Elizabeth Mahon
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth B. Mahon [″Lib″] (November 18, 1919 – September 6, 2001) was a female outfielder
who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
. Listed at 5' 7", 135 lb., Mahon batted and threw right-handed. She was born in Greenville, South Carolina
.
team sponsored by the Brandon Cotton Mill, where their father worked as a truck driver. She also played intramural sports at Parker High, including fastpitch softball
, field hockey
and soccer.
Mahon proved herself to be one of the most competent ballplayers in AAGPBL history. On a very early age, she got used to play ball with her brothers in Greenville brownfields. She not only learned how to play the games, but also gained self confidence by setting and reaching goals, self esteem by continual growth, and respect for others and themselves. Lil, who grew up in a mill village located directly across the street from the Brandon Mills, was among the most talented of those who ever played on the improvised baseball diamonds that were usually the property of one of the area's many textile mills. It was not easy for a female ball player to hone her diamond skills in the thirties, because the high schools did offer athletic programs for female student, and the girls who liked baseball could often be seen playing with the boys.
Part of a modest and big family, Mahon decided to take a job in a cotton mill while completing her senior year in high school. Even though life at the mill meant 55-hour weeks for those who were considered full-time employers, girls' athletic teams usually were made up of employers who held jobs at their respective plants, as the games were played on weekends, though an occasional weekday game came (into the picture) from time to time. While it was common the practice for men's mills teams to put talented ball players on the local payroll to shore up the strength of their lineup, the girls just played for fun. Despite being one of the better players around the Greenville area, Mahon never received payment for playing on any of these teams.
Mahon continued to work at her boring mill job following her graduation in 1937, until an aunt offered to pay her a college education at Winthrop College
. Mahon accepted the generous proposition and began her freshman year on the campus in 1938. She finished college in 1942 with a degree in physical education, and spent one year in Whitmire, South Carolina
, teaching all subjects to a class of seventh graders. She returned to Greenville in 1944 and took a job in the U.S. Post Office.
While at college, Mahon started a close friendship with Viola Thompson, a talented fastpitch softball
pitcher
with the same passion for baseball. Eventually, Mahon played softball in Greenville on the same team with Thompson. In the same year, a talent scout
offered Mahon and Thompson an invitation to come to the newly founded All-American Girls Professional Baseball League tryouts, which were to be held at Wrigley Field
in Chicago, Illinois. With the prospect of making the $60 per week that was being paid to the members of the established teams, which was a vast sum of money by then, the two Greenville girls decided to try their hand in the new league. Both Mahon and Thompson managed to win full-time jobs in the AAGPBL for the 1944 season.
, a helpless and unfortunate franchise that did not last long in the league. She eventually was spotted by Kenosha Comets
manager
Marty McManus
, who traded three players for her during the midseason. Mahon played at outfield and took an occasional turn at one of the infield spots, but she was especially noted by her hitting ability. In her first season, she hit .211 with 38 runs batted in and a career-high three home run
s in 107 games. She quickly established herself as a solid player and assured a return for the 1945 season. That year, McManus joined the South Bend Blue Sox
and traded for her again. Mahon responded with a hitting streak
which spanned 13 games.
In 1946, Mahon hit .276 for the sixth best batting average
and led the batters with 72 runs batted in. She also was credited for stealing
114 bases out of 116 attempts, but for most of the time, Mahon was the cleanup hitter
for the Blue Sox. She helped her team to clinch the regular pennant in 1951, after leading the league with 60 RBI while hitting .269. She also showed her offensive consistency by driving in 68 runs (second) in 1951 and 65 (third) in 1948.
Mahon spent a total of nine seasons in the league. Along the way, she was chosen for the AAGPBL All Star team on two occasions (1946, 1949), and posted a career batting average of .248 (721-for-2903), including 432 runs
and 400 RBI in 837 game appearances. Her 400 RBI ties her with Pepper Paire
for fourth best in the AAGPBL's all-time list, behind Dorothy Schroeder
(431), Inez Voyce
(422) and Eleanor Callow
(407).
Mahon quit playing during the 1952 season, but did not return to South Carolina. By then the AAGPBL had begun to go downhill as interest in the novelty of top-flight women's baseball was losing its luster, and baseball, in general, was beginning to fall in hardest times as well as the salaries, forcing club owners could get players to play at their clubs for relatively cheap. Then, Mahon accepted a well remunerated teaching position in the public school system of South Bend, Indiana
. After earning a Master’s degree at Indiana University
, in 1960, she remained as a teacher and later a guidance counselor until her retirement in 1981.
Mahon continued to live in South Bend, where she died at the age of 81. Her final honor came posthumously, when she was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame on May 5, 2005. Mahon is one of only two South Carolina natives to play in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the other being her longtime friend Viola Thompson, who had been inducted in the SCAHOF in 1998.
