The Kalamazoo Lassies were a team who played from through in the
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...
. The team represented
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in the southwest region of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Kalamazoo County. At the 2010 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 74,262. Kalamazoo is the major city of the Kalamazoo-Portage Metropolit ...
. Home games were initially played at Lindstrom Field, but later games were played at the Catholic Athletic Association Field, now the Soisson-Rapacz field. Kalamazoo uniforms were white (home) and gold (away) with dark green numbers, belt, socks, and cap.
History
In 1950 the AAGPBL was losing money and fans, and the teams and host cities were changing almost every year. This was a good thing for Kalamazoo as the city was granted the
Muskegon Lassies
The Muskegon Lassies were one of the expansion teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the 1946 season, representing Muskegon, Michigan. The team played their home games at Marsh Field.
History
The 1946 Muskegon Lassies ...
team on a trial basis when the city of Muskegon could no longer support them. The move took place in the middle of the season and the new Kalamazoo Lassies played their first game, still in their Muskegon uniforms, on 15 June 1950 at Lindstrom Field. About 1,400 fans attended the game, which was won by the defending league champion
Rockford Peaches
The Rockford Peaches were a women's professional baseball team who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. A founding member, the team represented Rockford, Illinois.
The Peaches were one of two teams to pla ...
, 8–2. The new Lassies posted their first victory the next night, a 10–2 rout of Rockford led by
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the 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 ...
Doris Sams
Doris Jane Sams (February 2, 1927 – June 28, 2012), nicknamed "Sammye", was an American outfielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 145 lbs., she batted and threw righ ...
and player-manager Bonnie Baker. The Lassies combined for a 36–73 record that year and finished in the cellar.
The Lassies ended 1951 with a mark of 33 wins, 75 losses and two ties, but moved up one spot in the final standings. In 1952, the team finished fifth of six teams with a 49–60 record, their best yet. Kalamazoo improved in 1953, ending third at 59-50-2 and reaching the playoffs for the first time. After dropping the opener to the first-place
Fort Wayne Daisies
The Fort Wayne Daisies were a women's professional baseball team based in Fort Wayne, Indiana that played from through as members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
History
The Daisies represented Fort Wayne, Indiana, and ...
, Kalamazoo won 2–1 and 5–3 as
Jean Lovell
Jean Lovell ��Grumpy″(November 21, 1926 – January 1, 1992) was a female catcher and pitcher who played for three different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between the and seasons. Lovell batted and threw right- ...
got a couple big hits. But the Lassies lost both games in the finals to the
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.
History
The franchise ...
.
In the 1954 season, the Lassies posted a 48-49-1 record and finished fourth of five teams, earning the right to go to the playoffs. In the first round, the team disposed of the South Bend Blue Sox in three games and faced the Fort Wayne Daisies for the Championship Title.
1954 champions
In Game 1 of the AAGPBL Series, Kalamazoo defeated Fort Wayne 17-9 behind a four-hit, seven strong innings from
June Peppas
June Peppas (June 16, 1929 – March 14, 2016) was a first basewoman and pitcher who played from 1948 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , , she batted and threw left-handed.
Early life
Peppas was b ...
, who also helped herself by hitting 2-for-4, including one
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
Chris Ballingall
Chris Ballingall (born May 17, 1932) is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) in 1953 and 1954. Listed at and , she batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
A native ...
belted a
grand slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
. Pitching star
Maxine Kline
Maxine Kline (later Randall, September 16, 1929 – June 9, 2022) was a female starting pitcher who played from 1948 through 1954 with the Fort Wayne Daisies of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , , she batted and ...
, who had posted an 18–7 record with 3.23 ERA for the Daisies during the regular season, gave up 11 runs in six innings and was credited with the loss.
Katie Horstman
Catherine Horstman ��Horsey″(born April 14, 1935) is a former female utility player who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 150 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
Overview profi ...
connected two home runs for the Daisies in a lost cause, and her teammate
Joanne Weaver
Joanne "Joltin' Jo" Weaver (December 19, 1935 – March 19, 2000) was a right fielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 142 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
Overview profile
...
slugged one.
