Author: Jen Nai

Last year we posted about playwright Pia Wilson’s live staged reading of “Effa Loves Baseball”. Since that time, the play has premiered at the Premiere Stages at Kean University in New Jersey for a short run and the positive reviews are rolling in.

Below are several links to the reviews that the one-act play has received (please note links will take you to an external website).

Premiere Stages presents new play about baseball’s unlikeliest Hall of Famer, Effa Manley from NJArts.net

Review: Premiere Stages-EFFA LOVES BASEBALL Covers All the Bases from Broadway World

‘Effa Loves Baseball’ Scores A Home Run: It’s a Historic, Enjoyable Show to See from the New Jersey Stage

A production about more than just baseball from Union News Daily

We are excited to see the positive buzz surrounding Ms. Wilson’s play and for the legacy of our grand-aunt to reach a wider audience.

As part of the 250th anniversary celebration of America’s founding, Creative Philadelphia and Philadelphia Museum of Sports (Brett Mandel, Executive Director) present Founders of Philadelphia Sports, an exhibition presenting mosaic-tactile artwork by Philadelphia visual artist, Jonathan Mandell. The exhibit will run from June 25, 2026 through October 30, 2026 at Philadelphia’s City Hall.

This exhibit is a preview to the opening of the Philadelphia Museum of Sports within the coming year.

We are both proud and excited that Effa’s legacy continues to inspire and educate, especially in her hometown of Philadelphia.

We are excited to announce that Premiere Stages at Kean will be presenting writer Pia Wilson’s “Effa Loves Baseball” in November. This is Ms. Wilson’s second time writing about Effa, who was a minor character in her play “Down Neck” for Yendor Theater Company as part of the celebration of New Jersey’s 350th anniversary.

To learn more about writer Pia Wilson, please visit her website here.

If you would like more information and/or attend the free staged reading of “Effa Loves Baseball”, please visit this link.