After completing her first baseball season at age 37, Terri Lynn Herbst of Massapequa Park has been recognized for her achievement on the playing field. The American Womens Baseball league which hosts the website "Women Playing Baseball" www.womenplayingbaseball.com has recently chosen Terri Lynn as a feature player. The site is responsible for promoting womens baseball across the country as well as around the world.

In 1997, Herbst was the only female player in the Mens Senior Baseball League on Long Island which has about 1,176 players. "My heart was always into baseball, but when I was growing up girls werent allowed to play Little League. We played softball because we had no choice." After 19 years of "arc pitch" softball, Herbst took the opportunity to finally play the game she always loved.

To join the league, she attended the draft prior to the start of the season. She was chosen by the LI Clippers of the Central Nassau Division. Although she knew that a female playing hardball was not groundbreaking, her presence on the field this past season was unusual because women around her age only play softball on Long Island. "It never mattered to me that I was the only woman, I was on the field for the same reason all the guys were, I love the game. Playing was such a great experience, I had positive support from my team, and many other players in the league."

Herbst ended the 1997 season with a respectable .340 batting average. She is hoping that the exposure she is receiving will bring other women into the game of baseball locally. "I have no problem of accepting the role as kind of a ladies baseball pioneer. I think it would really be wonderful if more women came forward and joined the league." Any adult 18 or older can play the '98 season by contacting the Mens Senior Baseball League at 753-6725.