# 1953 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season

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 AAGPBL had six teams in 1953, the only change in its lineup being that the Battle Creek Belles had transferred and become the Muskegon Belles. The league was still using a 10 inches ball, but some changes were made to the game to make it more competitive and exciting. The base paths were lengthened from 72 feet to 75 feet and another foot was added to pitching distance, making it 56 feet. Nevertheless, the new changes had little impact on the game, as the high batting averages and low ERA's remained almost intact compared to the previous year. Joanne Weaver of Fort Wayne won her second batting title in a row with a .346 average, while Jean Faut of South Bend topped the pitching list with a 1.51 ERA. No pitcher won 20 games for the first time in league history. Faut and Grand Rapids' Eleanor Moore tied for first with 17 wins, while Fort Wayne's Betty Foss amassed 144 hits, that would eventually become a single-season record. Faut, who also led the league in strikeouts (143) and hurled her second career perfect game, was honored with the Player of the Year Award, her second in three years.
In the first round of the postseason, first place Fort Wayne faced third place Kalamazoo and second place Grand Rapids drew fourth place Rockford. After a 12-inning, 3–1 victory of Fort Wayne in the series opener, Kalamazoo pitchers Dorothy Naum and Kay Blumetta silenced the powerful Daisies batters in the next two games by scores of 2–1 and 5–3, respectively. In Game 2, Naum helped herself by batting a home run and Jean Lovell singled in the winning run in the top of the 10th inning. Lovell also drove in two runs in Game 3 to help the Lassies advance to the final round.
In the other series, Rockford connected 14 hits in Game 1 and pounded the Chicks, 9–2, while Rose Gacioch scattered eight hits and struck out four batters in a complete game victory. But Earlene Risinger pitched a six-hit, 2–0 shutout in the next game to tie the series. In Game 3, Dorothy Mueller held Rockford to eight hits in a 4–3 win to send Grand Rapids into the finals.
The Chicks swept the Lassies in the final series. In Game 1, Mary Lou Studnicka gave up seven hits and fanned seven in an eight-inning win, 5–2, while Eleanor Moore was credited with the save. Joyce Ricketts led the attack with two runs batted in. Risinger continued her winning ways in Game 2, giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out nine en route to a 4–3 victory. Once again, Ricketts drove in two runs and Risinger even contributed to her own cause with two RBI, to whip Kalamazoo for the championship in a cold-weather, shortened seven-inning game.

## Teams

1953 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Teams :
| Team | City | Stadium |
| Fort Wayne Daisies | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Memorial Park |
| Grand Rapids Chicks | Grand Rapids, Michigan | South High School Field |
| Kalamazoo Lassies | Kalamazoo, Michigan | Catholic Athletic Association Field |
| Muskegon Belles | Muskegon, Michigan | Marsh Field |
| Rockford Peaches | Rockford, Illinois | Beyer Stadium |
| South Bend Blue Sox | South Bend, Indiana | Playland Park |

## Standings

| Rank | Team | W | L | W-L% | GB |
| 1 | Fort Wayne Daisies | 66 | 39 | .629 | — |
| 2 | Grand Rapids Chicks | 62 | 44 | .585 | 4½ |
| 3 | Kalamazoo Lassies | 56 | 50 | .528 | 10½ |
| 4 | Rockford Peaches | 51 | 55 | .481 | 15½ |
| 5 | South Bend Blue Sox | 44 | 62 | .415 | 22½ |
| 6 | Muskegon Belles | 38 | 67 | .362 | 28 |

## Postseason

| First round Best of three series | First round Best of three series | First round Best of three series | Second round Best of three series | Second round Best of three series | Second round Best of three series |
| 1 | Fort Wayne Daisies | 1 | | | |
| 3 | Kalamazoo Lassies | 2 | | | |
| 3 | Kalamazoo Lassies | 2 | 3 | Kalamazoo Lassies | 0 |
| | | | 2 | Grand Rapids Chicks | 2 |
| 2 | Grand Rapids Chicks | 2 | 2 | Grand Rapids Chicks | 2 |
| 4 | Rockford Peaches | 1 | | | |

