A Woman in a Man’s Game

Kiana ‘Baby K’ Camacho is the first woman in the Saipan Baseball League

A swing and miss! That was not what happened when the first woman ever to play at the highest level of baseball in the CNMI made her first plate appearance on that fateful Wednesday evening last April 12. Hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do in sports. It’s a small, white ball, coming out initially hidden behind the pitcher’s glove, with many possible pitches he could throw, heading toward you at breakneck speed with just a slim wooden bat in your hands—and you have about less than a second to see the ball, read the pitch, react, and swing, make contact—or miss.

Yet with the comeback of sports—and baseball in particular in this post-pandemic world—Kiana “Baby K” Camacho has broken barriers and became the first woman to play in the Saipan Baseball League’s 2023 season, called the Tan Holdings- Saipan Baseball League.

With her youthful face and slim figure, “Baby K” does not fit the image of an average baseball player. When you think of baseball, you see men power hitting through the ball and sprinting and sliding to the bases amid a flurry of dust and gravel. You don’t think of women doing that, let alone a young high school 17-year-old girl playing the sport.

And it’s not as if “Baby K” is an untested newbie who’s fresh to the game. She played second base and was a pinch hitter for the league’s Blue Jays team, and was also in the women’s division Lady Blue Jays team of the 2023 season of Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association League.

It was already history in the making when “Baby K” officially joined the lineup, but when she made contact with a fastball on her first plate appearance, it became an even more spectacular and unforgettable moment, not only for her, but for her family, friends, teammates, the crowd in attendance, and the league.

When asked how she felt that night, she said, “Being a part of this baseball team’s culture and competitiveness feels natural. It’s a wonderful feeling. All I could think about was being on a baseball field like any other field I’ve experienced and how great it feels being surrounded by players who have excelled at the highest levels—major league level, minor league level—it’s fantastic. For a chance like this, I’ve been striving all my life and I’ve prepared to go after it and compete.”

Growing up, “Baby K” has played in primarily male-dominated sports. With baseball, though, it wasn’t love at first sight. She initially detested the sport, but fell in love with it as she got older.

“There were additional factors that supported my choice, such as significant individuals in my life who had a big impact on why I decided to join SBL. My parents have always believed in me that I would be great at becoming the person I am today,” she said.

“Baby K” said that her family is the greatest source “They’ve always encouraged me in my work. They work extremely hard solely for the benefit of me leading a better and happier life… I always get assistance from my siblings whenever I need it, no matter the circumstance.”

Her teachers are like her second parents, who teach and care for her like their own and her friends are also always there for her in both happy and sad times.

On being a young woman athlete, she acknowledged that women athletes throughout history have been “unsupported, underpaid, and undervalued and it’s nothing new.” But “Baby K” truly is a trailblazer in her chosen sport and is paving the way for more women to make waves and progress in this baseball loving community.

INSPIRATION

She believes her example could be a source of inspiration for other women who also dream of becoming athletes. “Inspiration is an idea that has the power to transform many people’s lives. I may be the first to play in the league, but I hope others as well build up the courage to experience what has become a possibility.”

Like what has become a battle cry for many in her generation, “Baby K” passionately longs for gender equality and she believes that can also be achieved through sports.

“There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish. Changing one’s own life is a power that every woman possesses. For ambitious females, female role models are crucial. We are less likely to succeed ourselves if we can’t look up and see successful women…”

MENTOR-COACH-FATHER

She credits her father as the one she looks up to the most. “He is the one who has motivated me since I was a young child. I am greatly motivated by his work ethic, discipline, selflessness, and compassion,” she said.

It was her father who made it possible for her to join the league. Froilan Camacho, who has been her coach since she was 3 years old, asked the SBL board to think about making her play in the league. It took some time for them to decide but they finally agreed. This came about because the SBL switched last year to World Baseball Softball Confederation rules, which consider women as players, coaches, or managers. SBL previously used Major League Baseball rules which did not allow women to play.

“When baseball was making a comeback, I asked myself if I can make a difference this time and asked if Kiana can play baseball, at least just for SaipanBaseball League,” he said. “I had to show pictures from New Zealand and Australia of female Major League [baseball] players… Research and study of the rules is what I learned and asked if SBL can make it happen. I thank SBL for making it happen,” Camacho said.

Froilan Camacho said that having Baby K play in the SBL is a “dream come true.” “I always look for opportunities for my kids to get a chance to play at any level and at any sport,” he said.

YOUTHFUL PROMISE

From a young age, “Baby K” showed a potential to become a well-rounded student-athlete. It began when she first joined the Natibu Sports Association T-Ball Seasons when she was 3 to 8 years old. She then joined the Jets baseball team in the Little League Majors Division from 2014 to 2015 when she was 9 to 10 years old.

“Baby K” also played soccer for the Matansa Football Club from 2014 to 2019 and played basketball and soccer for Tanapag Middle School. She then joined the Pirates baseball team in 2016 when she was 11 years old. In 2017, when she was 12, she joined the Chiefs’ baseball team in the Little League Juniors Division.

She also joined the NSA Girls FastPitch Softball Season from 2018 to 2019 in the back-to-back championship team Patriot Angels. In 2019, she occasionally played for Team G-Ballers and Team Flores Softball Team, or when requested by other teams.

She then—along with the world—took a break from sports during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to 2021, and swiftly went back to it in 2022 to play in the Budweiser Belau Amateur Softball Association League women’s division championship team Queens of Diamond.

Yes, the pandemic brought the world of sports to its knees, but it could not keep it down. It is the same for women throughout history. Through perseverance, dedication, and a love for the game, women—just like sports—always find a way to make it through.

Now—I ask, like Brad Pitt in the movie Moneyball, how can you not be romantic about baseball?