Hide Article Text (OCR)
Remembering the girls of summerT. Kent MorganMEMORIES OF SPORTThe week of July 21-27 is Women in Baseball Week, an annual worldwide event recognizing the value, diversity, and cultural significance of women in baseball.The best-known female players in our province are the 11 women who played in the All -American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) and were inducted into the provincial baseball hall of fame in 1998 as a group called Manitoban All-American Girls. The AAGPBL operated in the American Midwest from 1943 to 1954, and many top softball players from Manitoba and Saskatchewan went south to show off their skills. The 68 Canadians who played in the league, were inducted as a group into the Canadian Baseball HOF on June 4,1998.The league’s rules were adjusted from softball with extended base paths and runners allowed to lead off and steal bases. The ball was reduced in size from 12 inches in circumference to 9.25 inches, with sidearm pitching permitted in 1946, and overhand pitching, as in baseball, in 1948.Pitchers Olive (Bend) Little from Poplar Point and Doris (Dodie) Barr from Star-buck, along with infielder Dorothy Hunter from Winnipeg played in the AAGPBL’s first season. Little took 1944 off when her daughter Bobbi was born but was back on the rubber for the Rockford Peaches in 1945 and 1946.The left-handed Barr pitched for six different teams until 1950, winning 79 games. Hunter played one season with the champion Racine Belles and then became a team chaperone in Milwaukee and Grand Rapids. She is one of only three women to participate in all 12 league seasons.Audrey (Haine) Daniels was just 17 when she joined the Minneapolis Millerettes in 1944and pitched for four different teams until 1948. She married but returned to the league in 1951 to pitch a season for the Peaches. Dorothy (Ferguson) Key, who was born in Virden, played both the infield and outfield from 1945 to 1954, primarily for Rockford. Noted for her speed, she stole 461 bases including 91 in the 1951 season.Yolande (Teilett) Schick from St. Vital spent 1945 to 1947 in the AAGPBL. The woman known as Yo-Yo was a catcher and outfielder for Fort Wayne, Grand Rapids and Kenosha. Mary (Kustra) Shastal played for Milwaukee in 1944 and Doris (Shero) Witiuk for Racine in 1950 and Batde Creek in 1951. Ruth (Middleton) Gentry played for Chicago, Battle Creek and Muskegon from 1950 to 1953.Evelyn (Wawryshyn) Moroz was teaching school in Flin Flon when an offer came in 1946 to join the AAGPBL. The multi-sport athlete from Tyndall played until 1951, making the first all-star team at second base in 1950 with the Fort Wayne Daisies. Winnipeg’s Eleanor (Knudsen) Callow was a switch-hitting outfielder who played from 1947 until 1954 primarily with Rockford. A power hitter nicknamed Squirt, she hit the most home runs in league history, 55, and triples, with 60. She also could run, stealing 214 bases. Moroz, in 1997, and Callow, this June, were inducted in the provincial baseball hall for their individual accomplishments.When the Robertson family from Hamiota was inducted into the HOF special category in 2009, it meant another woman received recognition. Lorna Robertson co-coached provincial championship teams in the beaver, bantam and bison categories. Patti Hacault from Holland was inducted in 2021 for herPitcher Oliue Little from Poplar Point played in the All-American Girls Pro/ess ion al Baseball League’sfirst season. She took 1944 off when her daughter Bobbi was born but was back on the rubber/or the Rockford Peaches in 1945 and 1946.contributions in the Pembina Hills region.nnnIn the fall of 1964, Kelvin High School won the city, metro, and provincial high school football championships. The Clippers first beat St. Paul’s 29-7 to win the city title, then shut out St. James 26-0 for the metro, and finally hammered Rivers 44-7 to close out the season. The team was coached by future Winnipeg High School Football Hall of Fame honoured member Mike Kachmar.On Friday, Sept. 20, the team is holdingFacebookOliue Little in action. The All-American Girls Pro/ess ion al Baseball League was the inspiration for the movie A League of Their Own, which focused on (butfictionalized) the story of Little's Rockford Peaches team.a 60-year reunion when Kelvin is playing a homecoming game against Brandon. The old fellows,” as former offensive tackle and co-cap-tain, Ken Lazaruk, describes his teammates will be introduced at a pep rally before the game. Lazaruk, who went on to become a top CFL official, says they will get together after the games. Organizers say they have tracked down about half of the 44-player roster but are asking for help in finding their missing teammates. If you can help, email klazaruk@cfl.caMemories of Sport appears every second week in the Free Press Community Review. Kent Morgan can be contacted at204-489-6641 or by email: sportsmemories@canstamews.com
Newspaper Details
Free Press Community West Edition Review
Blythe, California, US
Wed, Jul 10, 2024
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
CA 23 Dec 2024
Other Publications Near Blythe, California
Free Press Community West Edition Review
Free Press Community East Edition Review
Palo Verde Valley Times
