Joanne Winter
Encyclopedia
Joanne Emily Winter [Jo] (November 24, 1924 - September 22, 1996) was a pitcher
who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
. Listed at 5' 8", 138 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
(163) and Jean Faut
(140). Following her baseball career, she excelled as a master teacher of golf
for 30 years.
origins, respectively. The young Winter attended Proviso Township High School
in Chicago. Athletically inclined, she participated in basketball
, soccer, swimming
, volleyball
, track and field, tennis
, and handball
as a youth near Chicago. At age 11, she joined the Oak Park Coeds softball
team. In addition, she spent much of her free time training in a gymnasium owned by Jocko Conlan
, a local hero and an umpire
with Major League Baseball
experience.
Winter dropped out of school at 15 to play softball for the Parichy Roofing Company, well known as a Bloomer Girls team, and later joined the Admiral Music Maids of the National Women's Softball League. She later moved with her family to Phoenix, Arizona
, where she played for the Arizona Ramblers. At 18, she heard about Philip K. Wrigley
and his remarkable experiment in creating a women professional baseball league.
, Wrigley was in charge both of the Wrigley Company
and the Chicago Cubs
Major League Baseball club. Wrigley decided to found the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League as a promotional sideline to maintain interest in baseball as the military draft was depleting Major League rosters of first-line players. Wrigley approached other Major League team owners, but the idea was not well received. Then, four non-Major League cities were selected that were in close proximity to the AAGPBL headquarters in Chicago and close to each other: Rockford
of Illinois
, South Bend
of Indiana
, and Racine
and Kenosha
of Wisconsin
. Publicist
Arthur Meyerhoff
was given the responsibility of coordinating operations with city officials and civic leaders in the communities, as well as a projected budget was developed. The first spring training
of the new league was set for May 17, 1943, at Wrigley Field
in Chicago. After four years of semiprofessional competition, Winter tried out for the AAGPBL.
Since the only organized ball for women in the country was softball, the league created a hybrid game which included both softball and baseball. Wrigley had scouts
all over the United States
, Canada
and even Cuba
signing girls for tryouts. About 500 girls attended the call. Of these, only 280 were invited to the final try-outs in Chicago where 60 were chosen to become the first women to ever play professional baseball. The league started with the four teams aforementioned, and each team was made up of fifteen girls. Winter survived the final cut and was assigned to the Racine Belles
, where she played for the next eight seasons.
, winners of the second half, 3 games to 0. She also was selected for the All-Star Game, which was the first night game played at Wrigley Field
(July 1, 1943).
But each year the field dimension changed as the league came closer to emulating the game played by the men's major leagues. The pitching mound was raised, the pitching distance was lengthened, the ball shrank from season to season, the basepaths were extended and two new teams were added, until sidearm pitching was allowed in 1946. Winter had a hard time dealing with the changes as she struggled to keep mentally focused, recording a 22-45 mark between 1944 and 1945. Then she learned from a Mexican
hurler how to pitch a sidearm sling-shot delivery. The rising pitch baffled hitters and transformed her in one of the best pitchers of the league, most notably, when the league expanded from six to eight teams.
In 1946, Winter earned 33 victories for only nine losses while pitching 17 shutout
s with 183 strikeout
s in 46 pitching appearances
. Winter's 33 wins tied her with Connie Wisniewski
for most victories in a regular season. She also set all-time records of 63 consecutive scoreless innings and six consecutive shutouts; was selected an All-Star, and led Racine capture another pennant and championship. The Belles finished in first place with a league-best 74-38 record, won the semifinal round of playoffs by defeating the South Bend Blue Sox
in four games, and clinched the title after beating the 1945 AAGPBL champions Rockford Peaches
, four games to two.
Throughout the playoffs Sophie Kurys
was the biggest Belles star. She led all players in average
, stolen base
s, and runs scored
. On the other hand, Winter collected four wins in all series, including three against Rockford, despite allowing 19 base runners
in a 1–0 shutout victory over the Peaches in decisive Game Six. The winning run was scored by Kurys on an RBI-single by Betty Trezza
. The Belles also showed a great defense, notably by left fielder
Edythe Perlick
, right fielder
Eleanor Dapkus
, first sacker Margaret Danhauser
, shortstop
Trezza, and Maddy English
at third
.
