Baseball in Fort Wayne

Archive for the ‘Daisies’ Category

A little over a year ago, I was a newly published author who was going to my first professional book signing at Barnes & Noble (in Jefferson Pointe). I had my ideas about what to expect, and everything pretty much went that way until the unexpected happened.

About half way through, a friendly-faced woman who was wearing an AAGPBL  sweatshirt emerged from beyond a series of bookshelves at the store much the same way Shoeless Joe Jackson (ably played by Ray Liotta) emerges from the corn husks in Field of Dreams. One of Isabel Alvarez’s former GE co-workers had informed me earlier in the day that she might be coming, so I was pretty certain who the woman was.

She was very soft spoken but we quickly struck up a conversation and she stayed for pretty much the remainder of the signing as we talked about baseball, Fort Wayne, her times with the Daisies and more. She also kindly signed next to her picture for folks who purchased the book.

It was a great experience indeed. Since that time, I have had the great fortune to talk with Isabel more and have found that first impression to be accurate. And, her passion for baseball and the AAGPBL in particular is apparent within just a few moments of meeting her and you can’t help but be reminded of this fact every time you see her.

This past spring, Isabel was honored by the Northeast Indiana Baseball Assocation (NEIBA) with the Bob Parker Memorial Award. Not only was she deserving, but she was truly humbled by an honor she never expected to receive. No offense to the other honorees, inductees, the emcee or keynote speaker Tony Richards, but her acceptance of the award was among the most memorable moments of that night in my mind.

It brought a smile to my face to see her handing out autographed baseball cards to those in attendance – because they were going faster than she cold hand them out. And, even though I had her autograph in my own book already, I had to get a card too.

Today, she sent me a link to an article in the News-Sentinel about a book that is being written about her life and baseball career. It was with much joy for her that I read the article as it detailed more.

But however much Alvarez’s past and present contributions to baseball are commemorated, she credits the game itself for the majority of opportunities she’s had in her life” exactly the point author Kathy Williams plans to touch upon in a book chronicling Alvarez’s life.

Right now, the book is tentatively titled “Life After the League: From La Tilla del Cerro to All-American. It likely will recount Alvarez’s family life in Cuba to her days as a professional baseball player in America and life after the league. The book is scheduled for publication by the end of the year.

It’s definitely one I am looking forward to reading.  Congrats again Isabel!

Delores “Dolly” Brumfield White, a former Fort Wayne Daisies player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was recently in Kenosha, Wisconsin for a re-dedication ceremony and the Hall of Fame Classic women’s baseball tournament at Simmons Field.

The one-time infielder went on to become a teacher and now lives in Prichard, Alabama. She is currently a director on the AAGPBL Players Association Board of Directors.

KenoshaNews.com did a “Seven Questions” segment with Dolly.

Former Fort Wayne Daisies player, Ruby Heafner will be inducted into the Gaston County (Ohio) Sports Hall of Fame during a September 8 ceremony at Cramer Mountain Country Club.

Heafner played in the short-lived All-American Girls Professional Baseball League immortalized in the 1992 Hollywood movie “A League Of Their Own” that starred Geena Davis, Tom Hanks and Madonna. A catcher who was often compared to Detroit Tigers’ Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane, Heafner was nicknamed “Rebel” and played for Rockford, Fort Wayne, Racine and Battle Creek over a six-year career lasting from 1946 through 1951 – or shortly after Heafner served two years in the U.S. military.

After the women’s pro baseball league folded, Heafner returned to her native city where she worked for the city recreation department, helped coached girls softball and served as a volunteer at Gaston Memorial Hospital.

Source: Gaston Gazette

The Bowie Baysox, Class AA Minor League Affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, are hosting a “Women’s Weekend” during their three game homestand this weekend. Tomorrow, the festivities include a tribute to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball Players League. It marks the second year that the Baysox have honored this special group of ladies.

Among those that will be honored is Ruth Hartman (Kramer), a pitcher and infielder who played with the Daisies and took part in the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum’s 2006 dedication of “Diamond Dreams: Women in Baseball”, an updated version of an exhibit on the history of women in baseball that has been on display in Cooperstown since 1988.

Also being honored are former AAGPBL players; Jean Faut, Gloria Elliott (Cordes), Sarah “Salty” Ferguson, Joanne McComb, Gertrude “Gertie” Benner.

All six former AAGPBL players will be honored in ceremonies prior to the game. Following the National Anthem, all six players will be positioned at meet and greet locations around the stadium concourse level. Players will be available for autographs and photos with fans throughout the game.

St. Marys Evening Leader Staff Writer Kay Louth recently had a nice piece on former Fort Wayne Daisies player, Katie Horstman.

