Univille, South Dakota April 1943
"What is this place?" Myka asked stepping out of the car as she looked up at the building that lay before them virtually in the middle of nowhere.
"It's simply referred to as the warehouse," Valda remarked, leading Myka and Claudia inside.
Both women stood stunned as they took in the sight before them. A pristine baseball diamond lay inside the large facility. As they took a seat on benches on the sideline, they watched in silence, as it appeared the men on the field were in the midst of a practice game. No, not a game, more like batting practice as pitch after pitch was thrown to a batter who never missed.
"Mrs. Frederic, the caretaker of the warehouse, has a talent of determining potentially good ballplayers and recruiting them to the warehouse to train for possible entrance into the major leagues," Valda began to explain. "Arthur Nielsen looks almost solely to her for his ballplayers. In fact, it was Mrs. Frederic who suggested creating this woman's league to keep baseball active. Mr. Nielsen regards her highly and took her advice, so it is because of Mrs. Frederic you're here at all."
"But why South Dakota?" Claudia questioned skeptically.
"This is where Mrs. Frederic and the warehouse reside, Ms. Donovan," Valda replied factually. "Mrs. Frederic has recommended a player for this women's league now, so here we are."
"Charlie, where can I find Mrs. Frederic?" Valda asked an older man standing watching the batter at plate as he smoked a cigar.
"You don't find Mrs. Fredric, she finds you. Sometimes as if out of nowhere," he muttered, shaking his head. "The woman terrifies me."
Valda frowned at the remark. "What about the girl I'm supposed to be looking at then?"
"That's her at the plate," Charlie pointed.
Valda turned his attention back to the figure batting. Her face was obscured behind a ball cap and she seemed smaller than what he would expect from one who could hit so powerfully. But as he watched as yet another pitch found its mark against the bat, the ball soaring into the outfield, he conceded perhaps size didn't really matter.
"I see," was all he muttered as he continued to watch the girl hit pitch after pitch.
Myka and Claudia too, watched as the batter continued to hit fastballs, sliders, curveballs, all with nary a miss.
"She's good," Myka breathed.
"Yeah, real good," Claudia agreed.
"Bat left-handed now," came a voice from behind that resonated authority, startling the women. Myka and Claudia turned to see a woman dressed impeccably in a pink tweed skirt and jacket, her hair coiled into a tight bun and her stare sharp behind dark rimmed glasses. The men in the field groaned at the command, as it appeared the batter was equally skilled at batting left handed.
Valda turned to the woman. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Frederic," he said rising from the bench to greet her.
"Nice to see you again, Mr. Valda," Mrs. Frederic replied with a brief smile.
"I see you've found another talented player."
"Yes indeed, this one much closer to home."
"Oh?"
"That's Leena at the plate," she smiled.
"Leena?" he asked spinning to look towards the batter in surprise. "I didn't realize she played ball."
"She's been around the warehouse for years, Mr. Valda. Did you really think she wouldn't learn the game and come to love it? Besides, she's a natural; I've never seen anything quite like her. She rarely misses a pitch."
The sound of the bat cracking echoed and both Valda and Mrs. Frederic turned to watch, as the ball seemed to soar higher and higher, before ricocheting off the farthest wall of the warehouse.
"Hmm," Valda rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I'm sorry," Leena apologized, still gripping the end of the broken bat.
"It's alright, Leena," Mrs. Frederic spoke. "Their will be plenty of baseball bats where you're going, won't there, Mr. Valda?" she said meeting his scrutinizing gaze once more.
Valda offered a smirk. "I believe you're right, Mrs. Frederic. At any rate, my job is simply to bring the talent to the tryouts, the rest is up to the club owners to decide."
"No doubt they will know talent when the see it," Mrs. Frederic replied, smiling as she watched Myka and Claudia take Leena into their fold, talking and laughing with her.
"I've never seen someone hit so well as you, Leena," Myka commented. "You have incredible talent. How did you learn to hit like that?"
Leena shrugged self-depreciatingly. "I just see it."
"See what?" Claudia asked confused.
"The aura. It's an energy that radiates…everyone has one, animals, even objects…and I can see and feel that energy…from the pitcher to the ball, to me holding the bat…I can't explain it…I just feel it," she spoke softly.
"Do you ever miss?" Claudia asked curious.
Leena laughed. "It's been known to happen, but I don't make a habit of it," she spoke, her light eyes shining.
"Aura or no aura, maybe you could show me how you hit like that?" Claudia asked hopeful.
