DOCUMENT RESUME

ED113304 SP 004 538

AUTHOR Fidler, Merrie TITLE The All- American Girls' League, 54. . PUB DATE .11 r NOTE 29p.; Papei presented at the Annual Conference of the North American Society for Sport History (3rd, Boston, Massachusetts, April 16-19, 1975)

EDRS PRICE MF-$0.76 HC-$1.9.5 Plus Postage DESCRIPTORS *Athletics; *Baseball; *Females; *Historical Reviews; Organizational Change; Recreational Activities; *Womens Athletics% IDENTIFIERS Wrigley (Philip K)

ABSTRACT This presentation provides an historical sketch of the All-American Girls' Baseball League (AAGBBL). The League was created'in 1942 as the All7American League, by Philip K. Wrigley. _He initiated the League as a non-profit orOnization governed by a board of three trustees. Mr. Wrigley's basic motivation for creating the AAGSBL was to organize substitute entertainment for men's professional baseball. In 1943, Mr. Wrigley began de-emphasizing the League's identity-With softball and emphasizing its identity with baseball. The League was renamed the All-American Girls' Professional Ball League, but unofficially it was referred to as the AAGBB e League grew from its four original teams 'in 1943' to a imum of ten teams in 1948. By 1954, it had dwindled down to .'

' five teams. The organizational structure of the League underwent three basic changes; all due to changes in administration. There were also both real and imagined problems.with male thanageis and female players. To solve' this; chaperones were hired. The League ' administrators maintained strict conduct rules for the players4The demise of the AAGBBL came after the .1954 season. Post-World War II' social changes combined/with intra-league changes to contribute to ,the.,keaguels demise. Many instructive lessons can'be ascertained from the League's expe±ience, however, for current and future' application to women's professional sport. An appendiis attached which contains charts and tables on structure, salaries, nd participants. (RC) #4,

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THE ALL-ANERTCAN GIRLS' BASEBALL LEAGUE, 1943-1954-

.Morrie A. Fidler Department of aysical Educatino Universityof Minnesota Ste Xaul, Minnesota

A paper presented at the Third Annua/ Conference of the Korth American Society for Sport History Boston, Massachusetts; April 16-29; /975

4

O

U This presentation attempts to provide an historical pketdh of the

All-American Girls' Baseball Leagiie, It attempts to describe the

organizational structure of the League ncliAing a &lel discussion of.

its peraonnel. It also attempts to identify internal and external

. changes which affected the League's success anddecline, Finally, it

attempts to suggest implications of the League's experience pertinent)to

modern day promoters of women'spmotessional sport.

The LeagueQbegan operatkms,in 1943 which you will recall was the

middle of World War II, Domestic manpoWer was at its lowest tide and

womanpower in the labormarket was the focus of a huge federal government 1 promotional campaign. It became a. patriotic duty for Ameritan women to

lay down their brooms, so to speak, and!take up all manner of unfamiliar,

pre iusly male-dominatedemployments:2 The sports. entertainment world,

like other "masculine" vocations, relaxed its resistance to femaleinvolve-

ment during the war: Womenappeared,as jockeys, football coaches,

udpires,bowlingipin setters, caddies, horse trainers 'and ballplayers.3

Nearly all Of the women who competedon the firstAll-American

Girls' Baseball League (AAGBBL),teams were born between1918 and 1925.4

N They became teenagerssometime during tie 1930s when the WPA was building

numerous recreational fadiAties in urban as well as aural areas; it Was A a time when well - established physical educationprogAtms were emerging for

girls and women in schools and colleges; it was a time when the sport of

softball was achieving maturity and popularity as a sport for all ages and

bothsexes.5 2

By.1939 it was estimated that, 60,000,000people were watching softball

games,. about 10,0001000 more than attended baseballgames. In 1943 an

estimated 2,750,000 players participatedon 115,000 softball teams;, A.

'significant number of thesewere women's teame. Some journalists report-40i 4 that women's softball -teams attractedmore spectators than men's teams.6

The female softball talent poolgenerated'in the 1930s combined withthe

manpower shortage of World War II set the stagefor an innOvatiare

entrepreneur to organizea women's professional softball league;

The All-Ameridaii Girls' Baseball-League.was, created as the All

Girls' Softball League by Philip K. Wrigley in, the winter of 1942, Mr.-

Wrigley,was and ie.theywner of theChicago Cubs and Wrigley ChelingGuni

Company. He initiated the leagueas a non-profit organizatiorigoverned by

a board of three trustees. The trustees included Mr. Wrigley,Paul Harper,

. an attorney for the Cubs and Branch RiCkey, who was at that time general:. C'

for the Brooklyn Dodgere.7. Mr. Ridkeywas best known for i signing 4.,,,.. Jackie Robinson to a Dodger Contract' in 1946. He has also been considered

the most innovative administrator associatedwith .8.

The creation, of the AAGSBL was one of-the major innovative enterprisesof

- , Mr. Wrigley's and Mr. Rickey's baseballcareers. . ,-c ) Mr.Nrigley's basic motivation, for creating the'AAGSBL wasto

organize. substitute entertainment formen's professional baseball whichwas threatened by a projected manpower crisis inthe-fall of 1942, This

isis included an extension of manpowershortage' problem of 1941 Aus government planned mass relocation ofworkers from non-war towar production labor in the spring of 1943. Mr'. Wrigley attempted to persuadeother baseball magnates to cooperate inthis endeavor, but they'deciinedto do so.9 3

Mr. lirigleY's creative efforts met with resistance from the edminibtatord

of existino:WoMen'S.semi-pro softball leagues in . His-organization

threatened to infringe -on thei; territory,190nemewls Kr.Wrigley 'developed

at the outset to distinguish his league frothe semi-pro leagues wae

0 throng 4 their Uniforms, The AAGSBL unifOrms were designed specifically to

conveythe image of-femininity. They were model after tennis, field

hockey and ice skating outfits thenpopular.:e uniforms remained

essentially the same throughout the 12 year history of the league although

. 12 the skirt9 became shorter and less flint° facilitate mobility andfielding,

As early as August of 1943 Mr.' Wrigley, began de- emphasizing the League's e,. identity with softball and emphasizing its identity withbaseball.

