing pitcher, Jason Isringhausen took the time to compare how things are different from now and when he played!
“All around velocity, the velocity and the spin that these guys can generate now. with the analytics and all the new stuff that we do with all of our pitching, back before it was all eyeball tests, now it’s all analytically driven by computers, and it’s making our kids a lot better and quicker. So, I think, a lot of kids are getting to the big leagues quicker than they used to, but in that same sentence, it doesn’t make them a better pitcher, so to speak. Then better throwers.”
As it was recently announced, Springfield is getting the Women’s Pro Baseball League right here in town! Players from Banana Ball, College Leagues, and The World Series all get to move down to the Capitol City. August 1st is the opening day, live from Robin Roberts Stadium.
Kylee Lahners plays for Team New York on 3rd Base. She tells us about how she feels about being a part of history in the making and about all the teams that will be playing.
“It’s the first women’s league in like 70 years, and history’s being made, and to being a part of that is awesome. Tapping into the community and having everybody come out, we start August 1st. There’s going to be four teams, LA, San Francisco, Boston, and New York. And we’re going to be right here in Springfield, so everybody come on out and enjoy some good baseball.”
Amanda Gianelloni plays for Team San Francisco as a middle infielder. She tells us how she feels about this moment.
“We grew up looking up to our MLB superstars, and now that we have our own league to play in, it’s just an incredible feeling, and I’m very looking forward to it! It’s a feeling you can’t describe. I didn’t think I’d be playing for a pro baseball league in my career. To be involved it’s a very special feeling.”
