In 1934 three teenage girls (one from Illinois, one from Indiana and one from West Virginia) played hardball on the last traveling bloomer girl baseball team. Their stories include abandonment, loss at sea, early triumphs, world war, and, always, baseball. Margaret, Nellie, and Rose came from different backgrounds and had different reasons for playing baseball. When the season was over they followed different paths — but playing baseball profoundly affected their lives and even helped determine their careers. This talk, accompanied by slides, will leave audiences deeply moved and amazed.