Winter went 22-13 with 121 strikeouts in 1947, leading her team again to the playoffs. Racine defeated the Muskegon Lassies
, three games to one, but lost to the Grand Rapids Chicks
in the final Series four games to three.
Winter was able to make the adjustment to overhand pitching before the 1948 season, when Leo Murphy
, former Pittsburgh Pirates
catcher
and Belles manager, helped her convert to a three-quarters delivery during spring training
. She responded by leading the league with 256 strikeouts and 329 innings while tying in victories (25) with Alice Haylett
, joining the All-Star team for a third time and helping Racine garner another pennant. The Belles lost the semifinal playoff to the Peaches, the eventually winners of the Championship Title.
A durable and consistent pitcher, Winter fell victim to the new rules. She had a shoulder that could not take the new pitching motion and also developed back problems, compiling a 20-25 record in her last two seasons. At the end of 1950 the Belles lacked the financial resources to keep the club playing in Racine and opted to move to Battle Creek, Michigan
for the 1951 season. Winter, along with original Belles Dapkus, English, Kurys and Perlick, were disappointment and decided not to make the move. During eight years, the Belles were a close-knit team, always like a family away from home. Winter and teammates thought that all would be different, like a new team, maybe a new manager and, specially, a new location.
and golf
in Arizona. Her ability to compete in two professional sports marked a rarity for women in the 1960s. She won the Arizona State Women's Golf championship four times, and joined the Ladies Professional Golf Association
in 1962, competing in 25 tournaments. Her LPGA career ended in 1965 due to a back injury caused by an auto accident.
One of 14 original Master Professionals in the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Division, Winter found her niche as a master teacher of golf for 30 years. She tutored many students from beginners to tour professionals, including Danielle Ammaccapane
, Jerilyn Britz
, Heather Farr
and Alice Miller
, among other important golfers. Her contacts through those years brought her to visit her former employer Philip K. Wrigley
. By then, Wrigley stood in front of the Chicago Cubs
and was also the owner of the Arizona Biltmore Resort. Through this contact, Winter was able to have one day of the tournament at the Biltmore with no charge for green fees. She also scheduled courses in the Scottsdale area free of charge as well since the tournament was usually held during the hot summer. Founder of the Arizona Silver Belle Championship Golf tournament, she also coached women's golf at Scottsdale Community College
and Arizona State University
.
dedicated a permanent display to the All American Girls Professional Baseball league. But like many of her AAGPBL colleagues, Winter was relatively unknown until the 1992 film A League of Their Own
by filmmaker Penny Marshall
was exhibited for the first time. During the pre-production phase she joined several former AAGPBL players as consultants for the film.
Winter also received many honors and awards, including LPGA Teacher of the Year in 1969 and the Ellen Griffin Rolex award in 1995. This award, named after one of the best known female teachers in American golf history, recognizes individuals who have demonstrated by their teaching skill the same spirit, love, and dedication possessed by Griffin. Besides this, Winter was inducted in the National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.
The unselfish Winter excelled in two sports and shared her expertise with thousands of students young and old. She died in Scottsdale, Arizona at the age of 71.
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...
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' 8", 138 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
Overview profile
Winter was one of the sixty original members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. A three-time All-Star and twice a member of the Champion Team, she also posted several records over her eight year career in the league. Winter is also one of seven pitchers with 100 or more wins in AAGPBL history, ranking in third place with 133 victories behind Helen NicolHelen Nicol
Helen Nicol is a Canadian former baseball pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Listed at 5' 3", 120 lb., Nicol batted and threw right-handed...
(163) and Jean Faut
Jean Faut
Jean Anna Faut [Winsch/Eastman] is a former female starting pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 4", 137 lb., she batted and threw right handed....
(140). Following her baseball career, she excelled as a master teacher of golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
for 30 years.
