There’s something special about standing at Warren Ballpark when a game is about to begin. The wooden grandstands creak, the grass looks lush and green against the Mule Mountains in the background, and when the Bisbee Copper Queens take the field, it feels like history is breathing again. No gloves. No fast pitches. Just bare hands, determination, and a deep respect for the way baseball used to be played.
The Bisbee Copper Queens Base Ball Club is a newly revived, all-women’s vintage baseball team that began play during the 2025-2026 season. Playing by the 1860s-era rules, the team honors both Bisbee’s rich baseball history and a much quieter legacy – the long presence of women in the sport. This isn’t a reenactment for show. It’s real baseball, played with heart, grit, and a lot of courage. The Copper Queens were resurrected in 2025 after first forming as a part of a co-ed vintage team competing in the Arizona Vintage Baseball League. As interest grew, the team naturally split into a men’s squad and a women’s squad, allowing the Copper Queens to fully claim their own identity.
Their name is a nod to Bisbee’s mining roots and to the strong, often overlooked women who have always been part of this town’s story. I recently spoke with catcher Amy Smith, better known on the field as “Mad Cow”, who co-founded the team alongside Jorge Gonzalez. Talking with her, it was clear how quickly the Copper Queens have grown and how meaningful this revival has been. The season officially began in September, 2025, and the team now has about 20 active members. Their first game took place in October against the Maricopa Maidens, an all-women’s team, setting the tone for what was to come: competitive play, camaraderie, and a shared love of the game.
The Copper Queens have a game coming up on January 30th in Phoenix, and another on February 21st in Tucson, and are steadily building their presence in the Arizona Vintage Baseball League. The League itself exists to preserve the history of baseball in the region, emphasizing period-accurate uniforms, rules, and conduct. You can also watch them practice on Sundays at noon at Warren Ballpark in Bisbee.
Team Captain, Megan “Slick Pony” McLeod, leads the Queens with confidence and care, guiding a group of women who show up every Sunday to practice under the Bisbee sun. These practices are not just about drills; they’re about trust, timing, and learning how to play a game that demands fearlessness. In 1860s-style baseball, gloves aren’t allowed. A ball caught on a single bounce is an out. Pitching is slow and underhand. The ball is softer than a modern baseball and closer in size to a softball. There are even four outfielders instead of three. It’s a different game, and not an easy one.
All of this takes place at Warren Ballpark, built in 1909 and considered the oldest continuously used baseball field in America. The ballpark has seen professional, semi-pro, and outlaw leagues come and go, and now it bears witness to the Copper Queens’ return.
Standing there, watching these women play, it’s hard not to feel connected to everyone who has ever stepped onto that field before them. The Bisbee Queens are more than a team. They are a reminder that women have always belonged on the baseball field, even when history didn’t bother to write it down. With bare hands and unshakable resolve, they are reclaiming space, honoring the past, and making something powerful happen in the present.