1997 Phoenix Peppers

The Phoenix (Arizona) Peppers was managed by Dan Hughes, who at 22 was younger than the women he coached. The season was supposed to start with a 2-inning exhibition game against the Los Angeles Legends on June 29 1997, but it was cancelled due to rain. Their first two official games were played against the San Francisco Bay Sox, starting on July 12, and the Peppers won both of them, and 750 fans were there to watch the first game.

Hughes was concerned about the performance of the pitchers, stating "You can't get pitchers ready in two weeks," but had long-term optimism for the league in general. "Women's sports are on the uprise. This league will be here for the long term. We may lose money for the first two years, but the league has all the confidence in the world. But no one should expect too much too soon."

On August 16, the Peppers held a WNBA night, and players from the Phoenix Mercury showed up to the baseball game. And while the Peppers ended the 1997 season with a losing record of 12 wins and 17 loses (3rd place in the four-team league), they did consistently draw in the largest crowds of the league (even though overall attendance figures were low).

Also, a number of players led the league for much of the season, such as Sandra Langston (hitting & on-base percentage), Korine Gomez (doubles & slugging percentage) and Christina DeLuca (ERA of 3.25). The second half of the season is where the Peppers gained momentum. "If the schedule had remained the same, we would have had a chance to win the league," said manager Dan Hughes. "San Jose peaked, Los Angeles peaked, and we never reached our peak. We won games in the end of the season and beat the teams we knew we could beat."