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| name=Betty Wanless
| name=Betty Wanless
| image=Betty Wanless.jpg
| image=Betty Wanless.jpg
| image_size=200px
| caption=
| caption=
| team=[[All-American Girls Professional Baseball League]]
| team=[[All-American Girls Professional Baseball League]]
| position=[[Third base]]
| position=[[Third base]]
| birth_date={{birth date|1928|08|28|mf=y}}
| birth_date={{birth date|1928|08|28|mf=y}}
| birth_place=[[Springfield, Illinois]]
| birth_place=[[Springfield, Illinois]], US
| death_date={{death_date and age|1995|12|20|1928|08|28}}
| death_date={{death_date and age|1995|12|20|1928|08|28}}
| death_place=[[Kalkaska, Michigan]]
| death_place=[[Kalkaska, Michigan]], US
| bats=Right
| bats=Right
| throws=Right
| throws=Right
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}}
}}


'''Betty Wanless''' ['''Decker'''] (August 28, 1928 – December 20, 1995) was an [[infielder]] who played from {{baseball year|1953}} through {{baseball year|1954}} in the [[All-American Girls Professional Baseball League]]. Listed at {{height|ft=5|in=5}}, 134&nbsp;lb, Wanless batted and threw right-handed. She was born in [[Springfield, Illinois]].<ref>''The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: A Biographical Dictionary'' – [[W.C. Madden|W. C. Madden]]. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2005. Format: [[Paperback|Softcover]], 295 pp. Language: English. ISBN 978-0-7864-2263-0</ref>
'''Betty Wanless''' ['''Decker'''] (August 28, 1928 – December 20, 1995) was an [[infielder]] who played from {{baseball year|1953}} through {{baseball year|1954}} in the [[All-American Girls Professional Baseball League]]. Listed at {{height|ft=5|in=5}}, 134&nbsp;lb, Wanless batted and threw right-handed. She was born in [[Springfield, Illinois]].<ref>''The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: A Biographical Dictionary'' – [[W. C. Madden]]. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2005. Format: [[Paperback|Softcover]], 295 pp. Language: English. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-2263-0}}</ref>


Betty Wanless played in the rival National Girls Baseball League of [[Chicago]] before joining the AAGPBL during its last two seasons. A strong defender at [[third base]] with a combination of power and speed, Wanless belted 18 [[home run]]s and [[stolen base|stole]] 74 bases in a career 171 games. Nicknamed ״Duke״ by her teammates, she reportedly hit the longest home run ever recorded at the old Grand Rapids ballpark, which was estimated at 425 feet.<ref name=Madden-women>The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League</ref>
Betty Wanless played in the rival National Girls Baseball League of [[Chicago]] before joining the AAGPBL during its last two seasons. A strong defender at [[third base]] with a combination of power and speed, Wanless belted 18 [[home run]]s and [[stolen base|stole]] 74 bases in a career 171 games. Nicknamed ״Duke״ by her teammates, she reportedly hit the longest home run ever recorded at the old Grand Rapids ballpark, which was estimated at 425 feet.<ref name=Madden-women>The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League</ref>


Wanless entered the league in 1953 with the [[Grand Rapids Chicks]], to form part of a solid infield that included [[Inez Voyce]] at [[first base]], [[Eleanor Moore]] or [[Alma Ziegler]] at [[second base|second]], and [[Marilyn Olinger]] at [[shortstop]]. Wanless batted a .248 [[batting average|average]] with a .309 [[on-base percentage]] and a .291 of [[slugging percentage|slugging]], [[run batted in|driving in]] 35 runs and [[run (baseball)|scoring]] 49 times, while her 48 stolen bases ranked for the tenth best in the league. She also led the circuit in [[fielding average]] at her position with a .924 mark. Grand Rapids, [[manager (baseball)|managed]] by [[Woody English]], won the regular title and claimed the championship, though she did not play in the postseason.<ref>''All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book'' – [[W.C. Madden|W. C. Madden]]. Publisher: [[McFarland & Company]], [[2000 in baseball|2000]]. Format: [[Hardcover]], 294pp. Language: [[English language|English]]. ISBN 978-0-7864-3747-4</ref><ref>[http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/teams/1953/grand-rapids-chicks/73 1953 Grand Rapids Chicks]</ref>
Wanless entered the league in 1953 with the [[Grand Rapids Chicks]], to form part of a solid infield that included [[Inez Voyce]] at [[first base]], [[Eleanor Moore]] or [[Alma Ziegler]] at [[second base|second]], and [[Marilyn Olinger]] at [[shortstop]]. Wanless batted a .248 [[batting average (baseball)|average]] with a .309 [[on-base percentage]] and a .291 of [[slugging percentage|slugging]], [[run batted in|driving in]] 35 runs and [[run (baseball)|scoring]] 49 times, while her 48 stolen bases ranked for the tenth best in the league. She also led the circuit in [[fielding average]] at her position with a .924 mark. Grand Rapids, [[manager (baseball)|managed]] by [[Woody English]], won the regular title and claimed the championship, though she did not play in the postseason.<ref>''All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book'' – [[W. C. Madden]]. Publisher: [[McFarland & Company]], [[2000 in baseball|2000]]. Format: [[Hardcover]], 294pp. Language: [[English language|English]]. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-3747-4}}</ref><ref>[http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/teams/1953/grand-rapids-chicks/73 1953 Grand Rapids Chicks]</ref>