Leena looked at the girl appraisingly. "Maybe so."
Mrs. Frederic and Valda moved towards the trio. "Good afternoon, ladies," Mrs. Frederic greeted the newcomers. "I hope you're enjoying your visit to the warehouse."
"It's wonderful," Myka breathed. "I've never seen anything like it," she said looking back towards the field.
Mrs. Frederic looked pleased. "That's as it is intended. Mr. Valda tells me you're a catcher, Miss Bering. That's quite an important position to play, a unique position. You're the only member of the team to see the game from a different perspective. A position that can give one perspective."
"That's why I like it," Myka agreed, "for that different perspective. Not to mention the control it can have."
Mrs. Frederic nodded thoughtfully, meeting serious green eyes. "Quite right," she agreed. "You'll do well in the league, I'm sure," Mrs. Frederic spoke with approval, encouraging a soft, appreciative smile to bloom on Myka's features.
"And you, Miss Donovan," Mrs. Frederic spoke turning to Claudia who gulped under her astute gaze. "Shortstop is another important position in the game. You have to be quick and cunning for such a position, something I gather you embody."
"Well, I don't know about that…I hope so," Claudia stumbled over her words.
Mrs. Frederic stepped forward. "Believe in yourself, Miss Donovan, and you will go far," she spoke seriously.
Claudia gulped again and silently nodded.
"Leena can play virtually any position, though I think she's better suited as an infielder," Mrs. Frederic smiled fondly at her.
"I'll just be glad to play," Leena remarked smiling, "that is if I even make a team."
"Then you best all get your rest to be ready for the tryouts in a matter of days. Leena, please see our guests back to the B&B, they'll stay there tonight before you all set off for Chicago in the morning."
Claudia whistled as they walked up the porch steps to a large Victorian home that was the bed and breakfast. "Pretty snazzy, if you ask me," she spoke to Myka.
Myka was inclined to agree as Leena led them through the B&B, past a solarium and a library she very much wished to investigate further if time allowed.
"You live here?" Claudia asked.
"Yes," Leena replied, "and work here. The ballplayers stay here while they train and I cook meals for them and generally oversee things."
"Sounds challenging," Claudia spoke.
"Not really," Leena shook her curly head. "Most of the time it's quiet, like now. The players are at the warehouse all day practicing. They only come here for meals and to sleep. Most of my day is my own, I can go to the warehouse to join their practice or I can stay here, garden, or even read all day if I want."
"I would enjoy the reading aspect," Myka smiled.
Leena returned the smile. "And, as far as preparing the meals, I love to cook. The only challenge is keeping enough food on hand to feed twelve to fifteen players, plus Charlie, Mrs. Frederic, myself, and any guests that may come along, such as you."
The two women and Valda were led to their own bedrooms and the rest of the afternoon was spent at their leisure until dinner, Myka taking the available time to disappear inside the library.
"Still reading, I see. Can't you sleep?" asked a soft voice startling Myka from her place in her book.
She looked up to see Leena smiling at her as she stepped inside the library.
Myka smiled shyly in return. "I just couldn't resist the opportunity to pursue your library. I hope you don't mind?"
"Not at all," Leena smiled. "Mrs. Frederic has quite a collection," she said taking a seat beside Myka on the sofa.
Myka nodded. "That's putting it mildly," she said gazing about her with awe. "So many first editions," she breathed, gently fingering the cover of an HG Wells novel. "It's incredible. This private library is more impressive than the public library at home."
"Where is home?" Leena asked.
"Colorado Springs," Myka answered briefly. "My family has a farm there."
Leena looked at her thoughtfully. "And now is your time to get away from that."
"I don't know if it's so much about getting away as…finding…my way," she sighed.
"And playing baseball will do that?"
Myka shrugged. "I enjoy playing…and Mr. Valda said the league pays well. Hopefully it will be well enough for me to save to go to college."
Leena smiled. "I see. Knowledge is your passion."
"Something like that," she agreed grasping at the back of neck. "What about you, Leena?" Myka asked, hoping to redirect the attention from her. "How long have you lived here?"
"Nearly fifteen years," Leena replied. "I came looking for a job, which Mrs. Frederic provided, but she also gave me a home, a family. It's not going to be easy leaving here, even if it is only for several months," she sighed. "And speaking of leaving, I should probably finish packing," she said rising from the sofa. "Enjoy the library, Myka," she spoke leaving Myka alone once more.