Informally, sports writers were instructed to 'refer to'the Leagueas the

AAGBBL. lfficialy, however, the 'League waschrietened tilt, All-American

Girls' Professional&11 League1

The organizational structure of the League underwent three.basic.

changes. These changes can be identified with changes in League p.dmini-

strators (see appendix fOr organizational charts).

The first League president was Ken.Seils who had previously served as

an..assistant to, the Cub's general manager. He had the responsibility of

organizing the League for the 1943 season. He noted that his orgs:nivational

effOrts would:not have been possible if the Cubs' administration had not

I 14 . been put at his disposa1.

Mr. Sells is identified with whatIcall the League's Trusteeship

Period, whieh lasted from 1943 through- 1944. If you will notice, all

League as- well as nearly all team affairs were controlled by' the League

president during this period.

O t 9 4 In the fall of-194, after the threat of thesmanpawer shortage to

major league baseball had passed, and. after'other major leagueowners

p proved Uncooierative in promoting the Girls' League in major league parks,

Alirigley sold the Leagueto one of his advertising agents, Arthur .

Meyerhoff. Mr. Meyerhoff had been active in League organization and

promotion frail) its inception, :HO established a management corporation

Which administered, all League affairs and, delegated most team affairsto --

local teamdiretors. :Please note that players'and managerswere still

-primarily unde the contrOlLof:Leeigue administration. Mr. Meyerhoff acted.

as commissioner of the League from the fall of 1944 through the fall of

1950 and headed what I term the Management Corporation Period of the

League. .

The major function of Mr. Meyerhoffrs Management Corporation was

maintain a league.office in Chicag4, hire personnel, draw up League.

schedules and publicize and promatilthe LaagUe. In return(for istrative

f. services, the Management Corporation received a percentage of each

admission to Leaguegames,76Although a change in the League tame was

contemplated iith this change1'- 41League Stru- cturevitwas not until the_enA of

1945 season that the League waS-'Otticially christened the All-American O

Girls' Baseball League,1.6 . . . , , . qkg - was -employed as Mr. Meyetheffts first president. x He had . 'been affiliated with the League during the 1944 40on as Amager of the

Milwaukee tea.-- was a 24 year r-veteran of major league baseball and he

was famous for his base s ealinefeats with the, . .He 17 served as president-o1Ct7:e AAGBBL until the end ofethe 1949 season,

Mr. Carey was replaced. in 1950 by his assistant, Fred. I.a. At the

, 4 . . %

7-\ end of the 1950 season the League's relationship with the Management

'Corporation was dilsolved betayse team directors thought Nr. Neyerhoff

F.18 vat making a-profit on gate receipts at their 'expense In the Spring

of 1951 Fred Leo was elevated to the position of League Commissioner and

team directors assumed autonomous control of their personnel. With this

change the organ-National structure of the AAGBBL more nearly paralleled

that of men's professionaI,baseball. The commissioner served primariltas a League business manager and his Power over League personnel was greatly

restricted. I Call the period between 1951 -1954 the Period of Autolomous

fi

Teat Own4dhip, The official title of the14Paguewas Changed at this time

to the American Girls' Baseball League, but it was still popularly referred

to as the All,-American Girls' BaseballLeague.19 0 9 The League grew from its four original teams of Racine and Kenosha

WisconSin, Rodkford,Illinois-and South Bend, Indiana, in 1943 to a maximum

of 10 teams in 1948. By 1954 it had dwindled to five teams (see appendix

for listing'ofteams),20

The first four league towns were-war production centers in 1943 and some

of the players worked in war production plants in theoffseason.23These

cities were also centers where'men's and women's softball had been

popular,du4ng the k930s. Sites sele.cted for future teams also tended to

be popular amatuer or semi-pro softballcenters,22

One thing all Leauge administrators had in common was the necessity

of(financial support from local businessmen; This became more emit more

of a necessity after Mt. Wrigley gave up his interest in the League in

1944, He reportedly spent $200,000 on theLeague:23

` Under the Management Corporation structure initiated hi 1945 many of the businestMen who contributed to their localteams became team directors.

These men tended to be among the foremost citizensoftheir communities.

Theresidentsof each tea6,along with League, administrativepersonnel

formed the League Board ofDirectr whichdecided all matters of League 24 policy: \

Team managers were primarily recruited frommen's exa-professional

baseball players,25 The more famous of themincluded and

Johnny Rawlings who re?Ipectively played shortstopand second base,together

under John McGraw'a tutelage1,the New York Giants from 1921,1923.

Jimmy Foxx managed the Fort Wayne' Daisies duringthe 1952 season and

Bill Wambsganss managed in the League,for fouryears. Bill Wamby, as he

waS nailed, was famous for executing theonly IlneSisted triple4) in

World Series history, wh4h.he accompliShed in.the 5thgame,,of the' 1920 26 series. J. , ' -o The most enduring and successfUr team, manager' throughoutthe 12 year.'

history"of the,,LeagUe was Bill'Allington, He managed at Rockford for . eight Yeats and at Ft. Wayne for two years. Allington had been,involed

in.coadhing women's softball before his affiliatiOn,With theAAGBBL began in 1944.27 , t

Thede ex-professional basebnil players, commandedplayer's and fan's

reipect as managers and they contributedto the professional aura of the League:

Aocouple of,the veteran women players assumedmid-season mantgership

of teams in the late 1940s and iarly 1950s. , for instance, managed the during the lathalfof the 1950 season. A But negative fan reictionto andpoor player cooperation with women managers' O

^ r prompted the League Board to prohibit furtheremployment of women managers . A . 28 in 1951.

