Gladys Davis (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gladys Davis |
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| All-American Girls Professional Baseball League | |||
| Shortstop / Outfield / Second base | |||
| Born: Gladys V. Anthony September 1, 1919 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Gladys "Terrie" Davis Smith, born on September 1, 1919, was a Canadian baseball player. She played as a shortstop and outfielder. Terrie was part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). This league was active between 1943 and 1946. She was 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 130 pounds. Davis batted and threw with her right hand. She was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Playing Career
Terrie Davis was one of 68 Canadian players in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. This league lasted for twelve years. She was one of the best players in the league's early days. In 1943, she won the first batting champion title. This meant she had the best hitting average. She was also chosen for the first All-Star Game. In 1944, she was part of the team that won the championship.
A Talented Player
Terrie was known for her energy and deep understanding of baseball. She was excellent at playing defense. She could play shortstop, second base, and all three outfield spots. When she hit, she usually hit hard, straight balls. She was good at picking which pitches to swing at. Over three years, she had a strong .336 on-base percentage. This means she got on base often.
The League Begins
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League ran from 1943 to 1954. It started with four teams. These teams were the Racine Belles and Kenosha Comets from Wisconsin. The other teams were the Rockford Peaches from Illinois and the South Bend Blue Sox from Indiana. League games officially began on May 30, 1943. Each team had fifteen players.
Early Success
Davis joined the Rockford Peaches. She was one of the first sixty players in the league. Her hitting was so good that she won the batting title in 1943. She had a .331 batting average in 102 games. She also led the league in total bases (155). She was second in hits (116). She ranked third in home runs (4), runs batted in (58), and runs scored (78). She also tied for second in triples (10).
All-Star Game
In the middle of the 1943 season, the league held its first All-Star Game. This game was also the first night game ever played at Wrigley Field. It happened on July 1, 1943. The game used temporary lights. Two teams played against each other. One team had players from the Belles and Comets. The other team had players from the Blue Sox and Peaches. At the end of the season, Terrie was chosen for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League All-Star Team.
Championship Win
By 1944, the AAGPBL added two new teams. These were the Milwaukee Chicks and the Minneapolis Millerettes. Davis played for both Rockford and Milwaukee that year. She had a combined .246 batting average. She scored 42 runs and had 34 RBIs in 80 games. The Milwaukee Chicks then won the Championship Title. They beat Kenosha in a best-of-seven series. Pitcher Connie Wisniewski was key, winning four games. Davis led the Chicks with a .333 batting average in the championship series. She also had three runs, three RBIs, and eight stolen bases.
Life After Baseball
Gladys Davis was married and had a child before joining the league. She did not play in the 1945 season. She returned in 1946 with a new team, the Muskegon Lassies. Her batting average was .202 in 58 games. She drove in 31 runs and scored 22 times. This was her last season in the AAGPBL.
After retiring from baseball, Davis focused on her family. She also worked in interior design in Toronto. In 1998, she was honored. She was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. She is also part of a special exhibit. This exhibit is about the entire AAGPBL. It is at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. This exhibit opened in 1988.
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