Melba Irene Alspaugh (July 13, 1926 – February 16, 1983) was an American backup outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She batted and threw right-handed. Born in

Wichita, Kansas Wichita ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. The Wichita metro area had a population of 647,610 in 2020. It is located in ...

, Alspaugh was a light hitting outfielder with good defense and a strong throwing arm. She entered the league in 1948 with the

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 ...

, playing for them in part of the season before joining the

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 ...

at the end of the year, in time to become a member of the champion team. In the 1948 playoffs, Rockford swept the

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 l ...

in the first round of the best-of-five series, and also swept the Racine Belles in the second round of the best-of-five series. The Peaches then went on to win the Championship Title, beating the Daisies in the best-of-seven series, four to one games. Alspaugh hit .240 in eight playoff games (6-for-25), including a

double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * ...

and one stolen base, while driving in one run and

scoring Score or scorer may refer to: *Test score, the result of an exam or test Business * Score Digital, now part of Bauer Radio * Score Entertainment, a former American trading card design and manufacturing company * Score Media, a former Canadian m ...

four times. She opened 1949 with Rockford, but was traded to 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 ...

during the midseason. Alspaugh died in her hometown of Wichita, Kansas, at the age of 56.

Career statistics

Batting Fielding

Sources

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Alspaugh, Melba 1926 births 1983 deaths All-American Girls Professional Baseball League players Baseball outfielders Baseball players from Wichita, Kansas Fort Wayne Daisies players Rockford Peaches players Muskegon Lassies players 20th-century American women