Early life
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Joanne Winter was the daughter of George Winter and Edith (née Watson) Winter, of German and ScottishScottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
origins, respectively. The young Winter attended Proviso Township High School
Proviso Township High Schools District 209
Proviso Township High Schools District 209, established in 1910, is located in western Cook County, Illinois, USA. The district encompasses most of Proviso Township, excluding the extreme southern portion...
in Chicago. Athletically inclined, she participated in basketball
Basketball
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...
, soccer, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, track and field, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
as a youth near Chicago. At age 11, she joined the Oak Park Coeds 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...
team. In addition, she spent much of her free time training in a gymnasium owned by Jocko Conlan
Jocko Conlan
John Bertrand "Jocko" Conlan was an American Hall of Fame umpire who worked in the National League from 1941 to 1965. He previously had a brief career as an outfielder with the Chicago White Sox....
, a local hero and an umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
with Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
experience.
Winter dropped out of school at 15 to play softball for the Parichy Roofing Company, well known as a Bloomer Girls team, and later joined the Admiral Music Maids of the National Women's Softball League. She later moved with her family to Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, where she played for the Arizona Ramblers. At 18, she heard about Philip K. Wrigley
Philip K. Wrigley
Philip Knight Wrigley , sometimes also called P.K. or Phil. Born in Chicago, he was an American chewing gum manufacturer and executive in Major League Baseball, inheriting both those roles as the quiet son of his much more flamboyant father, William Wrigley Jr. After his father died in 1932, Philip...
and his remarkable experiment in creating a women professional baseball league.
Birth of the AAGPBL
During World War IIWorld 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...
, Wrigley was in charge both of the Wrigley Company
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
The William Wrigley Jr. Company is a company headquartered in the Wrigley Building in Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois. The company was founded on April 1, 1891, originally selling products such as soap and baking powder. In 1892, William Wrigley, Jr., the company's founder, began packaging...
and the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
Major League Baseball club. Wrigley decided to found the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League as a promotional sideline to maintain interest in baseball as the military draft was depleting Major League rosters of first-line players. Wrigley approached other Major League team owners, but the idea was not well received. Then, four non-Major League cities were selected that were in close proximity to the AAGPBL headquarters in Chicago and close to each other: Rockford
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, South Bend
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...
of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and Racine
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
and Kenosha
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. Publicist
Publicist
A publicist is a person whose job is to generate and manage publicity for a public figure, especially a celebrity, a business, or for a work such as a book, film or album...
Arthur Meyerhoff
Arthur Meyerhoff
Arthur E. Meyerhoff was an advertising agency executive and entrepreneur. He was born in Chicago, Illinois.Meyerhoff founded his own agency, Arthur Meyerhoff Associates, in 1932 after persuading the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company that he could arrange for newspapers to place advertisements for Wrigley...
was given the responsibility of coordinating operations with city officials and civic leaders in the communities, as well as a projected budget was developed. The first 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...
of the new league was set for May 17, 1943, 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. After four years of semiprofessional competition, Winter tried out for the AAGPBL.
Since the only organized ball for women in the country was softball, the league created a hybrid game which included both softball and baseball. Wrigley had scouts
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...
all over the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and even 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...
signing girls for tryouts. About 500 girls attended the call. Of these, only 280 were invited to the final try-outs in Chicago where 60 were chosen to become the first women to ever play professional baseball. The league started with the four teams aforementioned, and each team was made up of fifteen girls. Winter survived the final cut and was assigned to 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:...
, where she played for the next eight seasons.
AAGPBL career
Winter posted a 11-11 record in 1943, helping the Belles win both the first half of the season and AAGPBL championship. In the best-of-five Series, Racine defeated the Kenosha CometsKenosha 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...
, winners of the second half, 3 games to 0. She also was selected for the All-Star Game, which was the first night game played 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...
(July 1, 1943).
But each year the field dimension changed as the league came closer to emulating the game played by the men's major leagues. The pitching mound was raised, the pitching distance was lengthened, the ball shrank from season to season, the basepaths were extended and two new teams were added, until sidearm pitching was allowed in 1946. Winter had a hard time dealing with the changes as she struggled to keep mentally focused, recording a 22-45 mark between 1944 and 1945. Then she learned from a Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
hurler how to pitch a sidearm sling-shot delivery. The rising pitch baffled hitters and transformed her in one of the best pitchers of the league, most notably, when the league expanded from six to eight teams.
