Isabel Álvarez
Encyclopedia
Isabel Álvarez [Lefty] is a former female pitcher
and outfielder
who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
between the and seasons. She batted and threw left-handed
.
Isabel Alvarez was the youngest Latina
player to join the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, a women’s circuit born during World War II
and made famous in the 1992 film A League of Their Own
. Alvarez was born and raised in Havana, Cuba
, and learned to play baseball from a neighbor. At age 13, she joined the Estrellas Cubanas (Cuban Stars), an All-Star team modeled after the AAGPBL. The first AAGPBL spring training outside the United States
was held in 1947 in Cuba, as part of a plan to create an International League of Girls Baseball.
From 1948 to 1949, eight Cubanas were recruited to play in the AAGPBL, and Alvarez, at the age of 15, joined the league with the encouragement of her mother, who felt United States offered better opportunities than Cuba did. Alvarez had difficulty communicating in her new country, but credited some teammates for helping her through the rough times.
Alvarez moved around for a while, as the AAGPBL shifted players as needed to help teams stay afloat. She entered the league in 1949 with the Chicago Colleens
, playing for them two years before joining the Fort Wayne Daisies
(1951) and then found herself on the move again, this time to the Battle Creek Belles
(1951), and then the Kalamazoo Lassies
(1953) and Grand Rapids Chicks
(1954), before returning to the Daisies in the league's final year (1954).
Alvarez had three teammates in Chicago who were also from Cuba, so they could help one another with the language and other customs. When she moved to Fort Wayne she had no one who really spoke the language, which made the adjustment a bit tougher. Her most productive season came in 1950 with the Colleens, when she posted a 6-6 record and hit a career-high .256 in 12 games. She pitched 13 games with the Daisies in 1951, earning two wins and no losses with seven strikeout
s and a 3.23 ERA
in 39 innings of work. In 1953 she hit .195 for the Lassies, while collecting career-numbers in games (53), at-bats (123), runs batted in (12) and hits
(24).
By the time the league disbanded, Alvarez had become a U.S. citizen, was learning English and began laboring at a number of jobs, eventually finding work at General Electric
in Fort Wayne, Indiana
. Many years later, she returned to Cuba to visit her family and to try to locate some of the early AAGPBL players, in order to make a documentary titled Cuba on My Mind: The Baseball Journey of Isabel Alvarez. The film was made possible with support from the Indiana Humanities Council. It was shown in 1996 at the Allen County Public Library. Besides this, author Kathy Williams plans to touch upon in a book chronicling Alvarez’s life. The book is tentatively titled Life After the League: From La Tilla del Cerro to All-American, and will recount everything from Alvarez’s family life in Cuba to her days as a professional baseball player in the United States to life after the league. Alvarez displayed talents in a wide range of other sports and activities in her native Cuba, including fencing
, bowling
and modeling bathing suits
.My mother wanted me to be a talk-show radio
broadcaster
or go into physical education
as a gym teacher, Alvarez said. She had me like a little doll. I didn’t know about that. I just played ball.
A long time resident of Fort Wayne, Alvarez is part of the AAGPBL permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown, New York
opened in 1988. She also was honored in 1998 with the Bob Parker Memorial Award, as well as with membership in the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association (NEIBA), for her decades of commitment to the sport of baseball. She is still active as a reporter and columnist for Touching Bases, the AAGPBL Players Association newsletter, and as an active AAGPBL and NEIBA member.
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...
and outfielder
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 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:...
between the and seasons. She batted and threw left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
.
Isabel Alvarez was the youngest Latina
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
player to join the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, a women’s circuit born during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and made famous in the 1992 film A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own
A 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...
. Alvarez was born and raised in Havana, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, and learned to play baseball from a neighbor. At age 13, she joined the Estrellas Cubanas (Cuban Stars), an All-Star team modeled after the AAGPBL. The first AAGPBL spring training outside the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was held in 1947 in Cuba, as part of a plan to create an International League of Girls Baseball.
From 1948 to 1949, eight Cubanas were recruited to play in the AAGPBL, and Alvarez, at the age of 15, joined the league with the encouragement of her mother, who felt United States offered better opportunities than Cuba did. Alvarez had difficulty communicating in her new country, but credited some teammates for helping her through the rough times.
Alvarez moved around for a while, as the AAGPBL shifted players as needed to help teams stay afloat. She entered the league in 1949 with the Chicago Colleens
Chicago Colleens
The Chicago Colleens were a women's professional baseball team who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The team represented Chicago, Illinois and played their home games at Shewbridge Field....
, playing for them two years before joining 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...
(1951) and then found herself on the move again, this time to 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...
(1951), and then 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...
(1953) and 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....
(1954), before returning to the Daisies in the league's final year (1954).
Alvarez had three teammates in Chicago who were also from Cuba, so they could help one another with the language and other customs. When she moved to Fort Wayne she had no one who really spoke the language, which made the adjustment a bit tougher. Her most productive season came in 1950 with the Colleens, when she posted a 6-6 record and hit a career-high .256 in 12 games. She pitched 13 games with the Daisies in 1951, earning two wins and no losses with seven strikeout
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....
s and a 3.23 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 39 innings of work. In 1953 she hit .195 for the Lassies, while collecting career-numbers in games (53), at-bats (123), runs batted in (12) and 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....
(24).
By the time the league disbanded, Alvarez had become a U.S. citizen, was learning English and began laboring at a number of jobs, eventually finding work at General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
. Many years later, she returned to Cuba to visit her family and to try to locate some of the early AAGPBL players, in order to make a documentary titled Cuba on My Mind: The Baseball Journey of Isabel Alvarez. The film was made possible with support from the Indiana Humanities Council. It was shown in 1996 at the Allen County Public Library. Besides this, author Kathy Williams plans to touch upon in a book chronicling Alvarez’s life. The book is tentatively titled Life After the League: From La Tilla del Cerro to All-American, and will recount everything from Alvarez’s family life in Cuba to her days as a professional baseball player in the United States to life after the league. Alvarez displayed talents in a wide range of other sports and activities in her native Cuba, including fencing
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
, bowling
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
and modeling bathing suits
Swimsuit
A swimsuit, bathing suit, or swimming costume is an item of clothing designed to be worn by men, women or children while they are engaging in a water-based activity or water sports, such as swimming, water polo, diving, surfing, water skiing, or during activities in the sun, such as sun bathing.A...
.My mother wanted me to be a talk-show radio
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
or go into physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
as a gym teacher, Alvarez said. She had me like a little doll. I didn’t know about that. I just played ball.
A long time resident of Fort Wayne, Alvarez is part of the AAGPBL permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at 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...
opened in 1988. She also was honored in 1998 with the Bob Parker Memorial Award, as well as with membership in the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association (NEIBA), for her decades of commitment to the sport of baseball. She is still active as a reporter and columnist for Touching Bases, the AAGPBL Players Association newsletter, and as an active AAGPBL and NEIBA member.