The Daisies bounced back in Game 2, hitting five home runs against the Lassies to win, 11–4. Horstman started the feat with a two-run home run to open the score in the first inning. In the rest of the game, Betty Weaver Foss added two homers and drove in five runs, while her sister Joanne and
In Game 4, starter
Gloria Cordes
Gloria Cordes Elliott (September 21, 1931 – March 13, 2018) was a starting 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.
Overview pro ...
helped Kalamazoo to tie the series, pitching a
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
victory over the Daisies, 6–5. Habben drove in two runs who marked the difference, while Kline suffered her second loss of the Series.
In decisive Game 5, Peppas pitched a clutch complete game and went 3-for-5 with an RBI against her former Daisies team, winning by an 8–5 margin to give the Lassies the Championship title in the AAGPBL's last game. She received support from Mary Taylor (5-for-5), Balingall (3-for-4) and Schroeder, who drove in the winning run in the bottom of the eight. Peppas finished with a .450 average in the Series and collected two of the three Lassies victories, to become the winning pitcher of the last game in the league's history.
All-time roster
:''Bold denotes members of the inaugural roster''
*
Gertrude Alderfer
Gertrude Alderfer '' ert' (September 21, 1931 – February 27, 2018) was a first basewoman and catcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She batted and threw right-handed.Agnes Allen
*
Isabel Alvarez
Isabel is a female name of Spanish origin. Isabelle is a name that is similar, but it is of French origin. It originates as the medieval Spanish form of '' Elisabeth'' (ultimately Hebrew ''Elisheva''), Arising in the 12th century, it became popul ...
*
Ange Armato
Ange Lou Armato (born October 27, 1929) is an American former infielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
Born in Rockford, Illinois, Ange Armato was the seventh girl out of eight children from a large Italian ...
*
Mary Baker
Mary Baker (fl. 1842 – 1856) was an English painter of portraits and portrait miniatures.
She was born in London and produced works for the Society of Arts, as well as exhibiting miniatures and portraits at the Royal Academy over a fourt ...
*
Chris Ballingall
Chris Ballingall (born May 17, 1932) is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) in 1953 and 1954. Listed at and , she batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
A native ...
*
Doris Barr
Doris "Dodie" Barr (August 26, 1921 – July 12, 2009) 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. She was born in Starbuck, ...
Kay Blumetta
Catherine Kay Blumetta 'Swish''(May 1, 1923 – April 25, 1997) was a utility who played for six different clubs in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between the and seasons. Listed at , 150 lb., she batted and threw righ ...
Donna Chartier Donna Chartier was a utility infielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.Donna Cook
Donna Jean Cook �Cookie״(May 24, 1928 – October 16, 2006) was a pitcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 121 lb., she batted right-handed and threw left-handed.
...
*
Doris Cook
Doris Cook �Little Cookie״(born June 23, 1931) is a former pitcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 130 lb., she batted right-handed and threw left-handed.
Doris C ...
*
Gloria Cordes
Gloria Cordes Elliott (September 21, 1931 – March 13, 2018) was a starting 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.
Overview pro ...
*
Betty Jane Cornett
Betty Jane Cornett (November 24, 1932 – March 18, 2006) was an infielder and pitcher who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 5", 125 lb., she batted and threw right handed.
Born in Pittsburgh, Penns ...
Barbara Liebrich
Barbara E. Liebrich 'Bobbie''(September 30, 1922 – July 17, 2006) was an American infielder, manager and chaperone in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the and seasons. She batted and threw right-handed.
The dili ...
*
Jean Lovell
Jean Lovell ��Grumpy″(November 21, 1926 – January 1, 1992) was a female catcher and pitcher who played for three different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between the and seasons. Lovell batted and threw right- ...
ill ILL may refer to:
* '' I Love Lucy'', a landmark American television sitcom
* Illorsuit Heliport (location identifier: ILL), a heliport in Illorsuit, Greenland
* Institut Laue–Langevin, an internationally financed scientific facility
* Interlibra ...
