# 1949 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season

The 1949 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the seventh season of the circuit. With the Chicago Colleens and Springfield Sallies turning into rookie development teams after the 1948 season, the AAGPBL was left with eight squads: the Kenosha Comets, Fort Wayne Daisies, Grand Rapids Chicks, Muskegon Lassies, Peoria Redwings, Racine Belles, Rockford Peaches and South Bend Blue Sox. The teams competed through a 112-game schedule.
This time the league adopted a smaller ball during the midseason, going from 10+3⁄8 inches (260 mm) to 10 inches (250 mm), while the pitching distance increased 50 feet to 55 feet. The transition toward traditional baseball increased significantly. As a result, some talented pitchers jumped up to the rival Chicago National League when they could not adapt to the overhand delivery adopted the previous season. Pitching still outweighed hitting in the league, as no hitter could top the .300 average mark for the year. Rockford's Lois Florreich collected a 0.67 earned run average and South Bend's Jean Faut had a .909 winning percentage, both all-time single season records, while South Bend's Lillian Faralla hurled two no-hitters and Faut added another one for the team.
The greatest highlight of the season came from Muskegon's pitcher/outfielder Doris Sams, who won the batting crown with a .279 average and posted a 15–10 record with a 1.58 ERA, to become the first player in league history to win two Player of the Year Awards. She obtained her first distinction in the 1947 season.
The South Bend team finished tied in first place along with Rockford. In the first round of the Shaughnessy playoffs, third place Grand Rapids and sixth place Muskegon won their respective best-of-three series against fifth place Fort Wayne and fourth place Kenosha. In the second round, Rockford defeated South Bend in a best-of-seven series and Rockford won over Grand Rapids in a best-of-five series to determine the championship, which was won by Rockford in the final best-of-five series.
The AAGPBL peaked in attendance during the 1947 and 1948 seasons, when the teams attracted almost a million paid fans for consecutive year. But for the first time, the league failed to reach the attendance desired since its foundation in 1943.

## Teams

1949 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 |
| Kenosha Comets | Kenosha, Wisconsin | Simmons Field |
| Muskegon Lassies | Muskegon, Michigan | Marsh Field |
| Peoria Redwings | Peoria, Illinois | Peoria Stadium |
| Racine Belles | Racine, Wisconsin | Horlick 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 | South Bend Blue Sox | 75 | 36 | .676 | — |
| 2 | Rockford Peaches | 75 | 36 | .676 | — |
| 3 | Grand Rapids Chicks | 57 | 54 | .514 | 18 |
| 4 | Kenosha Comets | 58 | 55 | .505 | 19 |
| 5 | Fort Wayne Daisies | 52 | 57 | .477 | 23 |
| 6 | Muskegon Lassies | 46 | 66 | .411 | 29+1⁄2 |
| 7 | Racine Belles | 45 | 65 | .409 | 29+1⁄2 |
| 8 | Peoria Redwings | 36 | 73 | .330 | 39 |

## Postseason

| First round Best of three series | First round Best of three series | First round Best of three series | Second round a - Best of seven series b - Best of five series | Second round a - Best of seven series b - Best of five series | Second round a - Best of seven series b - Best of five series | Third round Best of five series | Third round Best of five series | Third round Best of five series |
| | | | 1 | South Bend Blue Sox | 0 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Rockford Peaches | 4 | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Rockford Peaches | 3 |
| 4 | Kenosha Comets | 1 | | | | 2 | Rockford Peaches | 3 |
| 4 | Kenosha Comets | 1 | | | | 3 | Grand Rapids Chicks | 1 |
| 6 | Muskegon Lassies | 3 | | | | 3 | Grand Rapids Chicks | 1 |
| 6 | Muskegon Lassies | 3 | 6 | Muskegon Lassies | 0 | | | |
| | | | 3 | Grand Rapids Chicks | 3 | | | |
| 3 | Grand Rapids Chicks | 3 | 3 | Grand Rapids Chicks | 3 | | | |
| 5 | Fort Wayne Daisies | 1 | | | | | | |

