Muskegon Lassies

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1946 Muskegon Lassies Front row, L-R: Alva Jo Fischer, Dorothy Maguire, Elizabeth Wicken, Charlene Pryer, Miss Hack, Erma Bergmann. Second row, L-R: Eunice Kessler (chaperone), Sara Reeser, Pauline Martin, Donna Cook, Arleene Johnson, Dorothy Montgomery, Josephine Lenard, Buzz Boyle (manager). Back row, L-R: Lavina Keough, Mary Rini, Amy Applegren, Joanne Overleese, Margaret Wenzell. 1946 Muskegon Lassies.jpg
            1946 Muskegon Lassies
Front row, L-R: Alva Jo Fischer, Dorothy Maguire, Elizabeth Wicken, Charlene Pryer, Miss Hack, Erma Bergmann. Second row, L-R: Eunice Kessler (chaperone), Sara Reeser, Pauline Martin, Donna Cook, Arleene Johnson, Dorothy Montgomery, Josephine Lenard, Buzz Boyle (manager). Back row, L-R: Lavina Keough, Mary Rini, Amy Applegren, Joanne Overleese, Margaret Wenzell.

The Muskegon Lassies were one of the expansion teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the 1946 season, representing Muskegon, Michigan. The team played their home games at Marsh Field. [1] The league, its teams, and its story were later depicted in A League of Their Own. [1] [2]

Contents

History

The 1946 Muskegon Lassies posted a 46–66 record in their first year, and placed sixth in the eight–team league. They improved to 69–43 in 1947, to win a close pennant race with the Grand Rapids Chicks. Muskegon was led by OF/P Doris Sams, who ranked in several offensive categories and also collected 11 victories, including a perfect game, good enough to win the Most Valuable Player Award. Notably, the team counted with three of the top four pitchers in earned run average, Sams (0.98), Amy Irene Applegren (1.06) and Nancy Warren (1.13), but lost to the Racine Belles in the best-of-five, first-round matchup 3–1.

Muskegon went 66–57 in 1948 to gain a playoff berth, but lost to the Fort Wayne Daisies in the first round, three to zero games.

The team dropped to 46–66 in 1949 but was able to reach the playoffs for the third consecutive year. Muskegon disposed of the Kenosha Comets in the first round, 3–1, being swept by the South Bend Blue Sox in the semifinals, 3–0.

1950 became a nightmare for Muskegon, after registering the worst record in the league (36–73) and a relocation during the midseason to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where the team was renamed the Kalamazoo Lassies. [3]

All-time roster

Bold denotes members of the inaugural roster

Managers

* Buzz Boyle 1946
* Bill Wambsganss  1947
1948
* Carson Bigbee 1949
1950 [first half]

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The 1947 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the fifth season of the circuit. The teams Fort Wayne Daisies, Grand Rapids Chicks, Kenosha Comets, Muskegon Lassies, Peoria Redwings, Racine Belles, Rockford Peaches and South Bend Blue Sox competed through a 112-game schedule. The final Shaugnessy playoffs faced second place Grand Rapids against third place Racine in a Best of Seven Series.

The 1950 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the eight season of the circuit. The teams Fort Wayne Daisies, Grand Rapids Chicks, Kenosha Comets, Muskegon Lassies, Peoria Redwings, Racine Belles, Rockford Peaches and South Bend Blue Sox competed through a 112-game schedule.

The 1953 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the eleventh season of the circuit. The teams Fort Wayne Daisies, Grand Rapids Chicks, Kalamazoo Lassies, Muskegon Belles, Rockford Peaches and South Bend Blue Sox competed through a 110-game schedule, while the Shaugnessy playoffs featured the top four teams. This time, the postseason was reduced to a best-of-three series for both rounds.

The 1954 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the twelfth and last season of the circuit. The AAGPBL was left with five teams after the Muskegon Belles franchise folded at the end of the past season. As a result, it was the lowest number of teams since its opening season in 1943. The Fort Wayne Daisies, Grand Rapids Chicks, Kalamazoo Lassies, Rockford Peaches and South Bend Blue Sox competed through a 96-game schedule, while the Shaugnessy playoffs featured the top four teams in a best-of-three first round series, with the two winning teams facing in a best-of-five series to decide the championship.

References

  1. 1 2 "Historic Marsh Field". Historic Marsh Field. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  2. ↑ Opfermann, Mark (2012-07-10). "Former Muskegon Lassies standout dies at 85". mlive. Retrieved 2023-05-12.
  3. ↑ "Kalamazoo Lassies". Kalamazoo Public Library. Retrieved 2023-05-12.

Sources

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