(May 1, 1927 – July 13, 2004) a pitcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 133 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
A native of Dallas, Texas, B ...
*
Jean Marlowe
Jean Marlowe ��Mal″ or ″Jeanie″(December 28, 1929 – April 16, 2007) was a pitcher and utility who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between the and seasons. Listed a , 135 lb., she batted and threw right-ha ...
*
Mirtha Marrero
Mirtha Marrero ''Fernándezis a Cuban born former pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She batted and threw right handed.
Career
Born in Havana, Mirtha Marrero was one of seven girls born i ...
*
Naomi Meier
Naomi Meier ��Sally″(November 17, 1926 – July 15, 1989) was an outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 115 lb., Meier batted and threw right-handed. She was born in Fort Wayne, ...
Dorothy Naum
Dorothy Mary Naum (later Parker; January 5, 1928 – September 23, 2008) was a catcher, infielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 112 lb, she batted and threw right-han ...
Barbara Payne
Barbara J. "Bobbie" Payne (September 18, 1932 – March 11, 2024) was an American infielder and reliever who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 118 lb, she batted and threw right-hande ...
June Peppas
June Peppas (June 16, 1929 – March 14, 2016) was a first basewoman and pitcher who played from 1948 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , , she batted and threw left-handed.
Early life
Peppas was b ...
Charlene Pryer
Charlene Barbara Pryer ayer(September 24, 1921 – June 3, 1999) was a female utility in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, playing mainly at second base and center field from through . Listed at , 105 lb., Pryer batted a ...
Eilaine Roth
Eilaine Roth ��I″(January 17, 1929 – November 1, 2011) was an outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 2", 123 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
Born in Michigan ...
*
Elaine Roth
Elaine Roth (January 17, 1929 – May 25, 2007) was a female pitcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She batted and threw right-handed.
A native of Michigan City, Indiana, Elaine ...
Doris Sams
Doris Jane Sams (February 2, 1927 – June 28, 2012), nicknamed "Sammye", was an American outfielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 145 lbs., she batted and threw righ ...
Dorothy Schroeder
Dorothy "Dottie" Schroeder (April 11, 1928 – December 8, 1996) was a shortstop who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 150 lb., Schroeder batted and threw right-handed. She was born in ...
Joyce Steele
Joyce Steele (29 May 1909 – 24 September 1991) was an Australian politician and one of the first two women elected to the Parliament of South Australia, the other being Jessie Cooper. Steele was elected to the House of Assembly and Coop ...
Helen Walulik
Helen Walulik iely(May 3, 1929 – March 6, 2012) was a pitcher and an outfield/utility infielder, infield utility who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 121 lb, she batted and threw right-handed.
...
Betty Whiting
Elizabeth Jane Whiting (November 13, 1925 – February 10, 1967) was a utility who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 147 lb., Whiting batted and threw right-handed. She was born in Ida, Mich ...
*
Ruth Williams
Ruth Williams ''Heverly(February 12, 1926 – February 10, 2005) was a pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 139 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
Ruth Williams debuted ...
McFarland & Company
McFarland & Company, Inc., is an American independent book publisher based in Jefferson, North Carolina, that specializes in academic and reference works, as well as general-interest adult nonfiction. Its president is Rhonda Herman. Its former ...
,
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
. Format:
Hardcover
A hardcover, hard cover, or hardback (also known as hardbound, and sometimes as case-bound) book is one bound with rigid protective covers (typically of binder's board or heavy paperboard covered with buckram or other cloth, heavy paper, or occa ...
, 294pp. Language:
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
.
*The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: A Biographical Dictionary – W. C. Madden. Publisher:
McFarland & Company
McFarland & Company, Inc., is an American independent book publisher based in Jefferson, North Carolina, that specializes in academic and reference works, as well as general-interest adult nonfiction. Its president is Rhonda Herman. Its former ...
,
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
. Format:
Softcover
A paperback (softcover, softback) book is one with a thick paper or paperboard cover, and often held together with glue rather than stitches or staples. In contrast, hardcover (hardback) books are bound with cardboard covered with cloth, ...
, 295 pp. Language:
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...