As a rookie, she earned $50 a week. By the time she was finished, she was earning $125 a week. She made more money the first year she played baseball than she did the first year she taught school. It was her baseball salary that paid for her college education.

Thought I would do a fragment review of some of the many storylines involving Fort Wayne baseball that have popped up lately.

Starting off with Daisies news, June “Pep” Peppas recently threw the first pitch in a fund-raising softball game for the Treasure Coast Hospice in Jensen Beach, Fla. A very nice article about her life and times accompanies the new piece.

Former Wizards pitcher and opening night starter for the San Antonio Missions, Michael Ekstrom didn’t fare too well. He coughed up 10 hits and five runs (four earned) over five innings. [hat tip to “Behind the Dugout]

Corey Koskie was in Minnesota this week to visit old teammates and have lunch with former teammate and another former Wizards player, Torii Hunter. The 34-year-old infielder still has constant struggles with post-concussion syndrome, but holds out hope that he will one day return to baseball. We’re rooting for you Corey!

A.J. Pierzynski knocked in 5 runs in the White Sox – Tigers series opener. Guess the off-season routine paid immediate dividends.

Michael Cuddyer dislocated his right index finger in Friday’s game. That’s a tough loss for Minnesota. Hope he doesn’t see any time on the DL.

Josh Barfield made a good start in his push for a return to the Major League level. Batting leadoff for Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday, the former Wizards infielder went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI’s in a 9-4 opening day win over Norfolk.

[tags]June Peppas, Corey Koskie, Josh Barfield, Michael Ekstrom, A.J. Pierzyinski, Michael Cuddyer[/tags]

The youngest living member of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is Katie Horstman, who was elected by her peers to toss the first pitch at the Palm Springs Chill’s playoff game Friday. Horstman played in the league from 1951 through 1954 as a member of the Fort Wayne Daisies, where she played third base, pitcher and catcher.

“I played a little pitcher and catcher, but I loved third base because I could talk to the fans – I just loved the hot corner,” she said recently. “I joined when I was 15, and by 19 I was out of a job.” [source: The Desert Sun]

Horstman was playing softball in St. Henry, Ohio when a Fort Wayne plumber saw her and suggested she could make the Fort Wayne team. As a 15-year-old, the St. Henry coach took for a try-out and she was immediately signed to play.

[tags]Katie Horstman, Fort Wayne Daisies, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League[/tags]

Tami Tolley has a great entry over at the Palm Beach Post about June “Pep” Peppas. Tomorrow, the 79-year-old former Fort Wayne Daisies player will throw out the first pitch of Treasure Coast Hospice 3rd Annual Celebrity Softball fundraiser.

Peppas played in the All American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) from 1948 to 1954 and stared as a pitcher before moving to first base. She is tied for 10th on the league’s all-time batting average with a .273 average.

Peppas was also honored with induction to the Northeast Indiana Baseball (NEIBA) Hall of Fame; class of 2007.

UPDATE: The TCPalm website has a related article and some great photos of Peppas.

[tags]AAGPBL, Baseball in Fort Wayne, Daisies, NEIBA, June Peppas[/tags]

Jean Havlish will be inducted into the St. Bernard’s Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday. Havlish, 72, who two weeks ago rolled a 699 series (220-222-257) series at Maplewood Bowl, played in the 1950s for the Fort Wayne Daisies in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the inspiration for the movie “A League of Their Own.”

As for her bowling prowess, Havlish is a member of the Women’s International Bowling Congress Hall of Fame and the Minnesota Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame and is the only bowler in the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame. She also was among the “50 Greatest Minnesota Sports Figures” listed by Sports Illustrated for its 50th anniversary edition [source: TwinCities.com].

Note: Emphasis added to quoted text by blogger.

[tags]Daisies, Jean Havlish, Baseball in Fort Wayne[/tags]

I have recently come across a couple Fort Wayne Daisies-related items and thought I would share them with you:

• Feb. 7, 2007 – “Women in spotlight at Economic Club event” (mLive.com) – Dawn Parker recaps an Economic Club of Jackson [MI] luncheon. The keynote speaker was former Fort Wayne Daisies player, Vivian Kellogg, who presented “We’ve Come A Long Way” to spotlight her achievements as a pioneer in women’s sports.
• Apr. 26, 2007 – “Chasing dreams in league of her own” (Cincinnati Post) – Jack Hicks caught up with former Fort Wayne Daisies player, Pat Scott, to discuss her experiences and peruse her scrapbook of memories. The article also includes some details on Scott’s live after playing in Fort Wayne.
• Want to see the Daisies in action? There is a brief clip of the Daisies in play against the Racine Belles at The Digital Deli. Pretty neat clip. Footage includes Pat Scott, Tibby Eisen, Jo Weaver, and others.

[tags]Fort Wayne Daisies, Pat Scott, Vivan Kellogg[/tags]