Doris L. Satterfield [Sadie] (July 27, 1926 - November 4, 1993) was a left

Left fielder

In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...

 and center fielder

Center fielder

A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...

 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:...

. She batted and threw right-handed.

A three-time All-Star, Doris Satterfield established herself as one of the most feared hitters in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in a span of eight years. A member of three champion teams, she ranks seventh in the all-time list with runs batted in and eleventh with a .271 batting average

Batting average

Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...

. In addition, she provided a stellar defense at outfield combined with a good and secure throwing arm.

Early life

Born in Belmont, North Carolina

Belmont, North Carolina

Belmont is a small suburban city in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States, located about west of uptown Charlotte, North Carolina and east of Gastonia. The population was 8,705 at the 2000 census. Once known as Garibaldi, the city named in honor of August Belmont, a prominent New York banker...

, Satterfield started playing softball

Softball

Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...

 by the age of eleven. She joined the city league at age fifteen, and for three years took part in the National Softball Tournament held at Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

. She was noticed by scouts for the AAGPBL and offered a contract, but she decided to finish school first and earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is an American four year academic degree in the science and principles of nursing, granted by a tertiary education university or similarly accredited school...

 degree.

AAGPBL

Satterfield joined the league in 1947 with the Grand Rapids Chicks

Grand Rapids Chicks

The Grand Rapids Chicks were a women's professional baseball team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1945 to 1954, winning championships in 1947 and 1953....

, playing for them her entire career in the circuit. Usually, she batted cleanup

Cleanup hitter

In baseball, the cleanup hitter is the hitter who bats fourth in the lineup. Although the third man up is generally the hitter with the highest batting average, cleanup hitters often have the most power on the team and are typically the team's best power hitter; their job is to "clean up the...

 because her ability to clear the bases with runners in scoring position. By April 1947, all of the league’s players were flown to Havana, Cuba for the first AAGPBL spring training

Spring training

In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...

 outside the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, as part of a plan to create an International League of Girls Baseball. The Chicks roster, managed

Manager (baseball)

In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...

 by Johnny Rawlings

Johnny Rawlings

John William Rawlings [Red] was a second baseman and shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for six different teams between the and seasons. Listed at 5'8", 158 lb., he batted and threw right-handed....

, included top notch players such as Mildred Earp

Mildred Earp

Mildred Earp [Mid or Millie] is a former female pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 6", 135 lb., she batted and threw right handed....

, Alice Haylett

Alice Haylett

Alice Haylett [Al or Sis] was a female pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 6", 155 lb., she batted and threw right-handed....

, Ruth Lessing

Ruth Lessing

----Ruth Elizabeth Lessing [Tex] was a female catcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 5", 128 lb., she batted and threw right handed....

, Ruth Richard

Ruth Richard

Ruth Richard [Richie] is a former female catcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 4", 134 lb., she batted left-handed and threw right-handed....

, Jane Stoll

Jane Stoll

Jane Stoll was an outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 2", 135 lb., she batted and threw right-handed....

, Inez Voyce

Inez Voyce

Inez Ferne Voyce [Lefty] is a former first basewoman who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...

, Connie Wisniewski

Connie Wisniewski

Constance Wisniewski was a starting pitcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...

 and Alma Ziegler

Alma Ziegler

Alma Ziegler was an infielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 3", 125 lb., Ziegler batted and threw right-handed....

. In the final Series, Earp pitched a four-hit, 1–0 shutout

Shutout

In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....

 against the Racine Belles

Racine Belles

The Racine Belles were one of the original teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playing from through out of Racine, Wisconsin. The team played its home games at Horlick Field.-History:...

 to win decisive Game 7.

In 1949, Satterfield led the league with 22 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....

. She earned her first All-Star berth in 1950, repeating in 1953 and 1954, while the Chicks, with Woody English

Woody English

Elwood George "Woody" English was an American shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for twelve seasons with the Chicago Cubs and the Brooklyn Dodgers.- Early life :...

 at the helm, won their second title in 1953, two to zero games, against the Kalamazoo Lassies

Kalamazoo Lassies

The Kalamazoo Lassies were a team who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The team represented Kalamazoo, Michigan. Home games were initially played at Lindstrom Field, but later games were played at the Catholic Athletic Association Field, now the...

.

During the 1950 season, Satterfield spoiled a no-hit

No-hitter

A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...

 bid by 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...

 pitching great Dorothy Wiltse

Dottie Wiltse Collins

Dorothy Wiltse Collins [Dottie] was an American pitcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was in existence from 1943–54....

 in the seventh inning, smacking a clean single

Single (baseball)

In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...

 to center field. In her last season, she posted career-numbers in average (.295) and RBI (79).

Life after baseball

In addition, Satterfield and fellow teammate Connie Wisniewski opened a small burger joint near the Grand Rapids theater. Called the Chicks Dugout, the business was moderately successful and the partners eventually sold it for a profit. She also worked as a nurse until her retirement in 1988.

Since 1988 Satterfield is part of Women in Baseball, a permanent display based at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York

Cooperstown, New York

Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...

, which was unveiled to honor the entire All-American Girls Professional Baseball League rather than individual baseball personalities. She died in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...

, at the age of 67.

Sources