Muskegon Lassies
Encyclopedia
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.
The Lassies posted a 46-66 record in their first year, and placed sixth in the eight-team league. They improved to 69-43 in 1947, to win a close pennant race with the Grand Rapids Chicks
. Muskegon was led by OF
/P
Doris Sams
, who ranked in several offensive categories and also collected 11 victories, including a perfect game
, good enough to be named Most Valuable Player of the Year. The team had three of the top four in earned run average
with Sams (0.98), Amy Irene Applegren (1.06) and Nancy Warren
(1.13), but lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Racine Belles
.
Muskegon went 66-57 in 1948 to gain a playoff berth, but lost to the Fort Wayne Daisies
in the first round. The team dropped to 46-66 in 1949 and was able to reach the playoffs for the third consecutive year. The Belles disposed of the Kenosha Comets
in the first round, being defeated in the semifinals by the South Bend Blue Sox
.
1950 became a nightmare for Muskegon, after registering the worst record in the league (36-73) and a relocation during the midseason to Kalamazoo, Michigan
, where the team was renamed the Kalamazoo Lassies
.
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:...
in , representing Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
. The team played their home games at Marsh Field.
The Lassies posted a 46-66 record in their first year, and placed sixth in the eight-team league. They improved to 69-43 in 1947, to win a close pennant race with the Grand Rapids Chicks
Grand Rapids Chicks
The Grand Rapids Chicks were a women's professional baseball team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1945 to 1954, winning championships in 1947 and 1953....
. Muskegon was led by OF
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...
/P
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...
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....
, who ranked in several offensive categories and also collected 11 victories, including a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
, good enough to be named Most Valuable Player of the Year. The team had three of the top four in earned run average
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...
with Sams (0.98), Amy Irene Applegren (1.06) and Nancy Warren
Nancy Warren (baseball)
Nancy Warren was a pitcher and infielder who played from through for six different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 5", 130 lb., she batted and threw right handed...
(1.13), but lost in the first round of the playoffs 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:...
.
Muskegon went 66-57 in 1948 to gain a playoff berth, but lost to 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...
in the first round. The team dropped to 46-66 in 1949 and was able to reach the playoffs for the third consecutive year. The Belles disposed of the 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...
in the first round, being defeated in the semifinals by 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...
.
1950 became a nightmare for Muskegon, after registering the worst record in the league (36-73) and a relocation during the midseason to Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
, where the team was renamed 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...
.
All-time roster
- Gertrude AlderferGertrude AlderferGertrude Alderfer [Gert] is a former first basewoman and catcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She batted and threw right-handed.-Early life:...
- Beatrice Allard
- Melba AlspaughMelba AlspaughMelba Irene Alspaugh was a backup outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She batted and threw right handed....
- Amy Irene Applegren
- Norene Arnold
- Phyllis BakerPhyllis BakerPhyllis J. Baker [Wise] was a pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
- Doris BarrDoris BarrDoris Barr [Dodie] was a pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 6", 145 lb., Barr batted and threw left-handed...
- Patricia Barringer
- Erma Bergmann
- Jaynne BittnerJaynne BittnerJaynne Barrier Bittner [JB] is a former starting pitcher who played from through for four different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 9", 140 lb., she batted and threw right handed....
- Shirley Burkovich
- Helen Campbell
- Ann CindricAnn CindricAnn Cindrić [tsindrich] was a pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 6", 135 lb., Cindrić batted and threw right-handed...
- Donna Cook
- Gloria CordesGloria CordesGloria Cordes [Elliott] is a former starting pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
- Gladys DavisGladys Davis (baseball)Gladys Davis [״Terrie״] is a former Canadian shortstop and outfielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 5", 130 lb., Davis batted and threw right handed...
- Pauline Dennert
- Peggy Fenton
- Alva Jo FischerAlva Jo FischerAlva Jo Fischer [Stevens] was a pitcher and shortstop who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 9", 135 lb., she batted and threw right handed....
- Anita Foss
- Betty FrancisBetty FrancisBetty Francis [″BF″] is a former outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
- Julie Gutz
- Helen Hannah
- Josephine HashamJosephine HashamJosephine Hasham [״Jo״] is a former pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Hasham batted right handed and threw left handed....
