[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 22 (Friday, January 30, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E84-E85]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING DONNA STAGEMAN ROBERTS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RYAN K. ZINKE

                               of montana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 30, 2026

  Mr. ZINKE. Mr. Speaker, as our Nation marks the 250th anniversary of 
American independence, I rise to recognize a remarkable Montanan whose 
life story reflects both the resilience of this Nation during World War 
II and the enduring spirit of service that defines the Treasure State.
  Today I honor Donna Stageman Roberts, born January 1, 1926, in 
Randolph, Nebraska, and now a resident of Swan Lake, Montana. On New 
Year's Day, Donna celebrated her 100th birthday, a milestone befitting 
a life that spans a century of change and achievement.
  Donna's life is interwoven with one of the most extraordinary 
chapters in American sports history and our home front effort during 
World War II. In 1946, at the age of 20 and living in Billings, she 
read about tryouts for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball 
League, a professional league created in 1943 to sustain America's 
pastime while many major league players served overseas during the war.
  After submitting her application and being selected from hundreds of 
hopefuls, Donna earned a contract with the Peoria Redwings, joining 
their inaugural 1946 season as a shortstop and outfielder. During that 
era, these teams kept baseball alive in communities across the Midwest, 
giving Americans a source of normalcy and pride as so many families 
worried about loved ones on distant battlefields. While her 
professional career with Peoria was brief, the experience marked a rare 
and historic contribution to both the sport and the wartime cultural 
landscape of the United States.
  Upon returning to Montana, Donna invested her earnings in her 
education at Eastern Montana College, later dedicating 35 years as an 
elementary school teacher in Helena, shaping

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generations of young Montanans. She and her late husband raised two 
children, and she remained an active and cherished member of her 
community for decades.
  Donna's story connects Montana to a pivotal moment in American 
history, when the home front adapted to global conflict and 
extraordinary opportunities emerged from national necessity. Her 
journey from the sandlots of Billings to the professional diamonds of 
the Midwest and back again exemplifies Montana's contribution to the 
broader American story.
  On this 250th anniversary of our Nation, we honor Donna Roberts for 
her athletic achievement and longevity and for embodying the character 
of service and community that has sustained this country through war 
and peace.
  I congratulate Donna Roberts on her 100th birthday and thank her for 
a life of remarkable dedication and enduring impact on Montana and the 
Nation.

                          ____________________