Claire Schillace

Claire Schillace
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Center fielder
Born: March 29, 1922(1922-03-29) Melrose Park, Illinois
Died: January 17, 1999(1999-01-17) (aged 76) Bethesda, Maryland
Bats: Right	Throws: Left
statistics
Batting average	.202
Home runs	2
Runs batted in	112
Stolen bases	153
Teams
Racine Belles (1943-1946)
Career highlights and awards
AAGPBL Championship Team (1943) All-Star Team (1943) Women in Baseball – AAGPBL Permanent Display at Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (1988) National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame Induction (1999)

Claire Joan Schillace (March 29, 1922 – January 17, 1999) was a center fielder who played from 1943 through 1946 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 3", 128 lb., she batted right-handed and threw left-handed.

AAGPBL career

A native of Melrose Park, Illinois, Schillace was attending Northern Illinois University and played softball in a Chicago league, being a member of the of the Illinois state and Chicago city championship teams. She impressed the AAGPBL scouts with her speedy baserunning and fielding skills. After receiving an tryout invitation, she became one of the first four players signed by the league, joining Ann Harnett, Shirley Jameson and Edythe Perlick.^[1]

Schillace spent four years in the league, all with the Racine Belles. She had an outstanding rookie season, hitting a career-high .251 average, being selected to the All-Star Team, and as member of the 1943 Belles Championship Team. During her career, she posted a .202 average and stole 153 bases.^[2]

Following her baseball career, Schillace completed her studies and earned a master degree in education. After being married, she changed her name to Claire Schillace Donahoe. For many years she worked as an educator in Illinois, which included advanced spelling studies at DeKalb Teachers College.^[3]

Milestones

In November 1988, Claire, along with her former teammates and opponents, received their long overdue recognition, when the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York dedicated a permanent display to the All American Girls Professional Baseball League. In 1999, she joined Charlene Wright as the two first inductees in the National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame.^[4]

Claire died in Bethesda, Maryland at the age of 76, following complications from a blood clot.

References

1. ^ Northern Indiana Center for History
2. ^ All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2000. Format: Paperback, 294pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786437472
3. ^ Encyclopedia of Women and Baseball - Leslie A. Heaphy, Mel Anthony May. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2006. Format: Paperback, 438 pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786421002
4. ^ Women's Baseball – John M. Kovach. Publisher: Arcadia Publishing SC, 2005. Format: Paperback, 128pp. Language: English. ISBN 0738533807

External links

• AAGPBL Player Page
• 1943 Racine Belles

Persondata
Name	Schillace, Claire
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 29, 1922
Place of birth	Melrose Park, Illinois
Date of death	January 17, 1999
Place of death	Bethesda, Maryland