1944 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season

The 1944 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the second season of the circuit. The AAGPBL expanded in its second year of existence by adding two franchises to the original four-team format. At this point, the Milwaukee Chicks and the Minneapolis Millerettes joined the Kenosha Comets, Racine Belles, Rockford Peaches and South Bend Blue Sox. The number of games in the schedule also increased to 118, while the final Scholarship Series faced first-half winner Kenosha against Milwaukee, second-half champ, in a Best of Seven Series.[1]

1944 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season
LeagueAll-American Girls Professional Baseball League
SportBaseball
Number of teamsSix
Regular season
Season championsKenosha Comets (first half)
Milwaukee Chicks (second half)
Scholarship Series
ChampionsMilwaukee Chicks

In that season the ball was decreased in size from 12 inches to 11½ inches. In addition, the base paths were lengthened to 68 feet.[2] As a result, batting averages decreased to low .200 as pitching continued to dominate for second straight season. No batters surpassed the .300 mark, with South Bend's Betsy Jochum collecting the highest average at .296. Once again Kenosha's Helen Nicol led all pitchers in earned run average, turning in a minuscule 0.98 mark, while Minneapolis' Annabelle Lee hurled the first perfect game in league history against Kenosha. Among pitchers who threw no-hitters were Rockford's Carolyn Morris (two) and Mary Pratt, and Kenosha' Elise Harney and Nicol.[3]

The final series was extended from three to seven games. The series went to the limit of seven games and Milwaukee clinched the championship, four to three. Despite losing Game 1, Connie Wisniewski earned the four wins to set a series record, pitching a four-hit shutout in decisive Game 7 to give the Chicks the title.[4]

Although the Chicks won the championship, they had no local financial backing and could not compete with the American Association Milwaukee Brewers. In fact, the Chicks were forced to play all seven games of the series at Kenosha's Lake Front Stadium because the Brewers were using the Borchert Field in Milwaukee. In addition, the high ticket prices charged for AAGPBL games failed to encourage significant fan support. Due to lack of community support and skepticism of journalists, the Chicks moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan prior to the 1945 season.[5]

The AAGPBL drew 260,000 fans during the 1944 season, which represented a 49 percent raise over the previous year.[1]

Standings

First half

RankTeamWLW-L%GB
1Kenosha Comets3623.610
2South Bend Blue Sox3325.569
3Milwaukee Chicks3026.536
4Racine Belles2832.467
5Rockford Peaches2432.42910½
6Minneapolis Millerettes2336.39013

Second half

RankTeamWLW-L%GB
1Milwaukee Chicks4019.678
2South Bend Blue Sox3127.534
3Rockford Peaches2928.50910
4Kenosha Comets2631.45613
5Racine Belles2532.43914
6Minneapolis Millerettes2236.37917½

Composite records

RankTeamWLW-L%GB
1Milwaukee Chicks7045.609
2South Bend Blue Sox6452.552
3Kenosha Comets6254.469
4Rockford Peaches5360.45616
5Racine Belles5364.45318
6Minneapolis Millerettes4572.38526½

Postseason

GameTeamsScore
1  Milwaukee Chicks  
@
Kenosha Comets
2

4
2Kenosha Comets
@
Milwaukee Chicks
4

1
3Milwaukee Chicks
@
Kenosha Comets
7

0
4Kenosha Comets
@
Milwaukee Chicks
1

7
5Milwaukee Chicks
@
Kenosha Comets
0

9
6Kenosha Comets
@
Milwaukee Chicks
1

2
7Milwaukee Chicks
@
Kenosha Comets
3

0

[6]

Batting statistics

StatisticPlayerRecord
 Batting averageBetsy Jochum (SB)
Helen Callaghan (MIN)
Faye Dancer (MIN)
Eleanor Dapkus (RAC)
Merle Keagle (MIL)
Vickie Panos (SB/MIL)
Rose Folder (KEN)
  Dorothy Kamenshek (ROC)  
Shirley Jameson (KEN)
Ann Harnett (KEN)
.296
.287
.274
.273
.264
.263
.261
.257
.253
.248
Runs scoredSophie Kurys (RAC)
Vickie Panos (SB/MIL)
Helen Callaghan (MIN)
Pauline Pirok (KEN)
Betsy Jochum (SB)
Merle Keagle (MIL)
Claire Schillace (RAC)
Shirley Jameson (KEN)
Phyllis Koehn (KEN)
Doris Tetzlaff (MIL)
87
84
81
73
72
72
65
64
62
62
HitsBetsy Jochum (SB)
Dorothy Kamenshek (ROC)
Helen Callaghan (MIN)
Merle Keagle (MIL)
Vickie Panos (SB/MIL)
Eleanor Dapkus (RAC)
Sophie Kurys (RAC)
Phyllis Koehn (KEN)
Faye Dancer (MIN)
Ann Harnett (KEN)
128
115
114
107
106
99
96
91
90
87
DoublesEleanor Dapkus (RAC)
Pauline Pirok (KEN)
Ann Harnett (KEN)
Dorothy Kamenshek (ROC)
Vivian Kellogg (MIN)
Josephine Lenard (ROC)
Lavonne Paire (MIN)
Lucille Colacito (KEN)
Merle Keagle (MIL)
Sophie Kurys (RAC)
Edythe Perlick (RAC)
Lee Surkowski (SB)
10
10
8
8
8
8
8
7
7
7
7
7
TriplesJosephine Lenard (ROC)
Ann Harnett (KEN)
Vivian Kellogg (MIN)
Lois Florreich (SB)
Phyllis Koehn (KEN)
Faye Dancer (MIN)
Mildred Deegan (ROC)
Dorothy Maguire (MIL)
Merle Keagle (MIL)
Betty Whiting (MIL)
10
8
7
6
6
5
5
5
5
5
Home runsMerle Keagle (MIL)
Eleanor Dapkus (RAC)
Helen Callaghan (MIN)
Vivian Kellogg (MIN)
Elizabeth Mahon (KEN)
Doris Tetzlaff (MIL)
Lee Surkowski (SB)
Josephine D'Angelo (SB)
Faye Dancer (MIN)
Betsy Jochum (SB)
Mary Nesbitt (RAC)
Edythe Perlick (RAC)
Margaret Wigiser (MIN)
7
5
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
Runs batted inEdythe Perlick (RAC)
Sophie Kurys (RAC)
Eleanor Dapkus (RAC)
Faye Dancer (MIN)
Merle Keagle (MIL)
Vivian Kellogg (MIN)
Margaret Stefani (SB)
Ann Harnett (KEN)
Phyllis Koehn (KEN)
Doris Tetzlaff (MIL)
Thelma Eisen (MIL)
Mary Baker (SB)
63
60
56
48
47
46
46
45
42
42
41
41
Stolen basesSophie Kurys (RAC)
Vickie Panos (SB/MIL)
Betsy Jochum (SB)
Merle Keagle (MIL)
Shirley Jameson (KEN)
Lois Florreich (SB)
Helen Callaghan (MIN)
Doris Tetzlaff (MIL)
Mary Baker (SB)
Alma Ziegler (MIL)
Pauline Pirok (KEN)
Dorothy Schroeder (SB)
166
141
127
122
119
113
112
101
92
77
75
70

