In a League of Her Own

Dottie Collins -- who in 1945 went 29-10 with 0.83 ERA and 293K's for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League -- died last week:

She pitched underhand, sidearm and overhand; she threw curveballs, fastballs and changeups; and in the summer of 1948, she pitched until she was four months pregnant.

Remember that, Cubs fans, as you bite your nails over Kerry Wood's blisters.

Collins's greatest contribution to women's baseball may have come when its ball clubs had long been forgotten. In 1987, Collins helped form an association of former players in the All-American league. She drew on her contacts to provide the Baseball Hall of Fame with memorabilia from the league, spurring creation of its Women in Baseball exhibit in 1988. Now an enlarged, permanent collection, the exhibit inspired the 1992 Hollywood movie A League of Their Own.

Like Bob Feller, Collins served as a walking historical repository. Unlike Bob Feller, no one ever made excuses to get away from her boorish shtick at cocktail parties.

A very extensive bio can be found here.