Betty McKenna
Encyclopedia
Betty McKenna [Mac] was a third base
woman who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
. McKenna batted and threw right-handed. She was born in Lisbon
, Ohio
.
A solid all-around athlete, McKenna got off to a slow start in the AAFPBL in her rookie
season. She entered the league in 1951 with the Fort Wayne Daisies
, playing for them in a few games before joining the Peoria Redwings
during the midseason and ending the year with the Battle Creek Belles
, batting .151 in 61 games, including six doubles
and one triple
.
After hitting a pale .077 in 1952 in just 61 games, McKenna moved with the Belles when they relocated to Muskegon, Michigan
before the 1993 season. This time she took over the full-time role at third base and blossomed into one of the better defenders of the hot corner in the league, setting career-numbers in average (.215), hits
(63), runs
(31), RBI
(28), stolen base
s (16) and games (94). Still only 22-years old, she was becoming a full-pledged star player, but the Belles, after two championship titles in the 1940s and two reicarnations in the 1950s, folded after 1953 season while the BBGPBL, too, folded a year later.
McKenna died in Ohio at the age of 60.
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
woman who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
. McKenna batted and threw right-handed. She was born in Lisbon
Lisbon, Ohio
Lisbon is a village in Center Township, Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,788 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Columbiana County.-History:...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
A solid all-around athlete, McKenna got off to a slow start in the AAFPBL in her rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
season. She entered the league in 1951 with the Fort Wayne Daisies
Fort Wayne Daisies
The Fort Wayne Daisies were a women's professional baseball team that played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
, playing for them in a few games before joining the Peoria Redwings
Peoria Redwings
The Peoria Redwings were a women's professional baseball team who joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the season. The team represented Peoria, Illinois....
during the midseason and ending the year with the Battle Creek Belles
Battle Creek Belles
The Battle Creek Belles were a women's professional baseball team that played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
, batting .151 in 61 games, including six doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and one triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
.
After hitting a pale .077 in 1952 in just 61 games, McKenna moved with the Belles when they relocated to Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
before the 1993 season. This time she took over the full-time role at third base and blossomed into one of the better defenders of the hot corner in the league, setting career-numbers in average (.215), hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(63), runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(31), RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(28), stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s (16) and games (94). Still only 22-years old, she was becoming a full-pledged star player, but the Belles, after two championship titles in the 1940s and two reicarnations in the 1950s, folded after 1953 season while the BBGPBL, too, folded a year later.
McKenna died in Ohio at the age of 60.
Sources
- Encyclopedia of women and baseball - Leslie A. Heaphy, Mel Anthony May. Publisher: McFarland & Co., 2006. Format: Paperback, 438 pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786421002 ISBN 780786421008
- The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: A biographical dictionary - W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Co., 1997. Format: Paperback, 295 pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786403047 ISBN 9780786403042 he