“There’s no crying in baseball!” repeats Tom Hanks’ character in the 1992 film, A League of Their Own.

This film is set in 1940’s America during the thick of World War II. As most of the men were overseas fighting the war, many sports fans at home were not happy about the loss of their favorite pastime, baseball.

The premise of this movie, based on real life, is the brain child of Walter Harvey, an MLB owner and businessman. He decided to give fans what they craved by creating a baseball league with the only people that are left to contribute and play– women.

Sisters Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) and Kit Keller (Lori Petty) are small town baseball players who are recruited for the league. The two women travel to training and meet the other teammates of the Rockford Peaches, including Mae Mordabito (Madonna) and Doris Murphy (Rosie O’Donnell).

The Peaches play their first game, but are left to their own devices as their coach, Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks), is a bitter, retired baseball player who spends his time in the dugout, drunk.

Dottie takes a leadership role. She makes up the lineup and coaches the team, and they win their first game.

The Peaches manage to become the best team in the league, and grow closer to each other along the way. This film may be centered around baseball, but it is also an example of female friendship and leadership during a period of time when women were pushed to the side and discouraged from obtaining a leadership positions. Dottie Hinson is a role model as becomes a strong woman leader who can take charge of a group and find success.

The story is based on the true story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). The league was in action from 1943-1954 and located throughout the Midwest.

Not only is A League of Their Own funny, it is also entertaining, well-written, and espouses women who are athletic as well as leaders, which is  an important message even today.