## Batting statistics

| Statistic | Player | Record |
| Batting average | Joanne Weaver (FW) Delores Brumfield (FW) Betty Foss (FW) Alice Pollitt (ROC) Jane Stoll (KAL) Eleanor Callow (ROC) Jean Geissinger (FW) Doris Satterfield (GR) Catherine Horstman (FW) Joyce Ricketts (GR) Rose Gacioch (ROC) Dorothy Schroeder (KAL) Jean Faut (SB) June Peppas (KAL) | .346 .332 .321 .315 .308 .303 .295 .295 .292 .288 .285 .285 .275 .271 |
| Runs scored | Betty Foss (FW) Jean Smith (GR) Joanne Weaver (FW) Dorothy Schroeder (KAL) Wilma Briggs (FW) Marilyn Olinger (GR) Margaret Russo (MUS) Eleanor Callow (ROC) Doris Satterfield (GR) Joan Berger (ROC) Dorothy Harrell (ROC) Inez Voyce (GR) Jean Geissinger (FW) Mary Froning (SB) Delores Brumfield (FW) Joyce Ricketts (GR) Gertrude Dunn (SB) June Peppas (KAL) Catherine Horstman (FW) | 99 86 79 76 75 67 65 58 58 56 56 55 50 50 48 48 46 46 44 |
| Hits | Betty Foss (FW) Joanne Weaver (FW) Gertrude Dunn (SB) Jane Stoll (KAL) Joyce Ricketts (GR) Doris Satterfield (GR) Eleanor Callow (ROC) Jean Geissinger (FW) June Peppas (KAL) Dorothy Schroeder (KAL) Wilma Briggs (FW) Inez Voyce (GR) | 144 142 122 122 120 119 117 117 113 111 104 103 |
| Doubles | Eleanor Callow (ROC) Jean Geissinger (FW) Betty Foss (FW) Jean Smith (GR) Joyce Ricketts (GR) Jane Stoll (KAL) Joanne Weaver (FW) Gertrude Dunn (SB) Doris Satterfield (GR) Jean Cione (MUS) Wilma Briggs (FW) Alice Pollitt (ROC) Delores Brumfield (FW) Catherine Horstman (FW) Dorothy Schroeder (KAL) Inez Voyce (GR) June Peppas (KAL) | 23 21 20 20 19 18 18 17 16 15 14 14 13 12 12 11 10 |
| Triples | Jean Geissinger (FW) Margaret Russo (MUS) Betty Foss (FW) Catherine Horstman (FW) Rose Gacioch (ROC) Joanne Weaver (FW) Wilma Briggs (FW) Alice Pollitt (ROC) Joyce Ricketts (GR) Eleanor Callow (ROC) Doris Satterfield (GR) Inez Voyce (GR) Delores Brumfield (FW) June Peppas (KAL) Jean Smith (GR) | 10 9 8 7 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 |
| Home runs | Wilma Briggs (FW) Eleanor Callow (ROC) Jean Geissinger (FW) Dorothy Schroeder (KAL) Inez Voyce (GR) Joyce Ricketts (GR) Betty Foss (FW) Joanne Weaver (FW) Jean Faut (SB) Catherine Horstman (FW) Mary Taylor (FW) Marjorie Pieper (MUS) Jane Stoll (KAL) Betty Wanless (GR) | 9 8 8 6 6 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 |
| Runs batted in | Jean Geissinger (FW) Doris Satterfield (GR) Joanne Weaver (FW) Joyce Ricketts (GR) Betty Foss (FW) Jane Stoll (KAL) Inez Voyce (GR) Wilma Briggs (FW) Eleanor Callow (ROC) Ruth Richard (ROC) Catherine Horstman (FW) Jean Cione (MUS) Alice Pollitt (ROC) Dorothy Schroeder (KAL) Jean Faut (SB) Marjorie Pieper (MUS) Betty Wanless (GR) | 81 79 76 71 65 65 60 59 58 48 46 41 39 39 38 38 35 |
| Stolen bases | Betty Foss (FW) Jean Smith (GR) Joanne Weaver (FW) Marilyn Olinger (GR) Betty Wanless (GR) Margaret Russo (MUS) Doris Satterfield (GR) Eleanor Callow (ROC) Wilma Briggs (FW) Mary Froning (SB) Jean Geissinger (FW) Gertrude Dunn (SB) Inez Voyce (GR) | 80 73 70 56 48 45 40 37 33 32 28 26 22 |
| Total bases | Betty Foss (FW) Joanne Weaver (FW) Jean Geissinger (FW) Eleanor Callow (ROC) Joyce Ricketts (GR) Wilma Briggs (FW) Jane Stoll (KAL) Doris Satterfield (GR) Gertrude Dunn (SB) Dorothy Schroeder (KAL) Inez Voyce (GR) Alice Pollitt (ROC) Catherine Horstman (FW) June Peppas (KAL) Jean Smith (GR) Margaret Russo (MUS) | 195 187 182 172 164 155 149 143 141 141 140 136 134 129 124 122 |

