Mexican American Baseball in the San Fernando Valley explores the teams
and players that dotted the valley landscape throughout the 20th
century. In a time and place where Mexican Americans were closed off
from many city recreation centers, neighborhoods formed their own teams.
Baseball and softball reinforced community and regional ties,
strengthened family bonds, instilled discipline and dedication that
translated into future professional careers, provided women
opportunities outside their traditional roles in the home, and fostered
lifelong friendships. These photographs serve as a lens to both local
sports history and Mexican American history.