In 1946, Winter earned 33 victories for only nine losses while pitching 17 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....
s with 183 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 in 46 pitching appearances
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
. Winter's 33 wins tied her with Connie Wisniewski
Connie Wisniewski
Constance Wisniewski was a starting pitcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
for most victories in a regular season. She also set all-time records of 63 consecutive scoreless innings and six consecutive shutouts; was selected an All-Star, and led Racine capture another pennant and championship. The Belles finished in first place with a league-best 74-38 record, won the semifinal round of playoffs by defeating 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...
in four games, and clinched the title after beating the 1945 AAGPBL champions Rockford Peaches
Rockford Peaches
The Rockford Peaches were a team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playing out of Rockford, Illinois for the entire existence of the league from 1943 to 1954....
, four games to two.
Throughout the playoffs Sophie Kurys
Sophie Kurys
Sophie Kurys is a former second basewoman who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 5", 115 lb., Kurys batted and threw right-handed.-Career:...
was the biggest Belles star. She led all players in 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 :...
, 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, and runs scored
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...
. On the other hand, Winter collected four wins in all series, including three against Rockford, despite allowing 19 base runners
Baserunning
In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat.In general, baserunning is a tactical part of the game with the goal of eventually reaching home to score a run. In fact, the goal of batting is generally to produce baserunners, or help move...
in a 1–0 shutout victory over the Peaches in decisive Game Six. The winning run was scored by Kurys on an RBI-single by Betty Trezza
Betty Trezza
Betty Trezza [″Moe″] was an American professional baseball player. An infield and outfield utility, she played from through for four different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League....
. The Belles also showed a great defense, notably by left fielder
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...
Edythe Perlick
Edythe Perlick
Edythe Perlick [Edie] was a left fielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 3", 128 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.-Overview profile:...
, right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
Eleanor Dapkus
Eleanor Dapkus
Eleanor Dapkus [Wolf] was a center fielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 6", 160 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.-Women in baseball:...
, first sacker Margaret Danhauser
Margaret Danhauser
Margaret L. Danhauser [Marnie] was a first basewoman who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She batted and threw right-handed.-Career:...
, shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Trezza, and Maddy English
Maddy English
Madeline Catherine English [Maddy] was a third basewoman who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 4", 130 lb., English batted and threw right-handed...
at third
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
.
Winter went 22-13 with 121 strikeouts in 1947, leading her team again to the playoffs. Racine defeated the Muskegon Lassies
Muskegon Lassies
The Muskegon Lassies were one of the expansion teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in , representing Muskegon, Michigan. The team played their home games at Marsh Field....
, three games to one, but lost to 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....
in the final Series four games to three.
Winter was able to make the adjustment to overhand pitching before the 1948 season, when Leo Murphy
Leo Murphy (baseball)
Leo Joseph Murphy [Red] was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates during the season. Listed at 6' 1", 179 lb., Murphy batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Terre Haute, Indiana.Murphy started his professional career in 1912 with Double-A Columbus...
, former Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and Belles manager, helped her convert to a three-quarters delivery during 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...
. She responded by leading the league with 256 strikeouts and 329 innings while tying in victories (25) with 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....
, joining the All-Star team for a third time and helping Racine garner another pennant. The Belles lost the semifinal playoff to the Peaches, the eventually winners of the Championship Title.
A durable and consistent pitcher, Winter fell victim to the new rules. She had a shoulder that could not take the new pitching motion and also developed back problems, compiling a 20-25 record in her last two seasons. At the end of 1950 the Belles lacked the financial resources to keep the club playing in Racine and opted to move to Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
for the 1951 season. Winter, along with original Belles Dapkus, English, Kurys and Perlick, were disappointment and decided not to make the move. During eight years, the Belles were a close-knit team, always like a family away from home. Winter and teammates thought that all would be different, like a new team, maybe a new manager and, specially, a new location.
