Fort Wayne Daisies

1953 Fort Wayne Daisies
Front, L-R: Jean Geissinger (CF), Rita Briggs (C/OF), Jean Havlish (SS), Alice Blaski (utility), Delores Brumfield (IF), Lavonne Paire (C), Shirley Crites (3B), Wilma Briggs (LF), Dolly Vanderlip (P). Back, L-R: Bill Allington (manager), Maxine Kline (P), Katie Horstman (UT), Jean Weaver (P/3B), Jaynne Bittner (P), Joanne Weaver (RF), Betty Weaver Foss (1B), Mary Taylor (OF), Patricia Scott (P), Doris Tetzlaff (chaperone).

The Fort Wayne Daisies were a women's professional baseball team that played from 1945 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

The Daisies represented Fort Wayne, Indiana, and their home games were played at North Side High School (1945–1946) and Memorial Park (1946–1954).

Daisy uniforms often changed from one season to the next, away uniforms having been yellow, pink, and brown during various years. Early Daisy uniforms featured a circular emblem of the Fort Wayne city seal in the center of the chest. This was replaced in later years with a patch reading "DAISIES". In the final years of the league, the Daisy uniform changed to a center seam running down the middle of the dress with an F and W on the front.

The team debuted in the 1945 season, replacing the departed Minneapolis Millerettes. The Daisies went 62–47 in their debut and finished four and a half games behind the first place Rockford Peaches.

Even though the Daisies made it to the playoffs in every year from 1947 to 1954, ending in first place from 1951 through 1954, they failed to win a championship title.

Among its notable players were the sisters Betty Foss and Joanne Weaver, whom were able to win the final five batting championships of the league and two Player of the Year awards. With Helen Callaghan leading all hitters in 1945, the Daisies amassed six batting crowns to set a league record.

Other players of note included pitchers Jaynne Bittner, Maxine Kline and Dorothy Wiltse Collins; catchers Rita Briggs and Lavonne Paire; shortstop Dorothy Schroeder, center fielder Faye Dancer, and sluggers Wilma Briggs and Jean Geissinger.

All-time players roster

Bold denotes members of the inaugural roster

Managers

* Bill Wambsganss     1945
1946
* George Johnson 1947 [first half]
* William Rohrer 1947 [second half]
* Dick Bass 1948
* Harold Greiner
* Vivian Kellogg 		1949 [first half]
1949 [second half]
* Mary Rountree 1950 [first half]
* Max Carey 1950 [second half]
1951
* Jimmie Foxx 1952
* Bill Allington 1953
1954

See also

Sources

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