The Golden Valley Historical Society (GVHS) will host a talk titled “The Game is for the Girls: The 50-Year Story of Golden Valley Girls Softball” on Thursday, April 10, 7 pm at its museum, 6731 Golden Valley Rd. The event is free and open to the public; no pre-registration is required.
Bob Mattison, a long-time Golden Valley resident, will host the event. Mattison authored a book detailing the history of the Golden Valley Girls Softball (GVGS) league, which was founded in 1974 with just six teams. Since then, the league has grown to become one of Minnesota’s premier slow-pitch softball leagues, once fielding 42 teams.
Mattison, who coached in the league for 13 years and held various leadership roles, including umpire-in-chief, will discuss how the league began as a grassroots effort by a group of women who wanted their daughters to have the opportunity to play team sports, something that was largely unavailable to them at the time. He will also highlight the league’s support from the Golden Valley Parks and Recreation Department, particularly in recent years, to provide facilities comparable to those used by boys’ basketball teams.
Mattison’s book, The Game is for the Girls, serves as a fundraiser for the league and is available for purchase on Amazon in both e-book and paperback formats. Copies will also be for sale at the event.
To learn more, visit the GVHS website.