. There were.of course teal and imagined problems Trith mgle managers

and.,female players:. But ,eague administrators solvedthese problems

before the first Official game. h4y hired chaperones-td minister to

the girls and to keepe.. vigil-on their mOralbehaviour. .Chaperones

often physicaledufation teachers and/Or veteran amateur softballplayers.

Beginning ;71.th the 1950 season some of the veteran AAGBBL players acted 29 ag playing dhaperones. .0 Some of the.arly teams employed bat boys, but beginning withthe

1946 season, league teams more commonly employed batgirls.3°

, Leagueumpires.endurk-the same fate .Of player/manager/fan vs. umpire 0. confrontations in the AAGBBL astheir did in other leagues.3 1

League administrators demonstrate&a consistent tendency to experiment

with equipment and facility 'changes,. The trend was toward the use of a ,

RTnallbrball and larger, diamond, a.nd,from underhancl_pitcning_t94,

pitching which came into-use in 1948 (see appendix for chart on equipment 2 A and fatalitychanges).-1 The motive for these changeqyas to increase the

' Sectator appeal of the game--to reduce:the dominance of pitching characteristic

of softhall and increase the hitting and baserunning aspectscharacteristic

ofbaseba11.33 League publicity emphasized the uniqueness.of the game. It

-wasn't regulation men's baseball but, it wasn't regulation women'ssoftball

'either.34-

Most players were'recruited,from urban dente? throughoilt. the U.S. and

Canada. .tihen the League first began opeTations in'1943 it was; necessary to

:pay players 'a significant wage to compete with warindustry salaries. .1 I

Afe

. This sta.nrlaid,.was maintained until 1950 when Mi. Neyerhoff0s influenceon v

the League wanned (see appendix for evolution of player sieries).35

Each team played between 100-127-tames per season Uepencling-on the

number of teaMs:incthe teaguebpom the end of M*y tp the middle a

September. Needlees to say, Players couldn't hold an additional job --they

36 A 51° were full-time ball players.

Until 1951 playerswere under contract to the League ratiaer than-to

'individual teams. This arrangement.wasestablished to facilitate eqUali-

. zation Of team talent,37 Each wring' team presidents and'maagers

re-allocated players to teams in an eff'ort to establish balin*

competition among all teaks.

The League administrators Maintained 'etrict conduct rules for players.

They strOve to convey and maintain an ideal image of femininity by

stipulating that players aiWays, appear,in feiainine attire when not actively' t engaging in practice games. Slacks and shorts. were only allowed at picnics

% . on the bus 'and at thebeach.:BoYish haircuts were-itridily-forbidden4 Is Smoking and drinking were not perMitted in public places althoughkplayers.

d , were allowei.to have limited portions of beer, and wine with after game

meals. All social engagements, eating gaces'and livinguatters were

supposed to be approved by chaperonee,,.The League eoli ited local-families

toboard players during the Players were not owed to. fraternize j with members of other citbe or drive -their own cars bey d their cities, 0 , limits without speCialpermission of their managers. They were fined

- significant amOunt$ for infractions of these4aidmorp minorconduct iules.8

The conduct rules listed above were c9mparalogle.to those instituiekin

colleges and ,they reflected the concept of. femininity, held, by league 0' 1P 1 %administratOrs. It mus = bered also that Mr.Rickey was an advocate

, of the moral, collegiate image,for men'srcrofessional4ball players as well

as for the women players. It is strongly, suspected that Mr. Wrigleyatid * , 39 Mr. Meyerhoff.also adhered to this philosophy.

The most successful years of the League, based onattendance figures, 40 .- w e r e1943 to gome a theVactors which contributed to the initial

. . success oethe League eidentifidas 1) theavailabilitY ofta broad , talent base; 2) the dedication of experienced Organizational andnearly

unlimited.financial resources to the formation of the, -.:ue;3) the',

.institution of a unique systemTor evelivang team stre,:th;4) the

.exiStende of a captiVe audience; acid '5) the utilization Oextens#6 0 -and profOisional publicity. and promotional Campaigns: So tball was a

cheap, morale-building and very popularrecreation for me and women,

, fl- yOung ale old, spectators'and participants alike during tie1930s and

_early 1940s. Mr. Wrigleymereli'tapped an existing, pop 'spectator

entertainment and attempt 0. to ljumxrp,the financialisuccessof all teams

through league. rather than team ownership of players: War production and

.transportation restrictions crested a spectator market for the League!,

These factors coupled with extensive publicity, andpromotional campaigni

increased yeaily attendance figures through the waryears. It is_my

4 opinion that the quantity and quality of thepublicity and promotional

,-:Campaigns supplied by Mi.Mgyerhoff between 1943 and 1949 contributed

significantly to the league's success in the immediate post-war

"Femininity juxtaposed with'sisilled baseball ability,remained a

central'them.in'league publiCity for the duration of itse4Stence.4,

-Mr. Meyerhoff,.7Dy profession an advertising agent also,continually-sought campaigns internatt:mal d national as wellas,,

o local in Character,

Perhaps the most'ambitious-promotional Undert on an international ' r .

scale was Mr. Meyerhoff's s2r1..twAxEanitig excursiontCuba, where all

eight teams trained in Havantah in 1947.The Dodgers trained in Cuba in

''1947 discs because Jackie Robinsonwas on the roster and the Modgiv,admini...

stration didn't want to risk training il south with him.. To Mt

MeyerhoI'S.delight thedirls' League attvacttedover 75l000 ,spectators '; > , , duribgan eight game exhibition series;fox cutdrawing the Dodger

OVAiiticn.games:42

The popularity of the AApBBL in Cuba inspired theformation of `a latin American FeminineBasebol League and in the fall. of 1947a group of

American players.andla group of Cuban all stairwere tolialie played,

exhibition games inkCuba, Venezuela, Puerto Rico; Columbia,Panama,

Mexico and3exas. ''The tour didn't Make It outof Cuba for lack of . reliability on the Part of the Cuban organiietri, but theCuban tour at 3 4,4*.st considered a success.4 . As a result of thel947. sexingand fall

training and ekhibitianAours, several Cuban pla /erswere recruited.and

played with theAAGBBL.1411. .

