Margaret Berger (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Margaret Eloise Berger [″Sonny″] (born December 24, 1922) is a former pitcher
who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
. Listed at 5' 3", 129 lb., she batted and threw right-handed. Her younger sister, Norma Berger
, also played in the league.
The AAGPBL changed women's team sports forever. Still, the void the league filled during World War II
was inspiration enough for the 1992 film
A League of Their Own
, directed by Penny Marshall
and starred by Geena Davis
, Tom Hanks
and Madonna
, where was depicted what these pioneering girls endured. The Berger sisters were much like the sisters battery
in the film, but Margaret and Norma never compited against each other in the league.
Born in Homestead, Florida
, Sonny Berger was one of the sixty original players of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in its inaugural season. The AAGPBL was introduced in the spring of 1943, featuring young women with both athletic ability and feminine appeal. Hundreds of girls were invited to final tryouts at Wrigley Field
in Chicago, Illinois. Of those, sixty were selected as the first women to play on the first four teams: the Kenosha Comets
, Racine Belles
, Rockford Peaches
and South Bend Blue Sox
. Each team had fifteen players, a manager, a business manager and a female chaperone. Most AAGPBL games were played at night, including the All-Star game of the inaugural season on July 1, 1943, which also was the first contest played under artificial illumination at Wrigley Field.
Berger was allocated to the South Bend Blue Sox, playing for them two seasons, to become a major star in both years. She posted two straight 20-win seasons, going 25-13 with a 1.91 earned run average
in 1943, following with a 21-17 mark in 1944, including a miserly 1.57 ERA. In 1943, she joined Doris Barr
to pitch 79 of the 91 games played by the Blue Sox (Barr was credited with 15 wins). In the same season, Berger stated her greatest triumph. a 13-inning match, which she won 1–0.
Berger compiled a 46-30 record and a 1.75 ERA in 88 career games. She also hit a modest .153 average
with 18 runs batted in in 88 games, but she only was striking out
six times in 222 at-bats.
After that, Berger played for the Chicago Chicks and Thillens Checashers of the National Girls Baseball League.
Berger currently lives in Sun City West, Arizona
.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
. Listed at 5' 3", 129 lb., she batted and threw right-handed. Her younger sister, Norma Berger
Norma Berger
Norma A. Berger [Taylor] is a former pitcher who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the season. Berger was nicknamed ״Bergie״...
, also played in the league.
The AAGPBL changed women's team sports forever. Still, the void the league filled during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
was inspiration enough for the 1992 film
1992 in film
The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards...
A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Directed by Penny Marshall, the film stars Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Rosie O'Donnell...
, directed by Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall is an American actress, producer and director.After playing several small roles for television, she was cast as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Laverne and Shirley...
and starred by Geena Davis
Geena Davis
Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis is an American actress, film producer, writer, former fashion model, and a women's Olympics archery team semi-finalist...
, Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, where was depicted what these pioneering girls endured. The Berger sisters were much like the sisters battery
Battery (baseball)
In baseball, the term battery refers collectively to the pitcher and the catcher, who may also be called batterymen or batterymates of one another.- History :...
in the film, but Margaret and Norma never compited against each other in the league.
Born in Homestead, Florida
Homestead, Florida
Homestead is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States nestled between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades National Park to the west. Homestead is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area....
, Sonny Berger was one of the sixty original players of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in its inaugural season. The AAGPBL was introduced in the spring of 1943, featuring young women with both athletic ability and feminine appeal. Hundreds of girls were invited to final tryouts at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
in Chicago, Illinois. Of those, sixty were selected as the first women to play on the first four teams: the Kenosha Comets
Kenosha Comets
Based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Kenosha Comets were a women's professional baseball team that played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The team played their home games at Kenosha's Lake Front Stadium, but later moved to Simmons Field.The Kenosha Comets were one...
, Racine Belles
Racine Belles
The Racine Belles were one of the original teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playing from through out of Racine, Wisconsin. The team played its home games at Horlick Field.-History:...
, Rockford Peaches
Rockford Peaches
The Rockford Peaches were a team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playing out of Rockford, Illinois for the entire existence of the league from 1943 to 1954....
and South Bend Blue Sox
South Bend Blue Sox
The South Bend Blue Sox were a women's professional baseball team who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
. Each team had fifteen players, a manager, a business manager and a female chaperone. Most AAGPBL games were played at night, including the All-Star game of the inaugural season on July 1, 1943, which also was the first contest played under artificial illumination at Wrigley Field.
Berger was allocated to the South Bend Blue Sox, playing for them two seasons, to become a major star in both years. She posted two straight 20-win seasons, going 25-13 with a 1.91 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 1943, following with a 21-17 mark in 1944, including a miserly 1.57 ERA. In 1943, she joined Doris Barr
Doris Barr
Doris Barr [Dodie] was a pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 6", 145 lb., Barr batted and threw left-handed...
to pitch 79 of the 91 games played by the Blue Sox (Barr was credited with 15 wins). In the same season, Berger stated her greatest triumph. a 13-inning match, which she won 1–0.
Berger compiled a 46-30 record and a 1.75 ERA in 88 career games. She also hit a modest .153 average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 18 runs batted in in 88 games, but she only was striking out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
six times in 222 at-bats.
After that, Berger played for the Chicago Chicks and Thillens Checashers of the National Girls Baseball League.
Berger currently lives in Sun City West, Arizona
Sun City West, Arizona
Sun City West is a census-designated place in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 26,344 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sun City West is located at ....
.
AAGPBL pitching statistics
| GP Games pitched In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while... | W | L | W-L% | ERA Earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine... | IP Innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two... | H Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice.... | RA Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... | ER Earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine... | BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... | SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... | WHIP Walks plus hits per inning pitched In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base... | SO/BB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88 | 46 | 30 | .605 | 1.75 | 621 | 395 | 187 | 120 | 134 | 203 | 0.85 | 1.51 |