Myka turned back to the novel, losing herself in the story once again.
Mrs. Frederic and Leena sat on a bench inside the train station as Myka, Claudia and Valda all waited outside on the platform for their train to arrive.
Leena was beginning to feel serious doubt about leaving. "Who's going to run the B&B for you?" she protested.
"We'll be fine, Leena," Mrs. Frederic assured. "I will find someone to fill your position while you're gone and failing that, I'll have Charlie do the cooking."
Leena laughed out loud at that. "There will be nothing left of the B&B." She sobered at the thought. "No, I can't go…"
"Leena," Mrs. Frederic soothed, "nothing is going to happen for you here. You must go where things will happen. You have so much potential, you need to find out all you're truly capable of."
"I'm going to miss you," Leena spoke truthfully.
"And I you," the older woman replied, gently guiding her arm around slight shoulders to offer a comforting hug. "The world is a wondrous place, Leena. The time has come for you to discover that fact on your own now," Mrs. Fredric smiled.
Leena brushed away a tear and nodded as she stood from the bench. "Thank you," she smiled through tears before Mrs. Frederic engulfed her in a hug.
"I promised you once I would take care of you, give you a life like you never had before. This is part of that life now…go on and embrace it."
"I will," Leena promised as she left Mrs. Frederic's side to join Myka and Claudia just boarding the train that arrived.
Mrs. Frederic remained standing on the train platform, long after seeing the train out of sight.
Nielsen Field, Chicago, Illinois, April 1943
Myka, Claudia and Leena stuck close together as they followed Valda through the tunnel leading out to the field. "Well, here you are, ladies, Nielsen Field at last," he motioned to the field briefly before retreating to turn back to the tunnel.
"Wait, you're not going to stay with us?" Claudia asked.
"Alas, dear girl, no. My job was to get you here, not hold your hand through tryouts. Best of luck to you though," he waved a hand.
Myka frowned at his retreating figure, but quickly focused back to the field before her.
Nielsen Field was filled with over a hundred other women all competing for a chance to play professional ball. It was daunting to say the least.
"Have you ever seen such a field before?" Claudia asked. "The grass…the dirt…it's all so…" she struggled for words.
"It is," Myka agreed with a smile, understanding Claudia's awe as she felt it herself.
"I had no idea so many other woman played ball," Claudia spoke aloud.
"I guess that means were not the freaks we thought we were then, doesn't it?" Leena asked her with a smile.
Claudia nodded. "Yeah."
Myka began walking towards the field with Claudia and Leena following right behind. The vision before her was stunning. Women everywhere, throwing, batting, running, shouting, laughing. It was like something out of a dream to find so many other women who also loved to play baseball. The trio walked among the crowd, immersing themselves and trying to get a feeling of the lay of the land.
"Are all these girls going to play in the league?" Claudia asked amazed.
"You wish," came a voice beside them followed by raucous laughter. Chicago natives and best friends from childhood, Bonnie Belski a tall honey-brunette and Lily Abbot, a platinum blonde, saw the trio and snickered at the obviously rural girls before them.
"What's so funny?" Claudia asked defensively.
"You are, short stuff," came Bonnie's easy reply, garnering her another snicker from Lily.
"Yeah, real funny if you think you're going to make the cut," Lily added.
"Why wouldn't I?" Claudia demanded.
"I'll break it to you gently, honey," Bonnie intoned. "There are over a hundred girls here trying out, with only four teams, fifteen girls to a team. You do the math."
Bonnie and Lily turned around then, still laughing.
"So, why should we be the ones to go home?" Claudia persisted.
Lily shot Bonnie a look, getting her friend's approval and without warning, turned and threw a ball directly at the three women.
Claudia ducked away, Leena standing behind Myka readied her mitt to catch the ball, but it was Myka, standing tall and firm who simply reached out reflexively and caught the hardball with her bare hand.
Bonnie and Lily's eyes widened. "Okay, some of them are going home," came Bonnie's uneasy response as Myka gently tossed her the ball and continued walking on, Claudia and Leena following right behind.
Bonnie and Lily watched them walk away. "We better go practice," Lily spoke hoarsely as the two women picked up their gear and moved away.
The scene that transpired did not go unnoticed. Another hopeful recruit, a woman with raven hair and dark eyes watched the entire scene unfold before her. As she continued to cast her gaze on the tall woman with brunette curls, a smile graced her lips. Her curiosity about the woman was aroused.