On .a: Mr. Meyethoff obtained feature stories of,the

league in popular magazines such as Life and Collier's.4 5He was also abbe to'have articles of the.League published inmanufacturers and insurance 46 7 company publications , and in national serials, ' P These international and national Promotior.1 affortswere viewed by

Mr..Meyerhoff as valuable player recruiting devicesas weiTf'9.s good 48 publicity. Outstanding female talent.was hot aS welIOrganlied through . o 1' schools-and collvges as outstanding male talent, and the publicity obtained

from these promotional campaigns attracted, players to the League,

Another method utilized by Hr,-Meyerhoff for promo -U.n 0 the League

in different regions of the country and discovering new talent were

_tours through the south and. backto localcities,"

Proceeds from these tours were often contributed to local charitable.

causes. from the Lexington Kentucky Colcirti. Orphans and

Industrial Home received, for instance, a $300.00 check from AAGBBL

gamesofiyed there An Mayt 1947,5°

In.1949 and 19.50 ,Mr: MeyerhOff sponsored two exhibition teams which touredvarious sections of the-U,S, throUghout the summer. They were

comprised Mainly ofc, rookies who gained valuable pla34g _experience 'while 0 on-tour, These two teams travelled by bus and their bps driver, Lenny A , . 51 'Zintaxf ims,also their manager,

he,buIk of Mr. Meyerhoff's and his successors' publicity efforts were O of course direo at local constituents. Le?alpublicity and promotion ranged fro nMpay e coverage in jocal sportspages to industrial < Q 4 4111 endorsements ineam y Waks1 from autw)bile stickers and bill boards; b v , to player endorsements and player entertainment; from special playernights to special professional pre-game entertainment; from celebfity visitS4o: I honorary appearances, One special appearance featured 74 year old Tics,

Stoll in Peoria to throw out the first ball. of the Season,Mrs, Sto).1 had played baseball with the New York Champions and Boston Bloomer Girls in

189 and 1893,52

One of the most novel promotional campaigns w4s Mr. Wrigley's attempt, in 1944, to combine symphony orchestra'and girls' eball into an entertainment package,Sports writers treated the experiment with

13 --lr p. humorous ridicule. One writer observed, that "Sporting and gusicalexperts

agreed that some ball fans faight be converted intomusic loVerd, 'but that

the reverse possibilitieswere dubious."53

Perhaps the Host' historic promotional enterprise,.asfar as the

baseball'world is concerned, was the'staging ofan AAGBBL headerin

Wrigley Field, s' a Aed.CrossThank You Night in 1944.The historic part of

this double header was that it was played,at night,eider portable light's

totaling 38,500 watts. The ideal wattage woad have been somewhere inthe

neighborhood of 306,000 watts. 0AS far as I know thesewere the only gages

ever played at night' in Wrigky Field. Between 16,000-20,000 fans attended

the eirent.-'

The most concrete4local promotional efforts supportedby the League

'included cdntributions to local community recreation projectAIn 1943 and 1946 the League contributeda 4,000 stholarihipto a female physical° ,

education student who was a resident of the city whoseteam-won the post

season elampionship or Scholarship Series; as itmas labelled. The purpose

of the scholarshi/Was to encourage feminine athletics andphysical,

training.55

The most frequently sponsorCeclrecreation programs were youtti.baseball

prtleaiS.TIn,1948 and 1949 for instance,the_ Muskegon assies sponsored

six teams of Jr. Lassies, These teams played with the same rulesand they

same ball as the profession4 league. The express purpose of their organization

'as to combat juvenile delinquency and train futureleague players. Some

of these Jr. League players grew up to play with theirlocal teams, as did

Pee Wee Wiley who played first base. for, South Bendin the 1950s.57

A major respect in which League promotionalefforts differed after the

14 13

an,%/ement Corporation peticd was! in 'ch-eduling 'the gir10 tea is to play

against men's teams 'or allowing the 47,irls to play on men's tease.

particular promotional devices werestrictl4old by -both Mr, Wrizley,

and. Mx:. Neyerhoff. They wanted to ma3ntain the gir r,' game complet. ,..

separate from the men's, When team .d.irectord obtained 'autonomous.

ownership of, their personnel in 1951, theg\frequentIy sponsored games

pitti the local men's andwomen4s.teams.againstteach other for promotional

.i.urpose's. .An exchange of batteries generally accompanied this imuotice.'

In one instance All-Star AAGBBL Dotty Schroeder was selected 0 to play a fe0 innings with theEalpma7.00 Men's Championship team to

promote an annual benefit game agaInst the Grand Rapids Black Soxan

ail Black team.58 7 The emhasis placed on publicity and promotion Zrom.1943 te 1950 is to not to suggest that League publicity ceased after Mr. Neyerhoff's association

with'the league discontinued in.1950. It is merely to suggest that the 1F quantity andciLlityof Nr..Meyerhoff's publicity efforts were significant

in maintaining the League's popularity in the immediate post-war years.