Fielding
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
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:...
. Listed at 5' 7", 135 lb., Mahon batted and threw right-handed. She was born in Greenville, South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
.
Early life
Lib Mahon was one of six children of David Mahon and Pearl Mahon. Her father was an avid baseball fan, as well as her older brother, while her younger brother played sandlot ball and her three sisters handled most of the chores around home. At age of twelve, Mahon and her older sisters played for a local basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team sponsored by the Brandon Cotton Mill, where their father worked as a truck driver. She also played intramural sports at Parker High, including fastpitch softball
Fastpitch softball
Fast-pitch softball is a form of softball played commonly by women and men, though coed fast-pitch leagues also exist. The International Softball Federation is the international governing body of softball...
, field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
and soccer.
Mahon proved herself to be one of the most competent ballplayers in AAGPBL history. On a very early age, she got used to play ball with her brothers in Greenville brownfields. She not only learned how to play the games, but also gained self confidence by setting and reaching goals, self esteem by continual growth, and respect for others and themselves. Lil, who grew up in a mill village located directly across the street from the Brandon Mills, was among the most talented of those who ever played on the improvised baseball diamonds that were usually the property of one of the area's many textile mills. It was not easy for a female ball player to hone her diamond skills in the thirties, because the high schools did offer athletic programs for female student, and the girls who liked baseball could often be seen playing with the boys.
Part of a modest and big family, Mahon decided to take a job in a cotton mill while completing her senior year in high school. Even though life at the mill meant 55-hour weeks for those who were considered full-time employers, girls' athletic teams usually were made up of employers who held jobs at their respective plants, as the games were played on weekends, though an occasional weekday game came (into the picture) from time to time. While it was common the practice for men's mills teams to put talented ball players on the local payroll to shore up the strength of their lineup, the girls just played for fun. Despite being one of the better players around the Greenville area, Mahon never received payment for playing on any of these teams.
Mahon continued to work at her boring mill job following her graduation in 1937, until an aunt offered to pay her a college education at Winthrop College
Winthrop University
Winthrop University is a public, four-year liberal arts university in Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA. In 2006-07, Winthrop University had an enrollment of 6,292 students. The University has been recognized as South Carolina's top-rated university according to evaluations conducted by the South...
. Mahon accepted the generous proposition and began her freshman year on the campus in 1938. She finished college in 1942 with a degree in physical education, and spent one year in Whitmire, South Carolina
Whitmire, South Carolina
Whitmire is a town in Newberry County, South Carolina, along the Enoree River. The population was 1,512 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Whitmire is located at ....
, teaching all subjects to a class of seventh graders. She returned to Greenville in 1944 and took a job in the U.S. Post Office.
While at college, Mahon started a close friendship with Viola Thompson, a talented fastpitch softball
Fastpitch softball
Fast-pitch softball is a form of softball played commonly by women and men, though coed fast-pitch leagues also exist. The International Softball Federation is the international governing body of softball...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
with the same passion for baseball. Eventually, Mahon played softball in Greenville on the same team with Thompson. In the same year, a talent scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
offered Mahon and Thompson an invitation to come to the newly founded All-American Girls Professional Baseball League tryouts, which were to be held at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
in Chicago, Illinois. With the prospect of making the $60 per week that was being paid to the members of the established teams, which was a vast sum of money by then, the two Greenville girls decided to try their hand in the new league. Both Mahon and Thompson managed to win full-time jobs in the AAGPBL for the 1944 season.
AAGPBL career
Mahon was assigned to the Minneapolis MillerettesMinneapolis Millerettes
The Minneapolis Millerettes were an expansion All-American Girls Professional Baseball League team that played for one season in 1944. They played their home games in Nicollet Park, home of the men's minor league team the Minneapolis Millers...
, a helpless and unfortunate franchise that did not last long in the league. She eventually was spotted by Kenosha Comets
Kenosha Comets
Based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Kenosha Comets were a women's professional baseball team that played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The team played their home games at Kenosha's Lake Front Stadium, but later moved to Simmons Field.The Kenosha Comets were one...
manager
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...
Marty McManus
Marty McManus
Martin Joseph "Marty" McManus was a Major League Baseball infielder who played principally as a second baseman and third baseman .-St. Louis Browns: 1920-1926:...
, who traded three players for her during the midseason. Mahon played at outfield and took an occasional turn at one of the infield spots, but she was especially noted by her hitting ability. In her first season, she hit .211 with 38 runs batted in and a career-high three home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in 107 games. She quickly established herself as a solid player and assured a return for the 1945 season. That year, McManus joined the South Bend Blue Sox
South Bend Blue Sox
The South Bend Blue Sox were a women's professional baseball team who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
and traded for her again. Mahon responded with a hitting streak
Hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak refers to the number of consecutive official games in which a player gets at least one base hit.According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is ended when a player has at least 1 plate appearance and no hits...
which spanned 13 games.
