American Girls Professional Baseball League

This virtual scrapbook is filled with articles, photographs, interviews, and statistics that give you an up-close-and-personal look at the pioneering women who played professional baseball from 1943 through 1954. Within these pages, you'll learn the true story of the athletes whose exploits inspired the feature film, "A League of Their Own." You'll also meet their managers, their chaperones, their batgirls, and even some of their fans. So warm up your clicking fingers and play ball!
Racine Belles (1943)
1943 Racine Belles: The Belles won the post-season play-off Championship (equivalent to dthe men's Major League World Series). They played Kenosha, defeating them 3 straight in a best of 5 series to become the first World Champions of Girls Professional Baseball.They were a powerful team on the field and at the plate. Joanne Winter, the top hurler for the Belles won 33 games while only losing 10. She was backed by Mary Nesbitt who added 26 to the win column. Power players, Irene Hickson and Mickey Maguire held down the catcher spot. It was stated that Maguire mirrored Hall of Famer, Mickey Cochrane, behind the plate. At bat she was a hitter to be dealt with banging out 59 hits and score 39 runs.The infield was loaded with speedy, strong players and the spirit and drive to match. Sophie Kurys,one of the league's fastest runners held down second and led the league in stolen bases. Kurys, after 9 years in the league, had among her honors five AAGPBL records: most runs scored in a season 117, most stolen bases in a season 201,