'When the League disassociated with 9F. NeYerhoff'in 1950 the promotions].

budget Was cut drastically and if board meeting minutes:are'any indication, .r attendance also )began dropping drastically.59League Board members

increasingly complained about operating in the red and cellar clubs

more. frequently claimed bankruptcy.

But the demist of 'the AAGBBL after the 1954 season was more complicated

than just,a decrease in the publicity' budget.Other intra-league factors

which contributed to the dissolttion of the League included switching from

softball to baseball whic drastically reduced, the availabletalentpool a. 6o the League could-draw from. The administrative changes which led irom a ,p league-centered to a teamrcentered organization in 1951 revealed team 15 6,, directors' resistance to the concept ofbalanced competitioneach one

4 a wanted their team to win, . -4ae loss of key players thrpUgh injuries, z.

retirement, playerraidsfros Chi,ago's rival semi. pro leRgu6 and other

causes resulted in team losing streak's which led to reducedattendance anik.

in some cases team bankruptcy,62.

Post,World War11 social changes -combined with intra-leaguechanges to k$r" contribute to th4rLeague's demise, Recreational. trends in the 1950s

Included the growth of outdoor recreation, thegrowth of all forms of 1, travel, the mushrooming ol%television viewing and the Growthof do-it

yourself activi$les. All of these events counteracted the war-time pattern of attending local...sporting activities. These factors also

contributed to the decline and demise of men's minorQleasiabaseball throughout the U;St, during the early 1959s..63.

Poor weather conditions were a constant complaintof the South Bend. directors during, the 1954 season, One quarter of the totalIeaguegames 64 were rained out that ear,

William Chafe in hii book The American Woman: Her ChangingSocial,

Economic. and POIiticalRolet. 1920-1970 presented some data which.suggested a re-emphasis on the home as the focus of women's sphere during.the 1950s,'

He cited larger families in the postwar period and the exodus to suburbia as evidences of,thls development, The exodus-tolstburbia resulted in the wife becoming a family chauffer and re-emphasized herrole in making,the" 65 home an oasis of comfort for thehusband, A re-emphasis on the hopeas womens' proper sphere seemed.to be accompanied bya de- emphasis on womens' partic ipationin historically masculine occupations. suchas baseball.

The ultimate question of cburse is what instructivelessOns can be

16 15

ascertaincd from the League'S experience for current and future application.

to women's prOfessional sport, The League's exterience seemed to point

to the following factors as basic principles of operation for a women's

professional team sport: 1) Determine theavailability ofa broad talent'

base and initrato programs to main lt;2) Obtain financial supiOrtfrom

individnp1G or gripups dedidated enoughio the activity to carry it through

unprofitable periods;39Establish and maintain asubsfihntial advertising

and promOtionalbtagai Attempt to establish and maintain organizational '5 legislation whiCh assures the greatest potential forequalized competition,

I believe application of these basic elementswould be a necessity in the

organization of women's professional sport atpresent and in the future.

Indeedsthey appear to be the same prinCipleswhich contribute to the *

sporP-Ey success of mtn's professional O

17

CP O

clA

A C3

I O .- ' 9 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF TUE AAGBBL, 19434944

tTRUSTEES I

LEAGUE'FP.ES

I. SCORERS OFFICIALS PLAYING BUSINESS SCOUTS . MANAGERS MANAGER r ICHAPERONESI

!PLAYERS'

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. 6F THE'AAci3BL 1945-1950 I

.51 1 MANAGEMENT CORPORATION j LEAGUE PRESIDENT L. TOURING I OFFICIALS TEAMS LEAGUE BOARD OF DIRECTORS I

`TEAM PRESIDENT TEAM, MANAGER

I4 TEAM' . BOARD OF CHAPERONE' DIRECTORS

PLAYERS 6

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE AAGBBLI'1951.4954

LEAGUEJPRES. I

ORre 1 TOURING COMMISSIONER OFFICIALS SCOUTS I TRAMS , LEAGUE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

t TEAM PRESIDENT TEAM MANAGER TEAM BOARD OF DIRECTORS NES

PLAYERS

a. J Ca,

D.

COMPARISON.OFLEAGUE:PUBLICIIT AND PROMOTION BUDGET WITH SEASONAL ATTENDANCE

PUBLICITY & TOTAL ATTENDANCE PER SEASON .12Ra TEAMS PROMOTION BUDG

1044, 4, 176,612 O 1944 6 I $5,067.00 259,658- 1945' 6 40102.46 450,313 .1946 8 4,066.80 ; 754,919 1947 8 4,809,51 789,488 194,8 10 8,445.40 010,747 1949. 8 3,341.15 585,813

1950' . 8 468.00 481,981 1951 8 500.00, ? 1952 6 200.00 ? . 1953' 6 7 ? '! 1954 ?, 2 .i

20 ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS' BASEBALL LEAGUE ;MANS, 194. 3-1954

Rockfoi Peadhes (Ill.) 1943-1954 Peoria .Redwings (Ill.) 1946-1951

South Bend Blue Sox (Ind.) 1943-1954 Muskegon Lassies (Mich.) 1946-1950

.enosha'domsts (Wisc.) 1943-1951 (Ill.) 1948)4

Racine Belles (Wise,) 1943-1950 (Ill.) 1948

Milwaukee Chicks (Wisc,) 1944 Kalaillaulp Lassies (Mich .44 1950-1954

Minneapolis Mill.erettes (Minn.)1944 Battle Creek Bair Oich.) 1951-1952

Fort Wayne Daisies(Ind.) 1945-1954 Muskegon ielles (Mich,) 1953

Grand*Rapids Ghick6 1945..1954: .

&I

3:: !. dal. 4.