## Batting statistics

| Statistic | Player | Record |
| Batting average | Doris Sams (MUS) Connie Wisniewski (GR) Doris Satterfield (GR) Inez Voyce (GR) Dorothy Kamenshek (ROC) Edythe Perlick (RAC) Evelyn Wawryshyn (FW) Helen Candaele (KEN) Vivian Kellogg (FW) Sophie Kurys (RAC) | .279 .278 .259 .257 .255 .255 .251 .251 .247 .245 |
| Runs scored | Sophie Kurys (RAC) Connie Wisniewski (GR) Dorothy Kamenshek (ROC) Elizabeth Mahon (SB) Senaida Wirth (SB) Thelma Eisen (FW) Ernestine Petras (KEN) Mary Baker (SB) Betty Wagoner (SB) Alma Ziegler (GR) | 70 64 62 62 62 59 59 58 58 58 |
| Hits | Doris Sams (MUS) Connie Wisniewski (GR) Doris Satterfield (GR) Sophie Kurys (RAC) Dorothy Kamenshek (ROC) Vivian Kellogg (FW) Evelyn Wawryshyn (FW) Elizabeth Mahon (SB) Inez Voyce (GR) Dorothy Harrell (ROC) | 114 113 109 102 98 98 98 97 96 95 |
| Doubles | Doris Satterfield (GR) Elizabeth Mahon (SB) Connie Wisniewski (GR) Marilyn Olinger (GR) Vivian Kellogg (SB) Helen Candaele (KEN) Dorothy Kamenshek (ROC) Rita Meyer (PEO) Mary Reynolds (PEO) Audrey Wagner (KEN) Evelyn Wawryshyn (FW) | 22 16 13 11 10 9 8 8 8 8 8 |
| Triples | Eleanor Callow (ROC) Edythe Perlick (RAC) Doris Satterfield (GR) Betty Trezza (RAC) Jean Cione (KEN) Connie Wisniewski (GR) Evelyn Wawryshyn (FW) Wilma Briggs (FW) Helen Candaele (KEN) Madeline English (RAC) Dorothy Harrell (ROC) | 11 9 8 8 7 7 6 5 5 5 5 |
| Home runs | Thelma Eisen (FW) Inez Voyce (GR) Audrey Wagner (KEN) Eleanor Callow (ROC) Sophie Kurys (RAC) Edythe Perlick (RAC) Doris Satterfield (GR) | 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 |
| Runs batted in | Elizabeth Mahon (SB) Doris Satterfield (GR) Inez Voyce (GR) Dorothy Harrell (ROC) Alva Jo Fischer (MUS) Edythe Perlick (RAC) Ruth Lessing (GR) Betty Whiting (SB) Senaida Wirth (SB) Lavonne Paire (GR) Eleanor Callow (ROC) | 60 58 53 50 47 41 40 40 40 37 36 |
| Stolen bases | Sophie Kurys (RAC) Ernestine Petras (KEN) Dorothy Kamenshek (ROC) Mary Baker (SB) Charlene Pryer (MUS) Elizabeth Mahon (SB) Senaida Wirth (SB) Helen Candaele (KEN) Betty Wagoner (SB) Evelyn Wawryshyn (FW) | 137 73 69 68 68 66 66 65 64 64 |
| Total bases | Doris Satterfield (GR) Connie Wisniewski (GR) Edythe Perlick (RAC) Eleanor Callow (ROC) Elizabeth Mahon (SB) Evelyn Wawryshyn (FW) Vivian Kellogg (FW) Sophie Kurys (RAC) Dorothy Kamenshek (ROC) Helen Candaele (KEN) Inez Voyce (GR) | 153 140 120 119 119 118 117 117 114 113 111 |

## Pitching statistics

| Statistic | Player | Record |
| Wins | Jean Faut (SB) Lois Florreich (ROC) Lillian Faralla (SB) Louise Erickson (ROC) Mildred Deegan (FW) Jean Cione (KEN) Earlene Risinger (GR) Doris Sams (MUS) Mildred Earp (GR) Maxine Kline (FW) | 24 22 19 17 16 15 15 15 14 14 |
| Winning percentage | Rose Gacioch (ROC) Jean Faut (SB) Lois Florreich (ROC) Louise Erickson (ROC) Louise Arnold (SB) Lillian Faralla (SB) Jaynie Krick (SB) Alma Ziegler (GR) Ruth Williams (SB) Helen Nicol (ROC) | .818 .750 .750 .739 .714 .679 .667 .667 .625 .619 |
| Earned run average | Lois Florreich (ROC) Helen Nicol (ROC) Jean Faut (SB) Lillian Faralla (SB) Ruby Stephens (KEN) Louise Erickson (ROC) Jean Cione (KEN) Doris Sams (MUS) Ruth Williams (SB) Rose Gacioch (ROC) | 0.67 0.98 1.10 1.36 1.38 1.54 1.57 1.58 1.64 1.68 |
| Strikeouts | Lois Florreich (ROC) Mildred Earp (GR) Jean Faut (SB) Earlene Risinger (GR) Dorothy Mueller (PEO) Kay Blumetta (FW) Barbara Rotvig (KEN) Alva Jo Fischer (MUS) Mildred Deegan (FW) Doris Sams (MUS) | 210 143 120 116 114 102 97 86 82 81 |
| Games pitched | Lillian Faralla (SB) Jean Faut (SB) Erma Bergmann (RAC) Jean Cione (KEN) Ruby Stephens (KEN) Joanne Winter (RAC) Earlene Risinger (GR) Lois Florreich (ROC) Mildred Deegan (FW) Maxine Kline (FW) Doris Sams (MUS) | 34 34 32 32 32 32 30 29 28 28 28 |
| Innings pitched | Lois Florreich (ROC) Jean Faut (SB) Lillian Faralla (SB) Mildred Deegan (FW) Earlene Risinger (GR) Maxine Kline (FW) Joanne Winter (RAC) Erma Bergmann (RAC) Jean Cione (KEN) Alice Haylett (GR) | 269 261 245 234 234 229 228 225 223 220 |