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Margaret Villa, better known as Marge Villa, made history in the world of American baseball. At just 13 years old, Marge made her debut in the sport by playing for the East Los Angeles community team, Garvey Stars. Few imagined that she would break several records by being part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
Marge, who had Mexican roots, continued her path in the semi-professional league for at least seven years, reaching a place in the professional league in 1946. It was then that the league's followers had increased and Margaret was on her way to making history.
© Ann J. Seday/National Baseball Hall of FameIt was the afternoon of June 9, in Wisconsin, when she hit nine runs and scored 11 bases, surpassing all league records up to that point. Scores that took her to the record book, although it was her charisma and charm that crowned her as the star of the community. Her story, which is a true example of success, is part of the Pleibol! exhibition. In the Barrios and the Big Leagues, from the American History Museum in Washington, DC.
Her versatility in the game made her an elusive star. Marge played almost every position on the field and her batting average was quite high. Scores, hits and home runs were part of her statistics when she retired from baseball around the 1950s.
"It was a job of almost 16 hours between practice time, rest time, and coming back, sometimes, for a second practice.”
© NMAH, gift of Marge Villa Cryan and Renée SoderquistWith more than 500 games under her belt and her travels through Cuba and Latin America, Marge managed to elevate her diplomatic role and showed her Hispanic roots by meeting important personalities and attending meetings throughout the region with perfect Spanish.
“I'm not going to brag, but we played some great games, scored doubles and triples, and got to know several countries.”
© NMAH, courtesy of Marge VillaAlways drawn to sports, Villa decided to get into golf, with which she became a national champion by winning the tournament more than 25 times. Her talent was such that her own daughter commented with humor: “I don't know why other women sign up for this tournament if my mom wins it every year.”
When she retired from the sports world, her greatest satisfaction was watching her grandchildren grow up. Marge attended all their baseball games, helped them train, and even served as an umpire during the children's games. A full life, a long list of records achieved and dreams fulfilled made Marge a true legend who has gone down in history after her death on December 14, 2023, but not before reminding us that you can reach the top with conviction, charisma, and discipline.