1

0 1947 .PRE-SEASON TRAINING TOUR

REENSBORO, c\N C RALEIGH N

GROUP 3: SOUTP1 BEM & KEWSHA N

22 e

A

AAGBBL PLAYER SALARIES

YEAR LOW HIGHs

1943-1949 ' $401 PER WEEK 126...PER-WEEK; EXPENSES PAID -0, , 1950 NO MINIM* $100MAXIMUM;EXPENSES.PAIU

1951 1953 $5400 SALARY LIMITATION A MONTH PER TEAM. NO

MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM PER PLAYER, EXPENSES

-PAID.

1954. $4400 SALARYUMITATION A MONTH PER. TEAM.:

$400 MAXIMUM PLAYER SALARY PER MONTH, TO

INCLUDE $115 EXPENSE MON91., NO MINIMUM

PLAYER SALARY

RECORD OF AAGBBL EQUiPME4T AND FACILITY ,CHANGES

BALL LENGTH OF PITCHING PITCHING YEAR SIZE BASEPATHS DISTANCE STYLE

7 1943 12" 60' 40 UNDERHAND

1944 68'

1n45 1/2" 42'

1946. 11" UNDERHAND & LIMITED SIDEARM

1947 70' 43' SIDEARM

1948- 10 3/8" 72' 50' OVERHAND .55 1949 10" (RED SEAM)

1950 LIVELIER 10" BALL

1952 LIVELIER 10" BALL

1954 60' O

NOTES

.0 3-WilliamHenry Chafe, The American Woman: Her Changing Social, and Political Roles 1920-1970 (New York: Oxford. University Press, 1972

t7k arg.Elizabeth Pidgeon, Wdmen'sMork and The War.(Chicago: Science Research Assopiates4,71943)., PP: 14-25, 30-48,

haul Gardier, "Now...Lady Umpires!' This Week MagaZine.(Newsta'xer), 17July..1943; Kenosha Evening News(Wisconsin j,20August190t-Pla. - Racine:Belles Year Book (Racine, Wisconsin, 1944), PP. Arthur E. MeyerhOff.AAGBBL Files, WriglOvluilding, Chicago,

5Richard Kraus,Recreation and Leisured! Modern Society (Nei YOrk:.' Appleton-Century- .Crofts Meredith COrporatiO44 1971), pp. 203' -205= .Mabel Lee, "The.-Case For -and Againet Intercollegiate Athletics fqr Women and the Situation Since 1923, Research Quarterly 2:-(May,1931)93-127; John Brawn; "SOftalT problemsHearings on Present SitUation," Recteationi-28 (December 1934):- 445446.

6Led,Fladher, "SoftballSteps Up,,"Reader's:J)i dgt 34 (June 1939): 135; Aaron Davidson, "Theatter Half*"Collier's 11 August 12, 1944): 41; Frank J.. Taylor, "Fast and Prettyf"Collier's 102August 20, 1938): 38.

?KenoshaEvening News (Wisconsin)",1 May1943,p;3;"Thennovatpr," Newsweek; 66 -December 20, 1965): 58.

8Ibid.

9OubsPresent Girls' Softball Flap to N. L..," The.ghicago Daily News, 9February 1943, P. .15; Ken,-Beirn (specialist on manpower in the Office of War Information) to Philip Wrigley, 18 December 1942, Arthur E. Mekerhoff AAGBBL Files, Drawer-,19-1943 Correspondence Folder.

10, Lzene Kessler, "Hair-Pulling Softball War," Chicago Daily Times, 11 May 1943, sports section. 11Kenosha Evening New', 13 May 1943A p.8;"Ladies of Little Diamond," Time 41 (June14, 1943) e 74;All-American Girls 'Baseball League Manual Chicago: Management Corporation, ca. 1948), P.?8, Arthur.E. Meyerhoff, AAGBBL Files. o

1?Interview.with Jean FautVihsch- (former AAGBBL player)i South Bend, Indiana,6January1973.

* Hereafter cited as Arthur E. 41eyerhoff AAGBBL Files.

6 13 _-Memorandum to Sports Editorsx 15 July 1943; Arthur E. MeYerhoff AicaL Files, Drawer 19, 1943 NewS Release Folder; AAPBBL Boax4.,Meeting Minutes; 14 December 19404, Harold T. Dailey Records, c/o. Jean'FaUt' Winsch, South Bend, Inioana.'. a 'Ken Sells to Harold T. Dailey regarding the early hiestory of the AAT.,BBL, ca., 1946, Harold T. Dailey; Records, 1943-1946..

15AAGBBL Bbard MSeting.Minutes,,4 Novemb 44, Harold T. Dailey

7 Records, 1943-1946, . 16 AAGBBL Board Meeting Minutes, 3 April-1945 and 9 September 1945 Harold T. Dailey. Records,

17Harad:T., DaileyRecords, 19437.1946;liAGBBLBoard Meeting MinuteSr, 16 .November 1949, HaroldZ.i:psley RecOds,,.,

-t'ersonal doZMent, }farad T, Dailey Records,1943 -1946,;(ribtation aboie picture of MX. Wrigley)...

9AAGBBLBoard Meeting Minutes 18 December 1950, Harold T.:Dailey;

Records, . 20 Earold T. DalleSr Records, 19431954i 21 "Early History of the League- -Notes From (Frank) Avery," Harold Dailey_Recordi,:1943-1946i Bernard Friedman, The FinancialRole, of Indiana in World War II (Bloomington, Indiana: University Press, 1965)r pp. 24, 25; MaryWitters, Illinois in the Second World War, vol.-B3 The ProductionFront (Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State'Historical Library, 4295z1v 0.:251252; Kenosha Evening News (Wisconsin), 27 May.1943, p. 16.