Pitching statistics

StatisticPlayerRecord
WinsJosephine Kabick (MIL)
Carolyn Morris (ROC)
Mary Nesbitt (RAC)
Connie Wisniewski (MIL)
  Charlotte Armstrong (SB)  
Margaret Berger (SB)
Mary Pratt (ROC/KEN)
Dorothy Wiltse (MIN)
Elise Harney (KEN)
Helen Nicol (KEN)
Amy Applegren (ROC)
Viola Thompson (MIL)
Joanne Winter (RAC)
Catherine Bennett (SB)
Betty Luna (ROC)
Annabelle Lee (MIN)
26
23
23
23
21
21
21
20
18
17
16
15
15
14
12
11
Earned run averageHelen Nicol (KEN)
Charlotte Armstrong (SB)
Margaret Berger (SB)
Dorothy Wiltse (MIN)
Catherine Bennett (SB)
Carolyn Morris (ROC)
Elise Harney (KEN)
Connie Wisniewski
Annabelle Lee (MIN)
Mary Pratt (ROC/KEN)
Betty Luna (ROC)
Josephine Kabick (MIL)
Amy Applegren (ROC)
Jane Jacobs (RAC)
Viola Thompson (MIL)
Joanne Winter (RAC)
Doris Barr (SB)
0.93
1.51
1.57
1.88
2.04
2.15
2.23
2.23
2.43
2.50
2.61
2.66
2.77
2.82
2.88
2.96
2.98
StrikeoutsDorothy Wiltse (MIN)
Helen Nicol (KEN)
Carolyn Morris (ROC)
Mary Nesbitt (RAC)
Margaret Berger (SB)
Elise Harney (KEN)
Connie Wisniewski
Josephine Kabick (MIL)
Charlotte Armstrong (SB)
Amy Applegren (ROC)
Viola Thompson (MIL)
Joanne Winter (RAC)
205
136
112
106
92
88
82
81
68
56
52
52
Games pitchedJosephine Kabick (MIL)
Mary Nesbitt (RAC)
Carolyn Morris (ROC)
Margaret Berger (SB)
Mary Pratt (ROC/KEN)
Joanne Winter (RAC)
Charlotte Armstrong (SB)
Dorothy Wiltse (MIN)
Amy Applegren (ROC)
Connie Wisniewski
Catherine Bennett (SB)
Audrey Haine (MIN)
Elise Harney (KEN)
45
45
44
41
41
40
39
38
36
36
34
34
34
Innings pitchedJosephine Kabick (MIL)
Carolyn Morris (ROC)
Mary Nesbitt (RAC)
Charlotte Armstrong (SB)
Margaret Berger (SB)
Joanne Winter (RAC)
Mary Pratt (ROC/KEN)
Dorothy Wiltse (MIN)
Connie Wisniewski
Elise Harney (KEN)
Amy Applegren (ROC)
Helen Nicol (KEN)
366
343
343
321
315
310
303
297
291
262
250
243

[6][7]

All-Star Game

See also

Sources

  1. "All-American Girls Professional Baseball League History".
  2. AAGPBL Rules of Play
  3. All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record BookW. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2000. Format: Softcover, 294pp. Language: English. ISBN 978-0-7864-3747-4
  4. Connie Wisniewsi biography by Joyce M. Smith
  5. "University of Wisconsin Oral History Project – The Forgotten Champs: The 1944 Milwaukee Chicks. Interview with Viola Griffin (Thompson). Robert Carter. December 11, 2009".
  6. All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book
  7. The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: A Biographical DictionaryW. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2005. Format: Softcover, 295pp. Language: English. ISBN 0-7864-3747-2
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