- Alice HohlmayerAlice HohlmayerAlice Hohlmayer [Naughton] is a former first basewoman and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
- Margaret HolgersonMargaret HolgersonMargaret Holgerson [Silvestri] was a pitcher and infielder who played from to in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She batted and threw right handed...
- Anna Mae HutchisonAnna Mae HutchisonAnna Mae Hutchison [Hutch] was a female pitcher and catcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 7", 149 lb., she batted and threw right-handed...
- Arleene Johnson
- Marilyn Jones
- Glenna Sue Kidd
- Marie Kruckel
- Noella Leduc
- Josephine LenardJosephine LenardVeronica Josephine Lenard [″Bubblegum″] was a center fielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 4", 130 lb., she batted and threw right-handed....
- Sarah Lonetto
- Therese McKinley
- Dorothy MaguireDorothy MaguireDorothy Maguire was a catcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Maguire batted and threw right-handed...
- Pauline Martin
- Naomi Meier
- Norma Metrolis
- Dorothy Montgomery
- Ruth Middleton
- Eileen O'Brien
- Barbara Payne
- Marguerite PearsonMarguerite PearsonMarguerite Pearson [Tesseine] was an utility who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 5", 125 lb., Pearson batted and thew right handed...
- Betty Petryna
- Marjorie Pieper
- Charlene PryerCharlene PryerCharlene Barbara Pryer [Mayer] was a female utility in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, playing mainly at second base and center field from through . Listed at 5' 1", 105 lb., Pryer batted and threw right-handed...
- Sara ReeserSara ReeserSara Louise Reeser is a former infielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 4", 130 lb., she batted and threw left handed....
- Doris SamsDoris SamsDoris 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....
- June Schofield
- Dorothy StolzeDorothy StolzeDorothy Stolze [Dottie] was a second basewoman who played from through for four different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
- Doris TetzlaffDoris TetzlaffDoris Tetzlaff [″Tetz″] was an infielder and chaperone in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5'5", 155 lb., she batted and threw right-handed....
- Kathryn VonderauKathryn VonderauKathryn E. Vonderau was a catcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 7", 155 lb., she batted and threw right handed....
- Betty WagonerBetty WagonerBetty Ann Wagoner was a right fielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
- Nancy WarrenNancy Warren (baseball)Nancy Warren was a pitcher and infielder who played from through for six different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 5", 130 lb., she batted and threw right handed...
- Marion Watson
- Evelyn WawryshynEvelyn WawryshynEvelyn Wawryshyn [Litwin/Moroz] is a former Canadian second basewoman who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 3", 130 lb., Wawryshyn batted and threw right-handed...
- Marie WegmanMarie WegmanMarie Wegman was an utility infielder/outfielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 7", 130 lb., she batted and threw right handed....
- Margaret Wenzel
- Elizabeth WickenElizabeth WickenElizabeth Ann Wicken [nee Berthiaume] was a Canadian outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 2", 115 lb., Wicken batted and threw left handed....
- Renae YoungbergRenae YoungbergRenae Audrey Youngberg [Ray] is a former third basewoman who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between the and season...
Managers
- Buzz BoyleBuzz BoyleRalph Francis Boyle , was an outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Boston Braves and Brooklyn Dodgers . Listed at 5' 11", 170 lb., Boyle batted and threw left handed...
(1946) - Bill WambsganssBill WambsganssWilliam Adolf Wambsganss was a second baseman in Major League Baseball. From 1914 through 1926, Wambsganss played for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Athletics...
(1947–1948) - Carson BigbeeCarson BigbeeCarson Lee "Skeeter" Bigbee was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was born in Lebanon, Oregon, and attended the University of Oregon....
(1949, 1950 first half)
Sources
- The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2000. Format: Hardcover, 302pp. Language: English. ISBN 9780786405978
- Encyclopedia of Women and Baseball – Leslie A. Heaphy, Mel Anthony May. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2006. Format: Paperback, 438pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786421002