IWBC Archive Welcomes Jean Hastings Ardell Collection
October 24, 2024 – The International Women’s Baseball Center is honored to accept into its archival collection the research notes and personal papers of Jean Hastings Ardell, celebrated journalist and baseball writer.
Born and raised in New York, Ardell developed a love of both books and baseball from her parents.
Included in her remarkable career are the standout books, Breaking Into Baseball: Women and the National Pastime and Making My Pitch: A Woman’s Baseball Odyssey, co-authored with Ila Borders. Ardell’s many contributions to the field include years of work with the NINE Journal and Spring Training Conference as well as the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).
“Over the years Jean Ardell’s work helped to solidify women’s baseball as a viable field of study,” adds Dr. Kat Williams, CEO of the IWBC. “First, by doing it herself, then by supporting the rest of us as we explored the long history of women in the game. It is an honor for the IWBC to house Jean’s research and we thank Mr. Daniel Ardell, Jean’s husband, for entrusting us with her collection.”
The International Women’s Baseball Center Archive is a growing collection of information that includes letters, objects and artifacts, photographs, and digital files documenting the history and culture of women in baseball. As the Archive further develops into an invaluable resource for scholars, students, and baseball fans worldwide, the IWBC will update its members and the public on the processing status and accessibility of this recent donation.
Questions about the IWBC Archive or the Jean Hastings Ardell Collection can be directed to [email protected].