Diamond Reflections: DIAMOND DARLINGS

     
The Lineup:

Cyclone Baseball, 1892-2001

The Ames Nine

Coaches

   Timm

    List

Fields

The Diamond Darlings

Team Photos

    1888-1929

    1940-1971

    1974-1988

Cyclones in the Majors

Diamond Darlings, 1973

The Diamond Darlings began at Iowa State in 1970 as an organization of girls “judged on beauty, poise, enthusiasm and interest in baseball.” The group was designed to “promote Iowa State’s baseball program and to improve the image of Cyclone Country.”

 Diamond Darlings upheld high standards in both appearance and knowledge. Tryouts were held every winter and prospective "darlings" took a two and a half page knowledge test. The test included short answer, matching, and multiple choice questions and required the girls to know the intricacies of baseball rules and codes, the status of collegiate baseball teams, and baseball slang. In addition, girls had to pass a skills test to determine their proficiency in throwing, catching, and running and conducted two interviews.


Diamond Darlings conversing with team during photo shoot, 1970

 

The Diamond Darlings were a team of bat girls responsible for picking up bats and foul balls as well as such things as selling and taking tickets, running the score board, cleaning off the bases, and “last but not least, provid[ing] color and beauty for the fans.” The 1972 media guide lists an additional responsibility: “before each game the Darlings take the field and give each player a kiss as he takes his position.” 


Diamond Darlings with Clair Rierson and Cap Timm, 1971

The Louisville Slugger baseball bat company recognized ISU’s Diamond Darlings as the best in the nation in 1974, 1977, 1979, and second best in 1980. 

Although teams continue to exist on other college campuses, the ISU squad disbanded in the 1990s among gender equality discussions on campus.