Muskegon Belles

Muskegon Belles (1953) Muskegon, Michigan
Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Previous leagues	All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Team data
Colors	Black, white
Previous parks	Marsh Field
Owner(s)/ Operator(s)	AAGPBL

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 for the 1943 inaugural. Then the Racine Belles, the team moved to Battle Creek, Michigan in 1951, was renamed the Battle Creek Belles and played for two years, 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 1954.^[3]

All-time roster

                                    1953 Muskegon Belles      
Front row, L-R: Josephine Hasham, Betty McKenna, Noella Leduc, Renae Youngberg, Margaret Russo, Nancy Mudge, Betty Jean Peterson, Ruth Middleton. Back row, L-R: Kay Kimble (chaperone), Chris Ballingall, Phyllis Baker, Kathryn Vonderau, Marilyn Jones, Naomi Meier, Barbara Sowers, Jean Cione, Marjorie Pieper, Joe Cooper (manager).

^[4]

Sources

• All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company. Format: Paperback, 294pp. Language: English. ISBN 0-7864-3747-2

References