League of Their Own - Merrie Fidler shares stories from the AAGPBL

BaseballBiz On Deck

• Philip Wrigley, Cubs executive, begins a Women’s Softball League.
• Wrigley would be 1 of 3 executives, including Branch Rickey, to launch the AAGPBL
• Joe Boland, South Bend Tribune Sports Editor & AAGPBL legendary pitcher Jean Faut
• Arthur Meyerhoff invites Merrie to dig through the basement files & letters in the Wrigley Building for her research.
• Merrie completes AAGPBL thesis after 4 years of research in 1976
• June “Lefty” Peppas – 1st base & pitcher for the Kalamazoo Lassies asks to print & circulate Merrie Fidler’s thesis amongst other AAGPBL players
• Peppas prepares the first national AAGBPL reunion in Chicago, July 1982. Reunions begin to spread across the U.S.
• Petition Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame to have AAGBPL – Fall of 1988 HOF launches AAGBPL
• Documentary of league – Kelly Candaele & Kim Wilson “A League of Their Own” PBS documentary
• Penny Marshall, Yankees fan, directs a “A League Of Their Own” movie – highest grossing baseball movie in history.
• Movie inspires many - Little League allowing young girls to play baseball
• Former AAGPBL Sue Zipay, is starting a new League of Their Own with tournament in Sarasota, Nov. 17th – 19th
• Fall 1942, US War Department notifies major league baseball owners that in 1943 there may not be a baseball season due to man power needed for the war.
• Wrigley responds to War Dept news & creates the AAGPBL
• League moves to overhand pitching in 1948
• Tampa Baseball Museum
• Shu-Shu Wirth – Ybor native makes it to the AAGPBL – South Bend Blue Sox
• Shu-Shu bridged the language gap between Cuban players & AAGBPL Managers
• Players for teams were selected at a league level prior to each season
• Loaning players to other teams
• Dodgers Spring Training in 1947 moves to Havana Cuba as they brought Jackie Robinson onto the team
• Branch Rickey was one of 3 trustees to begin the AAGBPL and set it up as a non-profit league
• Cuban promoter had developed girls teams in Havana
• AAGBPL were drawing 15,000+ crowds for their Havana games
• Shortstop Shu-Shu Wirth spoke Spanish & helped communicate with players & coaches
• Exhibition games a good tool for scouting & recruiting new players on the road.
• Ruth Davis, bat girl for the Blue Sox, shares impact of AAGPBL on how the women in the league broadened her horizons for careers as she watched players succeed off-field.
• Merrie’s visit to Cooperstown and the AAGPBL Reunion in Syracuse, New York
• Post League many players continued as athletes in other professional sports including tennis, golf & professional bowling.
• Jean Faut became a successful professional bowler

Merrie’s book
“The Origins & History of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League”

All-American Women’s Baseball Classic in Sarasota - November 17 – 19, 2023
https://americangirlsbaseball.org/all-american-womans-baseball-classic/

Past Tournament Video Highlights
BaseballBiz On Deck is at www.baseballbizondeck.com & on iheartradio, Apple & Google podcasts
Twitter: @TheBaseballBiz
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"