The Business and Professional Women of New Albany was founded in 1947, part of the national BPW that began in 1919 with the goal of securing women’s right to vote. In 1957, Letty Walter approached BPW to sponsor the first girl’s slow pitch softball team in Southern Indiana. Letty argued that BPW would be training future leaders in fair play, hard work, and the value of helping others. There was no support for girls’ sports in the area, while men’s service clubs, like Rotary and Kiwanis, supported only boys’ sports. The Personal Development Committee of BPW allocated funds in 1958 to purchase equipment, new white blouses with BPW on the back, and to cover the entry fees for the Louisville league. The team was named in honor of this support.
In just two years, interest in softball grew quickly from 15 girls to 150, and BPW partnered with the Parks and Recreation department to offer New Albany leagues. Meanwhile the experienced travelling BPW Hoosier team was invited to the National Tournament in Richmond, Virginia in 1960 and five World Tournaments between 1962 and 1968. BPW went on to sponsor basketball, bowling, and kickball leagues, and they also began a Charm School.
