Kenosha Comets

Kenosha Comets
1943–1951
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Team logoCap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Previous leagues
 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Team data
Previous names
 Shamrocks[1]
Colors Green, white
         
Previous parks
 Lake Front Stadium (1943–1947)
Simmons Field (1948–1951)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
 AAGPBL
1943 Kenosha Comets inaugural season - Back L-R: Josh Billings (Manager), Audrey Wagner, Ethel McCreary, Lee Harney, Ann Harnett, Janice O`Hara, Ada Ryan (Chaperone).
Middle L-R: Phyllis Koehn, Kay Heim, Helen Westerman, Helen Nicol, Darlene Mickelsen.
Front L-R: Clara Cook, Myrna Nearing, Mary Louise Lester, Shirley Jameson, Pauline Pirok.

Based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Kenosha Comets were a women's professional baseball team that played from 1943 through 1951 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 of the first four teams in the AAGPBL. Originally named the "Shamrocks", they were renamed after the first game of their inaugural season.[1] In 1943, the Comets posted the third-best record of the league at 56-52, but had won the second-half title (33-21) and earn a ticket to the playoffs, they were swept in three games by the Racine Belles.

Kenosha again placed third in 1944 (62-54) and made the playoffs, thanks to a first-half title (36-23). The Comets took a 3-2 lead over the Milwaukee Chicks in the best-of-seven series, but lost the decisive Game 7. Kenosha faded after that, ending last in 1945 (41-69), seventh of eight teams in 1946 (42-70), and last in 1947 (43-69).

The Comets rebounded in 1948, ending fifth (61-64) in the five-team Western Division and advancing to the playoffs, but were defeated by Racine in the first round, three to zero games. In 1949 Kenosha finished fourth (58–55) in the eight-team league, but lost to the Muskegon Lassies in two games during the first round of post-season action.

Their most productive season came in 1950, when they finished second with a 64-46 record, three games behind Racine, only to lost for the fifth straight appearance in the first round, this time to the Rockford Peaches in four games.

In 1951, Kenosha ended sixth (36-71) in the eight-team league, out of contention. The team folded at the end of the season.

In its nine years of history, the Kenosha Comets had in their rosters notable players as pitcher Helen Nicol and slugger Audrey Wagner, as well as Lois Florreich, Katie Horstman, Elizabeth Mahon, Dorothy Schroeder and Fern Shollenberger.

All-time roster

Bold denotes members of the inaugural roster

Managers

* Josh Billings1943
1944
* Marty McManus1944
* Eddie Stumpf1945
* Press Cruthers1946
* Ralph Shinners1947
* Chet Grant1948
* Johnny Gottselig1949
1950
1951
* Ernestine Petras1950

References

  1. 1 2 @AAGPBL (May 30, 2018). "1st game in the doubleheader between the #RacineBelles & Kenosha Shamrocks (renamed Comets later that week) resulted in Kenosha winning 8-6 in 7 inns due to rain and heavy fog. 2nd game was rained out and picked up the next day where Racine won 6-3 (in 7 innings due to rain)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

Sources

  • All-American Girls Professional Baseball League history
  • All-American Girls Professional Baseball League official website – Kenosha Comets seasons
  • All-American Girls Professional Baseball League official website – Manager/Player profile search results
  • All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2000. Format: Hardcover, 294pp. Language: English. ISBN 0-7864-0597-X
  • The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: A Biographical Dictionary – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2005. Format: Softcover, 295 pp. Language: English. ISBN 978-0-7864-2263-0
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