## Pitching statistics

| Statistic | Player | Record |
| Wins | Jean Faut (SB) Eleanor Moore (GR) Jaynne Bittner (FW) Maxine Kline (FW) Pat Scott (FW) Rose Gacioch (ROC) Earlene Risinger (GR) Marilyn Jones (MUS) Dorothy Naum (KAL) Gloria Cordes (KAL) Glenna Sue Kidd (SB) Dolores Lee (ROC) Dorothy Mueller (GR) Migdalia Pérez (ROC) Mary Lou Studnicka (GR) Catherine Horstman (FW) Janet Rumsey (SB) Agnes Allen (KAL) Kay Blumetta (KAL) Marie Mansfield (ROC) | 17 17 16 16 16 15 15 14 14 13 13 12 12 12 12 11 11 10 10 10 |
| Winning percentage | Eleanor Moore (GR) Jaynne Bittner (FW) Catherine Horstman (FW) Elaine Roth (KAL) Alma Ziegler (GR) Dorothy Mueller (GR) Dorothy Naum (KAL) Jean Faut (SB) Earlene Risinger (GR) Pat Scott (FW) Marilyn Jones (MUS) Rose Gacioch (ROC) Dolores Lee (ROC) Gloria Cordes (KAL) Maxine Kline (FW) | .708 .696 .688 .667 .667 .632 .667 .607 .600 .571 .560 .556 .545 .542 .533 |
| Earned run average | Jean Faut (SB) Earlene Risinger (GR) Kay Blumetta (KAL) Gloria Cordes (KAL) Eleanor Moore (GR) Ruth Williams (KAL) Dorothy Naum (KAL) Dolores Lee (ROC) Migdalia Pérez (ROC) Elaine Roth (KAL) Catherine Horstman (FW) Glenna Sue Kidd (SB) Janet Rumsey (SB) Jaynne Bittner (FW) Maxine Kline (FW) Mary Lou Studnicka (GR) | 1.51 1.75 1.98 1.98 2.00 2.12 2.18 2.24 2.25 2.30 2.32 2.34 2.42 2.45 2.49 2.56 |
| Strikeouts | Jean Faut (SB) Marie Mansfield (ROC) Earlene Risinger (GR) Eleanor Moore (GR) Gloria Cordes (KAL) Nancy Warren (MUS) Marilyn Jones (MUS) Janet Rumsey (SB) Rose Gacioch (ROC) Dorothy Mueller (GR) Maxine Kline (FW) Jaynne Bittner (FW) Dorothy Naum (KAL) Glenna Sue Kidd (SB) Pat Scott (FW) Catherine Horstman (FW) Mary Lou Studnicka (GR) | 143 143 121 119 106 100 86 86 82 82 76 75 75 67 65 57 54 |
| Games pitched | Janet Rumsey (SB) Migdalia Pérez (ROC) Pat Scott (FW) Josephine Hasham (MUS) Glenna Sue Kidd (SB) Maxine Kline (FW) Jaynne Bittner (FW) Marilyn Jones (MUS) Eleanor Moore (GR) Earlene Risinger (GR) Phyllis Baker (MUS) Gloria Cordes (KAL) Jean Faut (SB) Rose Gacioch (ROC) Nancy Warren (MUS) Dorothy Mueller (GR) | 35 34 32 31 31 31 30 30 30 30 29 29 29 29 29 28 |
| Complete games | Maxine Kline (FW) Glenna Sue Kidd (SB) Jean Faut (SB) Pat Scott (FW) Rose Gacioch (ROC) Marilyn Jones (MUS) Earlene Risinger (GR) Gloria Cordes (KAL) Josephine Hasham (MUS) Eleanor Moore (GR) Migdalia Pérez (ROC) | 26 25 24 24 23 22 22 20 20 20 20 |
| Shutouts | Maxine Kline (FW) Gloria Cordes (KAL) Jean Faut (SB) Jaynne Bittner (FW) Janet Rumsey (SB) Pat Scott (FW) Several others | 7 6 5 4 4 4 3 |
| Innings pitched | Glenna Sue Kidd (SB) Janet Rumsey (SB) Maxine Kline (FW) Pat Scott (FW) Earlene Risinger (GR) Rose Gacioch (ROC) Jean Faut (SB) Eleanor Moore (GR) Migdalia Pérez (ROC) Gloria Cordes (KAL) Marilyn Jones (MUS) Jaynne Bittner (FW) Josephine Hasham (MUS) Nancy Warren (MUS) | 258 249 246 238 231 229 226 221 220 218 218 209 206 200 |