Pitching statistics
| GP Games pitched In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while... | W | L | W-L% | 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... | IP Innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two... | 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.... | 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... | ER 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... | 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.... | WHIP Walks plus hits per inning pitched In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 287 | 133 | 115 | .536 | 2.06 | 2159 | 1470 | 822 | 495 | 759 | 770 | 1.0324 |
Other leagues
After that, Winter and several other primarily underhand pitchers rejoined the Admirals of the Chicago league for a higher salary. The team paid Winter $150 a week and gave her a $400 bonus for winning 25 games. She compited four more years in the league and returned to Phoenix, Arizona in 1955 to pitch for the Phoenix A-1 Queens. In 1958, she posted 36-6 record and led her team to the State Women's championship.Golf career
Winter, an accomplished athlete, taught and played tennisTennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
in Arizona. Her ability to compete in two professional sports marked a rarity for women in the 1960s. She won the Arizona State Women's Golf championship four times, and joined the Ladies Professional Golf Association
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
in 1962, competing in 25 tournaments. Her LPGA career ended in 1965 due to a back injury caused by an auto accident.
One of 14 original Master Professionals in the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Division, Winter found her niche as a master teacher of golf for 30 years. She tutored many students from beginners to tour professionals, including Danielle Ammaccapane
Danielle Ammaccapane
Danielle Ammaccapane is an American professional golfer playing on the LPGA Tour. Her daughter, with husband Rod Kesling, is child actor Laura Ann Kesling.-Amateur career:...
, Jerilyn Britz
Jerilyn Britz
Jerilyn Britz is an American golfer. She attended Mankato State College and the University of New Mexico.Britz was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Before making her LPGA Tour rookie debut in 1974 at age 31, Britz spent eight years working as a schoolteacher.During her 26 year career on the LPGA...
, Heather Farr
Heather Farr
Heather Farr was an American professional golfer.Farr won three state championships at Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix, Arizona...
and Alice Miller
Alice Miller (golfer)
Alice Miller is an American professional golfer. She attended Arizona State University and was a 1978 rookie on the LPGA Tour. Between 1983 and 1991 she won eight titles on the tour, including one major championship, the 1985 Nabisco Dinah Shore. She also had her highest finish on the money list...
, among other important golfers. Her contacts through those years brought her to visit her former employer Philip K. Wrigley
Philip K. Wrigley
Philip Knight Wrigley , sometimes also called P.K. or Phil. Born in Chicago, he was an American chewing gum manufacturer and executive in Major League Baseball, inheriting both those roles as the quiet son of his much more flamboyant father, William Wrigley Jr. After his father died in 1932, Philip...
. By then, Wrigley stood in front of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and was also the owner of the Arizona Biltmore Resort. Through this contact, Winter was able to have one day of the tournament at the Biltmore with no charge for green fees. She also scheduled courses in the Scottsdale area free of charge as well since the tournament was usually held during the hot summer. Founder of the Arizona Silver Belle Championship Golf tournament, she also coached women's golf at Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College, is located in Salt River, Arizona, a suburb/rural area of Phoenix. Scottsdale Community College is a two-year college located on the eastern boundary of the city of Scottsdale, Arizona, on 160 acres of land belonging to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community...
and Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
.
Honors and awards
In November 1988, Winter, along with her former baseball teammates and opponents, received their long overdue recognition, when the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New YorkCooperstown, 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...
dedicated a permanent display to the All American Girls Professional Baseball league. But like many of her AAGPBL colleagues, Winter was relatively unknown until 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...
by filmmaker Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall
Penny 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...
was exhibited for the first time. During the pre-production phase she joined several former AAGPBL players as consultants for the film.
Winter also received many honors and awards, including LPGA Teacher of the Year in 1969 and the Ellen Griffin Rolex award in 1995. This award, named after one of the best known female teachers in American golf history, recognizes individuals who have demonstrated by their teaching skill the same spirit, love, and dedication possessed by Griffin. Besides this, Winter was inducted in the National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.
The unselfish Winter excelled in two sports and shared her expertise with thousands of students young and old. She died in Scottsdale, Arizona at the age of 71.