22Kyle Crichton, 2"tot So-Soft," Collier106'(August 10, 1935); o. pp. 24,'38; Kenosha Evening News (Wisconsin4, 1 May 1943; p. 10; Carl Biemiller, "World's PrettieSt Ballplayes,vHoliday 11 (June 1952):

p. Morris A. Beane, The Softball' Story Washington:Columbia . Publishing go.:.4.,1957), 6. 97-104; 116; 15 160, 113-115. 23 Carl Biemiller, "Worldts Prettiest Ballplayers," Holiday 11 (June'1952): p. 75; Harold T. Dailey Records, 1943-1954.

24i>luskegon Lassies Year Book (Muskegon, Michigan, 1947), p. 65, Arthur E. Meyerhoff Files..

?V Hereafter cited. as Harold T._ Dailey Records.

t

'(

tr 25 f

25' "I was especially fortunate at.the time we started this league, in finding good baseball men available, becabse many minor league teams were nct operating." Ken Sells to Harold re&arding-early history of ca; 1946, Harold P. Dailey Records,.,1943-1946. 26 Yeoria RedWings Official Year-Book (Peoria, Illinois, 1949), 4 31; Muskegon LasSles Year Book-(Muskegon, Michigan,:, 1947), 14; Year Book (Grand Rapid$,.MiChigan, 1947)..; 11, Arthur E.,,,yerhoff Files; Soh Bend Tribune (Indiana),.8-August19494 sports page:F6h Wayne jourhal-Gizette (Indiana), 15 May 1952;.p. 14; LaWrenCe S. Ritter, The Glory of Their Timest.,,Zne Stort:Of the EarlyDays Cf.BItheball Told. By The Men Who Played It KNew York: ''The Macmillan Company, 1966), pp.:215-224;;MortisMarkey1 "Hey-ha You're.OUti" McCall's' (Seite4er 1950). 27 Carl L. Biemillerl."World's Prettiest Ballplayers," fkiday. 11 (June 1952): 77-78; Harold T. Dailey Records, 1954; Peoria Redwings Officials Year Book (Peoria, Illinois; 1949), p. 31, Arthur E. Meyerhoff Files.

News Release from AAGBBL Headquarters, 26 June 1950b;AAGBBL Board. Meeting Minutes 5 July 1950; News Release from AAGBBL Headquarters, 1 August 1950b; Personal Comment, 221.29 August 1950b; AAGBBL Board Meeting Minutes, 20 September 1950; AGBL Notes, 21 November 1950bp AGBL Rules and By -Laws, 1951a, Harold T,,Dailey Records. 29 Kenosha Evening News (Wisconsin),13 hay 1943, p..8; AAGBBL Board

Meeting Minutes, 2 October 1949, HaorldT. Dailey Repoids. . Year Bock (Racine, Wisconsin, 1946), p.13, Arthur E, Meyerhoff, Files. 0 2Racine Belles Year Book (Racine, Wisconsin, 1945),.p. 16; Muskegon Lassies Year Book (Muskegon, Michigan, 1947), pp. 10, 17, Arthur E.

Meyerhoff riles. ,

31Rockford Register-Republic (Illinois),23 August 1943, p. 10, 24 August 1943, sports.page; Racine Journal Times (Wisconsin), 4 June 1945, p. 12, 6 June 1945, p. 12; Kenosha Evening News (Wisconsin), 17 September 1947, p.

32Kenosha Evening News (Wisconsin), 27May 1943, p. 16; Racine Belles Year Book (Racine,Wisconsin0,1946); p. 23; Peoria Redwings Official 19 F9 Year Book (Peoria,'Illinois 1949); p. 59, Arthur Meyerhoff Files; AA BBL Board Meeting Minutes, 11 July, 21 December 1949, 18 Jahbary 1950; "Erolution of the Ball Size Used In All American Girls Base Bali, League om1943 to 1949, And Diamond hanges," Harold T. Dailey Recoras943-19464 Major League Baseball Facts and Figures(Racine, Widconsin: Dell Publishing Company, 1947), pp. 130-131; "All-American Girls Baseball League - 1948," Harold T. Dailey Records; South Bend Tribune (Ineana);11 June 1954, sec. 3, la. 3.

6 4

-or '33Ken Sells to Dr. Dailey, ca. 1946, Harold T. Dailey Records, 1943-1946.

- . - 34 . : "A New Game," Racing Belles Year Book (Racine, Wisconsin, 1944); s;c2 s pp. 8-9, Arthur E. Meyerhoff Files. 41

'35KenoshaEveni News (Wisconsin), 3,May 1943, p. 3CAAGBBL Board Meeting Minutes,.14 November 1944, 18 January 1950, 10 April, 1954; AGBL Rules and By-Laws adopted 30 January 1951, Harold T. Dailey Records. 36 Racine Belles :Year Book (Racine, Wisconsin,' 1944), p. 16; Peoria Redwings Official Year Boob-- (Peoria, Illinois, 1949), p. 41, Arthur E. Meyerhoff

37"Rulesand Regulatio s of the All-Aierican Girls Baseball League," , ca. 1945, Harold T. Dailey Records, 1943-1946; AAGBBL Board Meeting Minute 14 November 1944, Harold T. Dailey Records;.Kenosha Evening News(Wisconsin)ft, 3 May 1943, p. 3.

3"Rute57-Ud ConduCt For Players- All-American Girls BaSeballLeague!'" Duplicated list of rules in Arthur E. Meyerhoff Files, 1947 Rules & Regulations Folder. U 39David Quentin Voigt, American Baseball, vol. II: From the Commissioners To Continental Expansion (Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1970), p. 6211 William B. Furlong, "P.K. Wrigley: Baseball Magnate," ; The Saturday EVenink Past 244 (Summer 1972): 113. 40 AAGBB,L Attendance Records, 1943-1948, Harold T. Dailey Record6,41.949; "League Attendance for Year 1949," Harold)T, Dailey Records, 1949; News Release,from.AAGBBL Headquarters, 21 November 1950a, Harold T. Dailey Recordi.

