The South Bend Blue Sox was a women's professional baseball 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 ...

. A founding member, the team represented

South Bend, Indiana South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 United S ...

, and played their home games at Bendix Field (1943–1945) and Playland Park (1946–1954).

History

The Blue Sox were one of two teams to play in every AAGPBL season without relocating, the other being 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 ...

. Often a second-division team, they appeared in six playoff series and won two league titles. In the 1943 inaugural season, The Blue Sox finished in third place with a 51–40 mark, only .001 percentage point behind second place

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 List of defunct amusement parks#Wisc ...

. Together,

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 ...

Margaret Berger Margaret Berger (born 11 October 1985) is a Norway, Norwegian singer, songwriter, music director, and DJ. She made her debut on Sony BMG after she placed second on the Idol (Norway)#Season 2, second season of ''Idol (Norway), Norwegian Idol'' in ...

and

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, ...

threw 79 of the 91 games played by the Sox. Berger was credited with 25 wins and Barr with 15, while Berger posted her greatest triumph in a 13–inning match, which she won 1–0. The next three years, South Bend finished 64–55 (1944), 49–60 (1945), 70–42 (1946), 57–54 (1947) and 57–59 (1948). After falling in their playoff intents, in the 1949 season the team posted the best record in with a 75–36 mark. That year they were swept in the playoffs, 4–to–0, by Rockford, after getting a first-round bye along with them. The South Bend club went on to win their next four playoffs in claiming back-to-back championship titles in

1951 Events January * January 4 – Korean War: Third Battle of Seoul – Chinese and North Korean forces capture Seoul for the second time (having lost the Second Battle of Seoul in September 1950). * January 9 – The Government of the United ...

and

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, becomes m ...

. After that, the Blue Sox finished in last place both in the 1953 and 1954 seasons. Apart from the aforementioned Barr and Berger, the South Bend included talented players as

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 ...

( C),

Jean Faut Jean Anna Faut insch/Eastman(born November 17, 1925) is an American retired starting pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 137 lb., she batted and threw right-handed. Jean F ...

( P)

Betsy Jochum Betsy "Sockum" Jochum (born February 8, 1921) is a former outfielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 7", 140 lb., she batted and threw right-handed. Overview profile ...

( OF/ 1B),

Elizabeth Mahon Elizabeth B. Mahon (November 18, 1919 – September 6, 2001) was an American outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 135 lb., Mahon batted and threw right-handed. She was born i ...

(OF),

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 ...

( IF), and Dottie Schroeder ( SS), who played with four teams to become the only girl to play through the 12 years of existence of the circuit.

All-time roster

:''Bold denotes members of the inaugural roster''

Managers

Bert Niehoff John Albert Niehoff (May 13, 1884 – September 8, 1974) was a second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for four clubs from the 1913 to 1918 seasons. He batted and threw right-handed. Playing career A native of Louisville, Colorado, N ...

, 1943-1944 *

Marty McManus Martin Joseph McManus (March 14, 1900 – February 18, 1966) was an American baseball player and manager. A native of Chicago, Illinois, McManus spent two years in the United States Army before beginning his professional baseball career in 1920 ...

, 1945 * Chet Grant, 1946-1947 *

, 1948 *

Dave Bancroft David James Bancroft (April 20, 1891 – October 9, 1972) was an American professional baseball shortstop and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Giants, Boston Braves and the Brooklyn Robi ...

, 1948-1950 *

Karl Winsch Karl Edgar Winsch (February 10, 1915 – December 21, 2001) was a pitcher and manager in Minor League Baseball. Listed at , 180 lb., Winsch batted and threw right-handed. A native of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Karl Winsch spent two decades i ...

, 1951-1954

Sources

* ''All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book'' – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company. Format: Paperback, 294pp. Language: English. .

External links

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
{{Authority control All-American Girls Professional Baseball League teams 1943 establishments in Indiana 1954 disestablishments in Indiana Baseball teams established in 1943 Baseball teams disestablished in 1954 Sports in South Bend, Indiana Professional baseball teams in Indiana Defunct baseball teams in Indiana Women's sports in Indiana