Muskegon Belles

The Muskegon Belles were a women's professional baseball team that played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the 1953 season.^[1]

The Belles represented Muskegon, Michigan and played their home games at Marsh Field. This made Muskegon the only city in AAGPBL history to host multiple teams. Previously, the Muskegon Lassies had played there from 1946 through 1950.^[2]

The new Belles team was also the third edition of a franchise. One of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League's four charter franchises, the original club was founded in Racine, Wisconsin in 1943. Then the Racine Belles, the team moved to Battle Creek, Michigan in 1951, was renamed the Battle Creek Belles and played for two seasons, before being replaced by the Muskegon Belles.^[1]

The 1953 Belles were the worst in the league. The team finished with a 39-70 record and folded after the end of the season, leaving the AAGPBL with just five teams for its final season in 1952.^[3]

Roster

• Chris Ballingall
• Doris Barr
• Mary Carey
• Jean Cione
• Donna Cook
• Josephine Hasham
• Marilyn Jones
• Noella Leduc
• Alta Little
• Mirtha Marrero
• Betty McKenna
• Naomi Meier
• Ruth Middleton
• Nancy Mudge
• Betty Jean Peterson
• Marjorie Pieper
• Margaret Russo
• Barbara Sowers
• Kathryn Vonderau
• Nancy Warren
• Renae Youngberg

Manager

• Joe Cooper

Chaperone

• Kay Kimble

^[4]

Sources

• All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company. Format: Paperback, 294pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786437472

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "All-American Girls Professional Baseball League History". http://www.aagpbl.org/league/history.cfm. 
2. ^ AbsoluteMichigan.com
3. ^ AAGPBL 1943-1952 Teams
4. ^ All-American Girls Professional Baseball League – All-Time Players Roster