Mildred Earp
Encyclopedia
Mildred Earp [Mid or Millie] (born October 7, 1925) 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.
Mildred Earp was a standout pitcher for the Grand Rapids Chicks
in a span of four years. One of the first successfully underhand
pitchers in the league, Earp was selected to the All-Star Team in her rookie season, recorded the second best single-season ERA and the second best career ERA in AAGPBL history, and helped Grand Rapids win their first Championship Title. She also hurled a no-hitter
game and ranked between the top 10 in several pitching categories during her short stint in the league.
Following her baseball career, Earp returned to her homeland of West Fork, Arkansas. She is part of the AAGPBL permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown, New York
, opened in , which is dedicated to the entire league rather than any individual player.
made the suspension of Major League Baseball a possibility, would eventually shift gears to become the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, and was dissolved at the end of the 1954 season. In its 12 years of history the AAGPBL evolved through many stages. These differences varied from the beginning of the league, progressively extending the length of the base paths and pitching distance and decreasing the size of the ball until the final year of play. For the first five years the circuit used a fastpitch underhand
motion, shifted to sidearm in 1947, and never really became baseball until overhand pitching began in 1948.
A native of West Fork, Arkansas
, Earp started to play softball
in a fourth grade league. She first heard about the AAGPBL when it came to play an ehxibition game 50 miles away of her homeland. She contacted a league official and told him her desire to play in the circuit. By then the AAGPBL was preparing the transition from underhand to sidearm pitching. Earp was assigned to the Racine Belles
in 1946 and tried out as a sidearm pitcher. Since she did not know anything about the baseball game
, she spent the entire season sit on the dugout
and was paid to learn the fundaments of the game. Prior to the next season she was allocated to the Grand Rapids Chicks.
In 1947, according to a new regulation, all AAGPBL pitchers were forced to switch from underhand to sidearm. Such change adversely affected the performance of underhand pitchers, but it did not disturbed Earp, because she had developed a blazing fastball
and a dropping curveball
, showing a good command of her pitches. Earp enjoyed a superb first season, as she posted a 20-8 record for a .714 winning percentage
in 35 pitching appearances; collecting a minuscule 0.68 ERA and striking out 192 while walking just 32 in 280 innings of work. Her 0.68 ERA was a new single-season record, though Lois Florreich
would set a 0.67 ERA in 1949 to reach the all-time mark. Earp, who led a formidable Chicks pitching staff that included Alice Haylett
(19-11) and Connie Wisniewski
(16-14), finished second in strikeouts to Fort Wayne
's Dorothy Collins
(244), second in winning percentage to Muskegon
's Doris Sams
(.733), and made her first and only All-Star Team. With Johnny Rawlings
at the helm, Grand Rapids finished in second place with a 65-47 record; dispatched South Bend
in the first round of the playoffs, and defeated Racine in the final series, four to three games, to clinch the AAGPBL Championship Title. Earp was the heroine of the final. Even though she lost Game 1, 2–0, in 11 innings after retiring the first 21 Belles batters, she rebounded to win Game 4 on a 3–0 shutout, and then pitched a four-hit, 1–0 shutout to win decisive Game 7. In five postseason decisions, Earp went 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA against South Bend, and 2-1, 0.62 against Racine.
In 1948 Earp made a new transition from sidearm to overhand pitching. She obtained mixed results, after going 15-14 (.517) with a 1.31 ERA and 166 strikeouts, while ranking sixth in ERA and seventh in strikeouts. She also recorded a no-hitter
against the Chicago Colleens
early in the season. At this point, Grand Rapids won the Eastern Division with a 77-47 mark and advanced to the playoffs. In the first round the Chicks defeated South Bend, three to two games, but were swept in the second round by Fort Wayne in three contests. Earp earned two of the three wins in the first round, including a one-hit shutout, but allowed six runs in six innings in decisive Game 3 of the second round.
Earp produced almost identical numbers in 1949, when she went 14-10 (.583) with 143 strikeouts and a 1.83 ERA. Grand Rapids finished third with a 57-54 record and clasiffied for the postseason. She was the winner in decisive Game 3 of the first round, knocking out her nemesis Fort Wayne, but lost her only start in the semifinals to the eventual champion Rockford Peaches, who crushed South Bend in four games.
In a four-season career, Earp posted a 58-38 record with a 1.35 ERA in 108 games, and went 7-5 with a 1.95 ERA in the postseason. She ranks second all-time for best career ERA (0.12 behind Jean Faut
) and best single-season ERA (0.01 behind Lois Florreich
).
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' 6", 135 lb., she batted and threw right handed.
Mildred Earp was a standout pitcher for 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 a span of four years. One of the first successfully underhand
Underhand
Underhand may refer to one of the following:*Underhand chop, lumberjack's technique*Underhand grip** a grip in drumming technique** a grip of the bow in playing string instruments** in archery** in weightlifting...
pitchers in the league, Earp was selected to the All-Star Team in her rookie season, recorded the second best single-season ERA and the second best career ERA in AAGPBL history, and helped Grand Rapids win their first Championship Title. She also hurled a no-hitter
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"...
game and ranked between the top 10 in several pitching categories during her short stint in the league.
Following her baseball career, Earp returned to her homeland of West Fork, Arkansas. She 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 , which is dedicated to the entire league rather than any individual player.
