All-American Girls Professional Baseball League facts for kids
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| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1943 |
| Founder | Philip K. Wrigley |
| Inaugural season | May 30, 1943 |
| Ceased | September 5, 1954 |
| Claim to fame | 999 |
| Motto | Do or Die! |
| No. of teams | 15 |
| Last champion(s) |
Kalamazoo Lassies |
| Most titles | Rockford Peaches (4) |
| Official website | aagpbl.org |
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional baseball league for women. It was started by Philip K. Wrigley and ran from 1943 to 1954. More than 600 women played in this league.
In 1948, over 900,000 fans came to watch the games. The Rockford Peaches were the best team, winning four championships. A manager named Bill Allington coached many teams and won the most games in the league's history. You might know about the league from the 1992 movie A League of Their Own, which tells a story inspired by the Rockford Peaches.
Contents
History of the AAGPBL
How the League Started
The league had a few different names over the years. It began as the All-American Girls Softball League in 1943. Later, it was called the All-American Girls Baseball League. From 1949 to 1950, it was officially the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Then, from 1951 to 1954, it was known as the American Girls' Baseball League.
The league had three different owners during its time. Philip K. Wrigley, who made chewing gum, owned it from 1943 to 1945. Then Arthur Meyerhoff took over from 1945 to 1951. After that, each team was owned separately until 1954.
Most of the teams played in cities in the Midwest United States. Only two teams, the South Bend Blue Sox and the Rockford Peaches, stayed in their home cities for all 12 years.
Why the League Was Formed
During World War II, many men who played baseball went off to fight. Some important baseball leaders, like Philip K. Wrigley, worried that Major League Baseball might stop. To keep baseball popular, they decided to create a new league for women.
The first tryouts for the league were held at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
How the Game Was Played
Even though it was called a "baseball" league, the AAGPBL didn't always play exactly like modern baseball. At first, it was a mix of baseball and softball.
- The ball was 12 inches around, like a softball. (Regular baseballs are smaller, about 9 inches).
- The pitcher's mound was only 40 feet from home plate. This is closer than softball and much closer than baseball (60 feet, 6 inches).
- Pitchers threw underhand, like in softball.
- Bases were 65 feet apart. This is longer than softball but shorter than baseball (90 feet).
Over time, the rules changed to be more like baseball. By 1948, pitchers could throw overhand, and the mound moved back to 50 feet. The ball also got smaller. By the last season in 1954, the ball was the same size as a baseball. The mound was 60 feet away, and bases were 85 feet apart.
Player Salaries and Uniforms
Players earned good money for the time. In the early years, salaries were about $45 to $85 a week. Later, some players made around $125 a week.
The uniforms were unique. They were short-sleeved tunic dresses with a slight flare. Players also wore satin shorts, knee-high baseball socks, and baseball caps. The rules said skirts should be no more than six inches above the knee. But players often ignored this to make it easier to run and field.
The first players to sign with the league were Ann Harnett, Shirley Jameson, Edythe Perlick, and Claire Schillace.
Charm School and Rules
During spring training, the players had to go to charm school classes. They learned about good manners, personal hygiene, and how to dress. Each player even got a beauty kit!
The league also had strict rules of conduct:
- Girls could not have short hair.
- They could not smoke or drink in public.
- They had to wear lipstick at all times.
If a player broke a rule, they would get a fine. The first time was $5, the second was $10, and the third time meant they would be suspended from playing.
League Highlights
The AAGPBL was most popular in 1948. That year, 10 teams played, and 910,000 fans came to watch.
The Rockford Peaches won the most championships, with four titles (1945, 1948, 1949, 1950). The Milwaukee/Grand Rapids Chicks won three times. The Racine Belles and South Bend Blue Sox each won two championships. The Kalamazoo Lassies won in the league's final season (1954).
Bill Allington was the most successful manager. From 1945 to 1954, his teams won 583 games and lost 398. He never had a losing season and won the championship title multiple times.
Legacy of the AAGPBL
The 1992 movie A League of Their Own helped many people learn about the AAGPBL. The film, directed by Penny Marshall, starred Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Rosie O'Donnell, Madonna, and Tom Hanks.
Even though the AAGPBL was the first professional women's baseball league, women had played baseball for a long time before that. The first known women's team played in 1866 at Vassar College. There were also "Bloomer Girls" teams that played from the 1890s to the 1930s. Some women, like Toni Stone, Mamie Johnson, and Connie Morgan, even played in the professional Negro Leagues.
Some famous baseball players, like Max Carey and Jimmie Foxx, managed teams in the AAGPBL. Also, pitcher Annabelle Lee, who pitched the first perfect game in the league, was the aunt of Bill Lee, a well-known Major League Baseball pitcher.
Theme Song
The AAGPBL had an official theme song, co-written by players Pepper Paire and Nalda Bird. You might recognize it from the movie A League of Their Own.
Victory Song Batter up! Hear that call! The time has come for one and all To play ball.
We are the members of the All-American League We come from cities near and far We’ve got Canadians, Irishmen and Swedes, We’re all for one, we’re one for all We’re all Americans!!
Each girl stands, her head so proudly high, Her motto ‘Do or Die’ She’s not the one to use or need an alibi.
Our chaperones are not too soft, They’re not too tough, Our managers are on the ball. We’ve got a president who really knows his stuff, We’re all for one, we’re one for all, We’re All-Americans!
Even today, at their yearly reunions, the original AAGPBL players often sing this song together.
Teams of the AAGPBL
- Kenosha Comets (1943–1951)
- Racine Belles (1943–1950)
- Rockford Peaches (1943–1954)
- South Bend Blue Sox (1943–1954)
- Milwaukee Chicks (1944)
- Minneapolis Millerettes (1944)
- Fort Wayne Daisies (1945–1954)
- Grand Rapids Chicks (1945–1954)
- Muskegon Lassies (1946–1949)
- Kalamazoo Lassies (1950–1954)
- Peoria Redwings (1946–1951)
- Chicago Colleens (1948)
- Springfield Sallies (1948)
- Battle Creek Belles (1951–1952)
- Muskegon Belles (1953)
League Champions by Year
- 1943 – Racine Belles
- 1944 – Milwaukee Chicks
- 1945 – Rockford Peaches
- 1946 – Racine Belles
- 1947 – Grand Rapids Chicks
- 1948 – Rockford Peaches
- 1949 – Rockford Peaches
- 1950 – Rockford Peaches
- 1951 – South Bend Blue Sox
- 1952 – South Bend Blue Sox
- 1953 – Grand Rapids Chicks
- 1954 – Kalamazoo Lassies
AAGPBL Players Association
After the league ended in 1955, its history was largely forgotten. But in 1980, former pitcher June Peppas started a newsletter to find her old teammates. This led to the first league reunion in Chicago, Illinois in 1982.
Later, the Players Association was formed. This group helped get the AAGPBL recognized by the Baseball Hall of Fame. June Peppas became its first president.
National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees
Many AAGPBL players have been honored in the National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame:
- 1999 - Claire Schillace
- 2002 - Faye Dancer
- 2003 - Dorothy Ferguson (Dottie Key)
- 2005 - Joanne Winter
- 2010 - Dorothy Kamenshek
- 2012 - Jean Faut
- 2012 - Doris Sams
- 2013 - Pepper Paire
- 2013 - Sophie Kurys
Images for kids
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All-American Girls Professional Baseball League members performing exercises in Opa-locka, Florida, on April 22, 1948. The different baseball clubs are (L-R): Fort Wayne Daisies (partially visible), Chicago Colleens, Rockford Peaches, South Bend Blue Sox, Springfield Sallies and Peoria Redwings.
