WESTFIELD — It took courage and determination nearly 50 years ago for Donna McLean to become the first girl to play baseball in Westfield Little League. She not only made history, but she blazed the trail for other girls to follow in her into what had been a boys-only sport.

Although McLean was a trailblazer, at the time she had no idea what a revolutionary step she was making.

“I was 10 years old, I didn’t realize it was a groundbreaking step. All I wanted to do was play baseball, a sport that I loved,” recalled McLean, who now lives in Torrington, CT.

According to Daniel Genovese, an author and historian of Westfield baseball, McLean’s story was major news 48 years ago. Stories about her appeared on both sports pages and front pages of newspapers.

The caption under a photo of McLean that appeared in The Westfield Evening News stated that she showed “girls can have a place in a predominantly male sport, as she hits and fields with consistency.”

Genovese felt so strongly about McLean’s story that he nominated her for the 2023 Ryan Doyle Courage Award. It was presented to her by Doyle’s parents, Dee and Tim Doyle, at the Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on March 2.

Doyle was a student athlete at Minnechaug Regional High School. He loved baseball and had a promising career until he was diagnosed with cancer.

Despite the diagnosis, Doyle continued to support his high school team as best he could with uplifting spirit and relentless courage. The award is presented to a baseball athlete who has displayed courage and perseverance in the face of difficulty.

“So where is the courage and perseverance in Donna’s story?” asked Genovese. “You have to go back to 1975 when Donna and hundreds of other 8- to 12-year-old girls challenged the institute of Little League baseball to allow girls to play baseball alongside boys.

McLean added that local league officials welcomed her to the sport.

“I had to try out with all the boys to get on a team, which I did – and made the majors level on the Moose Club team,” she recalled.

Once she was on the team, she played left field for the club for four years. In her second year, McLean was named to the Little League’s All-Star Team.

When McLean tried out for the Westfield Little League, she made an instant impact on the sport. But all she wanted to do was play baseball, not break barriers.

Although McLean never had any problem getting on the team or playing the game, the difficulties she faced came from negative remarks from opposing teams and parents of their players. They tried to get McLean to quit.

“I think other teams felt threatened by me, since I was better than some of the boys,” said McLean. “But I never considered quitting. My family was very supportive of me playing baseball in Little League. They were my protectors and my cheerleaders.”

Her father, the late Ian McLean, taught her and her brother, Ian Michael McLean, the game of baseball.

“We were always playing baseball in the backyard. My brother was in Little League, so I wanted to join Little League, too,” she said.

While her father taught her the game, her brother made McLean a fierce competitor.

“We were always competing against each other in baseball and basketball,” she recalled.

One of her fondest memories of Little League was when she was playing left field, and “as a ball was going over my head, I turned, ran back to the fence, reached over and caught it. If I hadn’t, it would have been a home run.”

Because of her perseverance – and her love of baseball and then softball – McLean became one of the most decorated and elite athletes in Western Massachusetts.

“At Westfield High School she earned All-State honors in both softball and basketball. At Westfield State University, she holds more than 20 softball records and was voted All-Conference, All-New England and All-American,” explained Genovese.

He added that McLean went on to play women’s fast-pitch softball at the highest national level with a legendary and highly decorated women’s team in Connecticut, the Stratford Brakettes, which started in 1954.

“Her softball career has landed McLean in the Westfield State University Athletic Hall of Fame, the USA Softball of Connecticut Hall of Fame as well as a member of the Brakettes All-Roster Team,” Genovese said.

McClean credits Joyce O’Donnell, her high school gym teacher and college coach, for teaching her softball, and inspiring her passion for the game: “She made me into a pitcher and she made me the softball player that I am today.”

During 1987 – her rookie year with the Brakettes – McLean hit a grand slam cycle: a home run, a triple, a double and a single, with 10 RBIs.

“It’s a record that hasn’t been broken yet,” said a proud McLean, who currently plays for Fossils, a softball team for women over 50. The team travels the country to play in tournaments and last month won a tournament in Tampa, FL.

McLean said she was “very happy, grateful and honored” to receive the Ryan Doyle Courage Award.

“I loved playing baseball – it was challenging and fun. Now, after playing softball for 46 years, I continue to have fun and enjoy the sport that I absolutely love.”