1940s
By 1943 a new All-American Girls Softball League was formed, playing a hybrid form of softball and baseball. The league, which started when 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...
made the suspension of Major League Baseball a possibility, would eventually shift gears to become the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, and was dissolved at the end of the 1954 season. In its 12 years of history the AAGPBL evolved through many stages. These differences varied from the beginning of the league, progressively extending the length of the base paths and pitching distance and decreasing the size of the ball until the final year of play. For the first five years the circuit used a fastpitch underhand
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...
motion, shifted to sidearm in 1947, and never really became baseball until overhand pitching began in 1948.
A native of West Fork, Arkansas
West Fork, Arkansas
West Fork is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, United States. The population is 2,317 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Earp started to play 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...
in a fourth grade league. She first heard about the AAGPBL when it came to play an ehxibition game 50 miles away of her homeland. She contacted a league official and told him her desire to play in the circuit. By then the AAGPBL was preparing the transition from underhand to sidearm pitching. Earp 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:...
in 1946 and tried out as a sidearm pitcher. Since she did not know anything about the baseball game
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, she spent the entire season sit on the dugout
Technical area
A technical area in association football, is where a manager, other coaching personnel and substitutes are allowed to occupy during a match.The area, where people may stand or sit, includes the dugout, bench and a marked zone adjacent to the pitch....
and was paid to learn the fundaments of the game. Prior to the next season she was allocated to the Grand Rapids Chicks.
In 1947, according to a new regulation, all AAGPBL pitchers were forced to switch from underhand to sidearm. Such change adversely affected the performance of underhand pitchers, but it did not disturbed Earp, because she had developed a blazing fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
and a dropping curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
, showing a good command of her pitches. Earp enjoyed a superb first season, as she posted a 20-8 record for a .714 winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
in 35 pitching appearances; collecting a minuscule 0.68 ERA and striking out 192 while walking just 32 in 280 innings of work. Her 0.68 ERA was a new single-season record, though Lois Florreich
Lois Florreich
Kathleen Lois Florreich [Flash] was a pitcher and utility who played from through for three different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 5", 140 lb., Florreich batted and threw right-handed...
would set a 0.67 ERA in 1949 to reach the all-time mark. Earp, who led a formidable Chicks pitching staff that included 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....
(19-11) and Connie Wisniewski
Connie Wisniewski
Constance Wisniewski was a starting pitcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
(16-14), finished second in strikeouts to Fort Wayne
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...
's Dorothy Collins
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....
(244), second in winning percentage to Muskegon
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....
's Doris Sams
Doris Sams
Doris Jane Sams [Sammye] is a former female outfielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 9", 145 lbs., she batted and threw right handed....
(.733), and made her first and only All-Star Team. With 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....
at the helm, Grand Rapids finished in second place with a 65-47 record; dispatched South Bend
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 the first round of the playoffs, and defeated Racine in the final series, four to three games, to clinch the AAGPBL Championship Title. Earp was the heroine of the final. Even though she lost Game 1, 2–0, in 11 innings after retiring the first 21 Belles batters, she rebounded to win Game 4 on a 3–0 shutout, and then pitched a four-hit, 1–0 shutout to win decisive Game 7. In five postseason decisions, Earp went 1-1 with a 1.13 ERA against South Bend, and 2-1, 0.62 against Racine.
In 1948 Earp made a new transition from sidearm to overhand pitching. She obtained mixed results, after going 15-14 (.517) with a 1.31 ERA and 166 strikeouts, while ranking sixth in ERA and seventh in strikeouts. She also recorded a no-hitter
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"...
against 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....
early in the season. At this point, Grand Rapids won the Eastern Division with a 77-47 mark and advanced to the playoffs. In the first round the Chicks defeated South Bend, three to two games, but were swept in the second round by Fort Wayne in three contests. Earp earned two of the three wins in the first round, including a one-hit shutout, but allowed six runs in six innings in decisive Game 3 of the second round.
Earp produced almost identical numbers in 1949, when she went 14-10 (.583) with 143 strikeouts and a 1.83 ERA. Grand Rapids finished third with a 57-54 record and clasiffied for the postseason. She was the winner in decisive Game 3 of the first round, knocking out her nemesis Fort Wayne, but lost her only start in the semifinals to the eventual champion Rockford Peaches, who crushed South Bend in four games.
1950s
The AAGPBL used a livelier ball in 1950. As a result, offensive levels augmented significantly in all cases with more hits, scoring more runs and hitting four times as many home runs as they did in previous seasons. That year Earp dropped to 5-6 with a 1.35 ERA, while the Chicks were 59-53 and ended fourth. Grand Rapids failed to Fort Wayne in the first round of the playoffs, three to one games. She was 0-1 with a 6.25 ERA in one playoff appearance.In a four-season career, Earp posted a 58-38 record with a 1.35 ERA in 108 games, and went 7-5 with a 1.95 ERA in the postseason. She ranks second all-time for best career ERA (0.12 behind 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....
) and best single-season ERA (0.01 behind Lois Florreich
Lois Florreich
Kathleen Lois Florreich [Flash] was a pitcher and utility who played from through for three different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 5", 140 lb., Florreich batted and threw right-handed...
).