A League Of Their Own: Batter Up!

There’s no crying in baseball, and my mother and I were all smiles as we spent a day sightseeing in Dubois County, Indiana. From the cute breakfast cafe where we started our day to the grand finale at League Stadium – site of the filming of the 1991 hit movie A League of Their Own – we enjoyed a mother/daughter outing full of experiences that will be fond memories for years to come.

Dubois County is about an hour west of Louisville along I-64 in Indiana, and it encompasses the towns of Ferdinand, Jasper and Huntingburg, all located to the north of I-64 and on Eastern Time. The same exit 63 will lead you to St. Meinrad Archabbey and Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, located to the south of I-64 and on Central Time. For our outing, we stuck with new-to-me Dubois County, and we were delighted at what we discovered. I recommend checking out the Visitors Center for expert advice on a day that will meet your interests. I’d like to give a special shoutout to Whitney Lubbers, executive director of the Dubois County Visitors Center, who took great care of us.

Huntingburg

Huntingburg’s Historic Fourth Street, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been lovingly restored to a charming Victorian downtown. With its brick-paved streets and sidewalks, it is home to locally owned antique and specialty shops and unique eateries. The Huntingburg Merchants Association hosts themed strolling tours throughout the year.

Historic League Stadium was built in 1894 and renovated in 1991 by Colombia Pictures in preparation for filming the 1991 hit movie A League of Their Own, directed by Penny Marshall and starring Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, and Rosie O’Donnell. The movie was set in the early 1940s during World War II when the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was formed. League Stadium served as the home stadium for the Rockford Peaches. You can see a replica of the Peaches’ bus in front of the stadium. Original advertisements and the original scoreboard from the movie still remain along the outfield fence of the ballpark. Our tour guide provided interesting anecdotes about the filming of the movie. The excitement felt by locals at the time is still palpable. (As an extra treat to ourselves, Mom and I watched the movie when we returned home!) With a seating capacity of 2,800, League Stadium is still a working stadium, home to the Dubois County Bombers, a collegiate Prospect League baseball team, and the Southridge High School Raiders. This summer the stadium will host the inaugural Big League Classic on August 10, featuring former MLB players from the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds. Don’t miss it!

Story and photos by Patti Hartog

P.S. Check Out Ferdinand On This Indiana Day Trip To Dubois County