In 1946, Mahon hit .276 for the sixth best 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 :...
and led the batters with 72 runs batted in. She also was credited for stealing
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...
114 bases out of 116 attempts, but for most of the time, Mahon was the cleanup hitter
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...
for the Blue Sox. She helped her team to clinch the regular pennant in 1951, after leading the league with 60 RBI while hitting .269. She also showed her offensive consistency by driving in 68 runs (second) in 1951 and 65 (third) in 1948.
Mahon spent a total of nine seasons in the league. Along the way, she was chosen for the AAGPBL All Star team on two occasions (1946, 1949), and posted a career batting average of .248 (721-for-2903), including 432 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...
and 400 RBI in 837 game appearances. Her 400 RBI ties her with Pepper Paire
Pepper Paire
Lavonne Paire Davis [″Pepper″] is a former catcher and infielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 4", 138 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.-Overview profile:...
for fourth best in the AAGPBL's all-time list, behind Dorothy Schroeder
Dorothy Schroeder
Dorothy Schroeder [″Dottie″] was a shortstop who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 7", 150 lb., Schroeder batted and threw right-handed...
(431), 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...
(422) and Eleanor Callow
Eleanor Callow
Eleanor Callow Squirt is a former Canadian female left fielder who played from through for three different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Callow was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed...
(407).
Mahon quit playing during the 1952 season, but did not return to South Carolina. By then the AAGPBL had begun to go downhill as interest in the novelty of top-flight women's baseball was losing its luster, and baseball, in general, was beginning to fall in hardest times as well as the salaries, forcing club owners could get players to play at their clubs for relatively cheap. Then, Mahon accepted a well remunerated teaching position in the public school system of South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
. After earning a Master’s degree at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, in 1960, she remained as a teacher and later a guidance counselor until her retirement in 1981.
Mahon continued to live in South Bend, where she died at the age of 81. Her final honor came posthumously, when she was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame on May 5, 2005. Mahon is one of only two South Carolina natives to play in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the other being her longtime friend Viola Thompson, who had been inducted in the SCAHOF in 1998.
Career statistics
Batting| GP Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... | AB At bat In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance... | R 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... | H 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.... | 2B 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.... | 3B 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.... | HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... | 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... | SB 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... | BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... | SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... | BA 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 :... | OBP | SLG | OPS On-base plus slugging On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 837 | 2562 | 432 | 721 | 84 | 34 | 8 | 400 | SB | TB | 358 | 150 | .281 | .370 | .720 |
Fielding
| GP Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... | PO | A Assist (baseball) In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional... | E Error (baseball) In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ... | TC Total chances In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding... | DP Double play In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two".... | FA Fielding percentage In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 807 | 1190 | 236 | 58 | 1484 | 28 | .961 |
Facts
- The AAGPBL folded in 1954, but there is now a permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown, New YorkCooperstown, New YorkCooperstown 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...
since November 5, that honors those who were part of this unique experience. Lib Mahon, along with the rest of the league's girls, is now enshrined in the Hall.
- In 19921992 in filmThe year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards...
, filmmaker Penny MarshallPenny MarshallPenny Marshall is an American actress, producer and director.After playing several small roles for television, she was cast as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Laverne and Shirley...
premiered her filmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
A League of Their OwnA League of Their OwnA League of Their Own is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Directed by Penny Marshall, the film stars Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Rosie O'Donnell...
, which was a fictionalized account of activities in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Starring Geena DavisGeena DavisVirginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis is an American actress, film producer, writer, former fashion model, and a women's Olympics archery team semi-finalist...
, Tom HanksTom HanksThomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
, MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Lori PettyLori PettyLori Petty is an American film and television actress best known for playing "Tyler Endicott" in Point Break in 1991, "Kit Keller" in A League of Their Own in 1992, and the title role in Tank Girl in 1995.-Early life:...
and Rosie O'DonnellRosie O'DonnellRoseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
, this film brought a rejuvenated interest to the extinct AAGPBL. Many baseball historians consider the league's players as pioneers of an important movement which has eventually brought women's athletics to the prominent place it occupies in the 21st century.
Sources
- All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2000. Format: Paperback, 294pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786437472. ISBN 9780786437474
- Baseball In The Carolinas: 25 Essays On The States' Hardball Heritage – J. Chris Holaday, Chris Holaday, Clyde King. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2002. Format: Paperback, 192 pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786413182 ISBN 9780786413188
- Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: A Biographical Dictionary - W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2005. Format: Paperback, 295 pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786437472. ISBN 9780786422630
External links
- AAGPBL Official Site
- AAGPBL Records
- South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame - 2005 Inductions
- Lib Mahon Biography, by Jim Sargent, baseball researcher and historian