In the book, Kate Henry has
returned to Saskatchewan to accompany her parents to Battleford where her
mother, Helen Henry, will be one of the inductees. She had played several
seasons for the Racine Belles. Joining Kate is her partner, Andy Munro, a
Toronto police inspector on his first trip to Saskatchewan.
Gordon’s description of Kate’s
hometown, Indian Head, is a perfect portrayal of small town Saskatchewan. She
has been a skilful observer of us.
At the banquet Virna Wilton creates
a grand entrance by wearing her old uniform over 40 years after she last played
baseball. (I can vividly recall the actual lady who wore her uniform to the
induction banquet. She looked great.)
The banquet was Saskatchewan
charming. It is hard for me to distinguish real life memories from Gordon’s
description. It was a nice evening honouring a group of women who had never
received the recognition due them.
In the book everyone is shocked when
Virna is murdered. Andy is asked to help the local RCMP. The nosy Kate demands
to know everything going on in the investigation. The probing of lives brings
out secrets that startle and even shock Kate. Life in the AAGPBL was more
complex than she realized.
The book goes into some detail on
the AAGPL which existed from the early 1940’s to the mid-1950’s. The movie, A League of Their Own, with Madonna,
Geena Davis and Tom Hanks was a Hollywood version of the league. It was not
sensationalized as much as many Hollywood movies but Gordon’s description of
the league is far more factual.
Within the book Helen was a woman
professional baseball playing pioneer and Kate was a woman professional
baseball sports writing pioneer. (In real life Gordon was the first woman
journalist to cover major league baseball in Canada.)
Those young woman who went South
from Saskatchewan to play baseball were an intrepid group leaving friends and
family to play sports at a time when travel was limited and society offered
little support for women making any career let alone an athletic career. I met
several of the actual players from Saskatchewan and wrote about them for the
sports column I write in Melfort. They were as gracious and lively as the women
described by Gordon.
The mystery flows well. I know I am
enjoying a book when the pages glide by and there is no consciousness of time
passing. It is the best rural
Saskatchewan mystery. (May 21/11)
Bill - Thanks for introducing me to this one. I don't know much about the AAGPBL, and this novel sounds as though it provides insights on that as well as a corker of a mystery. Add to that the authentic look at Saskatchewan and I can see why it's your favourite. It's also on my TBR now.
ReplyDeleteMargot: Thanks for the comment. A mystery can educate while it entertains us. I believe you will find that combination in Prairie Hardball.
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