The Peoria Redwings was a women's professional baseball team who joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the 1946 season and remained in the league through 1951. The team represented Peoria, Illinois, playing home games at Peoria Stadium.

Peoria Redwings
Minor league affiliations
Previous leagues
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Team data
ColorsRed, white, black
     
Previous parks
Peoria Stadium
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
AAGPBL

History

edit

The Redwings made an unsteady start in their inaugural season, going 33–79 to finish last 41 games out of first place in the Western Division. The team improved in 1947 with a 54–57 record, good to finish in fifth place in the eight–team league.

Their most productive season came in 1948, when they finished 71–55 for third place in the division and fourth overall, gaining a playoff spot. In the playoffs, the Redwings were swept by the Racine Belles in three straight games.

Peoria fell to 36–43 and last place in 1949, and next–to–last in 1950 after ending 44–63–2. They went 48–56–2 in 1951, their last season, having finished over .500 once in six years of existence.

Some players of note included pitchers Doris Barr, Dorothy Mueller and Mary Nesbitt; infielders Margaret Callaghan, Betty McKenna and Dorothy Stolze; outfielders Eleanor Callow and Thelma Eisen, and OF/P Mary Reynolds. Eventually, Eisen and Reynolds served as player/managers for the team.

All-time roster

edit
 
1946 Peoria Redwings: Front row, L-R: Dorothy Ferguson, Terry Donahue, Rita Meyer, Betty Tucker, Mary Wood, Annabelle Lee. Second row, L-R: Irene Ines (chaperone), Mary Moriarity, Kay Blumetta, Jean Cione, Thelma Eisen, Florence Buccor, Bill Rodgers (manager). Back row, L-R: Donna Stageman, Norma Metrolis, Mary Reynolds, Frances Sloan, Mary Rountree, Pauline Crawley.
Bold denotes members of the inaugural roster

Managers

edit
* Bill Rodgers 1946 [first half]
* Thelma Eisen 1946 [second half]
* Johnny Gottselig 1947 [first half]
* Leo Schrall 1947 [second half]
1948
1949
* Leo Murphy 1950 [first half]
* Mary Reynolds 1950 [second half]
* Johnny Rawlings     1951

References

edit
  • All-American Girls Professional Baseball League official website – Peoria Redwings seasons
  • All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record BookW. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2000. Format: Hardcover, 294pp. Language: English. ISBN 0-7864-0597-X