437Keno EveningNews (Wisconsin), 13 May 1943, p. 8; All-American GirlsBaseballLeague Manual (Chicago: Management Corporation, ca. 1948), T:77WiThur Meyerhoff Files.

42HaroldT. Dailey Records, 1947; David Quentin Voigt, American Baseball vol. II: From the Commissioners to Continental Expansion (Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1970), p. 299; News Release from AAGBBI, ,Headquarters, 12 September 1947, Arthur E. Meyerhoff Files, 1947 News Release Folder.

4 3Ibid. Max Carey to TOur Players,123,0ctober 1947, Arthur E. Meyerhoff Files, South American Tour Folder. o 44 Harold T. Dailey Records, 1947 and 1948.

A 45"Gir3s'Baseball," Life (June 4f1945?: 63-66; Bill Fay, "Belles of the Ball Game," Collier's 124 (August 13, 1949) :.44. 46 Don H. Black, "Belles of Basel-alit" The Ashlar (Monthly Publication of the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance711MDIZ5TIVol. 18, No. 8 (Agri' 194$): 0-8; "Daring Damsels of the Diamond," Ailsits (U.S. Rubber Company Publication), Vol. 9, No.' 4 (July-August'1949 : 12-13.

47AdieSuehsdorf, "Sluggers in Skirts," This Week Magazine:The Birmingham' Mews (Alabama), 31July1949, pp,4-5;Bob Feller, Ed., Basehall_/qhrills, ca. 1951, Harold T. Dailey Records, 1951a. D 48 Interview with Arthur E. Meyerhoff,/Rancho Sante.Fe,Oalifornia,

28 December 1972. "Ittl 49 Racine Belles Year Book (Racine, Wisconsin, 1946), p. 28; Peoria Redwings Official Year Book (Peoria, Illinois, 1949), p.-5, Arthur E, Meyerhoff Files; Harold T, Dailey Recordsi 1949;,

5°LexingtonKentucky Leader, 1 :June 1947, Harell,T,DaileyRecords. 0 51AASBBL Board Meeting mutes, 13 April, 1949, HaroldT. Dailey Records; News Release from AAGBBL Headquarters, 7 August 1950, Harold T, Dailey Records; Interview with Cato, 26 October 1974, Elk River, Minnesota.

52Racine Belles YearBook (Racine, Visconsin;- 1944, 1945, 1946, 1948)f Muskegon Bdssies Year Book (Muskegon, Michigan, 1947, 1949); Grand Rapids. Chicks Year Book (Grand. Rapids, Michigan 1947); Peoria Redwings Official Year Book (Peoria, Illinois', 1949),,Arthur, E. MeyerhoffFiles; Harold T. Dailey Records, 1947, 1948; News Release from AAGBBL Headquartersi 7 March 4 1950, Harold. T. Dailey Recordsi South Bend Tribune (Indiana), summer months 1943-1954; Don.H.- Black, "Belles df.Baseball," CA Ashlar (Monthly° Publication of the MassachusettsMutual Lift Insurancecornany, Vol. 18, No. (April 1948),* p, 5; Chicago Daily News, 23 May 1947.

53"Baseball,Maestro, Please," Time (July 31, 1944): 40; The Milwaukee

Journal, 21 July 1944, clipping froirEthur E. Meyerhoff 1944 files. -1

54"All-AmericanGirls. Professional Ball League...Red cross .'Thank You' Wrigley. Field, Tuesday, July 18, 19441". Folder of clippingein Arthur E; Meyerhoff Files, Drawer 19 Red Orpss Game At Folder,

55RacineBelles Year Book (Racine, Wisconsin, 1944), pp. 20-21; ,- Kenosha Evens ng News CWisconsin), 21 August 1943, p. 3; Racine Journal-Times (Wisconsin), 6 June 1945, p. 12, 56 Muskegon Lassies Year Book (Muskegon, Michigan, 1949), pp. 6-9, s, Arthur E. Meyerhoff Files.

57HaroldT. Dailey Records, 1959a.

5Calamazoo Gazette (Michigan), 29 August 1954, p. 31. ,. 59,.,lnandial Statements in' ;mold Tt Dailey Records 1943-1952; k.:Aenaance naeord:2- in Harold T, Dailey = records, 1943-1949; News Release. from Al,i;t314 Headquarters, 21 November 1950a, HaroldT.Dailey Records;

60,iows % Release fromAACDBL Headquarters,-6 Febreary 195a, Harold T. Dailey Records; rersonal comment, 1 August and 15 September 1950a,.4arold .. Daileyecords.

61AAGBLI Board neeting Hinutes, 5 July, 20 September, and 18 Deember 1950; 24 January 1951; 8 N'ovember 1953, Harold T. Dailey Records,

6,Jews Release from AAGBLL Headquarters, 1 Jay, 21NoVember1950a; Personal.cemment, 15 July 1950a; Fred Leo Bulletin to AAGBBL Presidents, 1 December 1949, Harold T. Dailey Records.

63Richard Kraus, Recreation and Laistre in node.= Society(New York; Aplaeton-Century-Crofts':Meredith Corporation, 1971), p. 209; David, cuentin American Baseball vol. II: Prom tha Commissioners t0 Continental 2.x:pension (NormanoOklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1970), pp. 279-306.

o-:,ews Re:ea:4 frem AAGBBL Headquarter& 12 H:ey,13 July 19504 Harold T. Be.iley Records; Harold T. Dailey Records, 195k,

. eenry Chafe, Tho American ":oman: Her Chan:71n Social, Hcencnic and Political Rolei 1920 -1970 (New York: Word university xrese, 1972), IT. 217-218.