Ila Borders Gives Herself the Hook, Retires

Ila Borders, the only female player in men’s professional baseball, has retired, ending a career in which her manager called her “one of the most courageous people” to play the game.

The 26-year-old left-hander, who played at Whittier Christian High and Southern California College, left the Zion Pioneerzz on Thursday, a day after she gave up five hits and three runs in a 10-6 loss to the Feather River Mudcats.

“I’ll look back and say I did something nobody ever did,” Borders said. “I’m proud of that. I wasn’t out to prove women’s rights or anything. I love baseball. Ask a guy if he’s doing it to prove men’s rights. He’ll say he’s doing it because he loves the game.”

Borders left Utah for her home in California. She is said to be interested in broadcasting or teaching.

Borders was the most valuable player on her Whittier Christian baseball team and earned a scholarship to Southern California College (now Vanguard University), becoming the first woman ever to earn a scholarship to play men’s college baseball.

She made more history on May 31, 1997, when she came in in the sixth inning of the St. Paul Saints’ Northern League game against Sioux Falls, becoming the first woman to pitch in a regular-season professional game. She gave up three earned runs without getting an out.

She recorded her first pro victory later that year, helping the Duluth-Superior Dukes to the league championship with a 1.97 ERA.

Borders, who signed with the Pioneerzz in June, had a 0-0 record and a 9.35 earned-run average in 8 2/3 innings over five games. She gave up 17 hits, 10 runs (nine earned) with two walks and two strikeouts.

Manager Mike Littlewood insists Borders should be judged by other standards.

“Ila was one of the most courageous people I’ve ever met or seen play the game,” Littlewood said Thursday. “She got beat around a couple of times for us, but she did what she was signed for--eating up some middle innings and giving our bullpen some rest.”

“She came to me after the game and said she thought she had her best stuff and still got hit hard,” Littlewood said, adding that Borders was guaranteed a spot on the roster for the rest of the season regardless of her record. “She said she wanted to go another direction.”

Littlewood said Borders, who transferred from SCC to Whittier College for her senior season, had obvious physical limitations.

“She threw a fastball probably 72 to 73 mph and her curveball maybe 58 mph,” he said. “Most everybody has to throw an 87- to 88-mph fastball and a curveball at least 77 to 78 mph. She did have a good screwball and curveball. She knew how to pitch.”

In her three years in the game, Borders dealt with prurient questions from reporters--no, she didn’t shower with the guys--and harassment from fans.

“I’ve been spit on, had beer thrown on me and been sworn at and was hit 11 times out of 11 at-bats while in college,” she told the Salt Lake Tribune. “But the memories I have are the ovations when I would run in from the bullpen.”

“I happen to think it’s pretty fantastic that I’m the only female to ever play baseball with the guys,” Borders said.