Wanless was sent to the [[South Bend Blue Sox]] before the 1954 season. She was used as the [[leadoff hitter]] by manager [[Karl Winsch]], and she responded with a BA/OBP/SLG line of .274/.334/.467, placing tenth in [[total bases]] (150). She also tied for third in [[double (baseball)|doubles]] (14), and for fifth in runs (75) and stolen bases (26) while hitting 18 homers, two of them [[grand slam (baseball)|grand slams]]. South Bend advanced to the playoffs, only to be beaten in the best-of-three first round by the [[Kalamazoo Lassies]]. Wanless hit .286 (4-for-14) with two home runs, three RBI and four runs in a lost cause.<ref name=RecordBook>All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book</ref><ref>[http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/teams/1954/south-bend-blue-sox/68 1954 South Bend Blue Sox]</ref>
Wanless was sent to the [[South Bend Blue Sox]] before the 1954 season. She was used as the [[leadoff hitter]] by manager [[Karl Winsch]], and she responded with a BA/OBP/SLG line of .274/.334/.467, placing tenth in [[total bases]] (150). She also tied for third in [[double (baseball)|doubles]] (14), and for fifth in runs (75) and stolen bases (26) while hitting 18 homers, two of them [[grand slam (baseball)|grand slams]]. South Bend advanced to the playoffs, only to be beaten in the best-of-three first round by the [[Kalamazoo Lassies]]. Wanless hit .286 (4-for-14) with two home runs, three RBI and four runs in a lost cause.<ref name=RecordBook>All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book</ref><ref>[http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/teams/1954/south-bend-blue-sox/68 1954 South Bend Blue Sox] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329054110/http://www.aagpbl.org/index.cfm/teams/1954/south-bend-blue-sox/68 |date=2012-03-29 }}</ref>


Following her baseball career, she married Daniel George Decker. She is part of ''Women in Baseball'', a permanent display based at the [[Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]] in [[Cooperstown, New York]], which was unveiled in 1988 to honor the entire All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.<ref name=Find-a-Grave>{{cite web |url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Wanless&GSiman=1&GSst=24&GRid=60744651& |title= Find-a-Grave.com – Betty Wanless Decker entry}}</ref>
Following her baseball career, she married Daniel George Decker. She is part of ''Women in Baseball'', a permanent display based at the [[Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]] in [[Cooperstown, New York]], which was unveiled in 1988 to honor the entire All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.


Betty died in 1995 in [[Kalkaska, Michigan]], at the age of 67. She is buried at Saint Mary of the Woods Catholic Cemetery in [[Kalkaska County, Michigan|Kalkaska County]].<ref name=Find-a-Grave/>
Betty died in 1995 in [[Kalkaska, Michigan]], at the age of 67. She is buried at Saint Mary of the Woods Catholic Cemetery in [[Kalkaska County, Michigan|Kalkaska County]].


==Career statistics==
==Career statistics==
'''Batting'''
'''Batting'''
{| class="wikitable"
{| border="2" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #F9F9F9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size:100%;"
⚫
![[Games played|GP]]!![[At bat|AB]]!![[Run (baseball)|R]]!![[Hit (baseball)|H]]!![[Double (baseball)|2B]]!![[Triple (baseball)|3B]]!![[Home run|HR]]!![[Run batted in|RBI]]!![[Stolen base|SB]]!![[Total bases|TB]]!![[Base on balls|BB]]!![[Strikeout|SO]]!![[Batting average (baseball)|BA]]!![[On-base percentage|OBP]]!![[Slugging average|SLG]]
|- align=center style="background: #F2F2F2;"
⚫
![[Games played|GP]]!![[At bat|AB]]!![[Run (baseball)|R]]!![[Hit (baseball)|H]]!![[Double (baseball)|2B]]!![[Triple (baseball)|3B]]!![[Home run|HR]]!![[Run batted in|RBI]]!![[Stolen base|SB]]!![[Total bases|TB]]!![[Base on balls|BB]]!![[Strikeout|SO]]!![[Batting average|BA]]!![[On-base percentage|OBP]]!![[Slugging average|SLG]]
|-align=center
|-align=center
| 171 || 627 || 124 || 164 || 23 || 3 || 18 || 82 || 74 || 247 || 56 || 71 || .262 || .322 || .394
| 171 || 627 || 124 || 164 || 23 || 3 || 18 || 82 || 74 || 247 || 56 || 71 || .262 || .322 || .394
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'''Fielding'''
'''Fielding'''
{| class="wikitable"
{| border="2" cellpadding="9" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #F9F9F9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size:100%;"
|- align=center style="background: #F2F2F2;"
![[Games played|GP]]!![[Put-out|PO]]!![[Assist (baseball)|A]]!![[Error (baseball)|E]]!![[Total chances|TC]]!![[Double play|DP]]!![[Fielding percentage|FA]]
![[Games played|GP]]!![[Put-out|PO]]!![[Assist (baseball)|A]]!![[Error (baseball)|E]]!![[Total chances|TC]]!![[Double play|DP]]!![[Fielding percentage|FA]]
|-align=center
|-align=center
Line 52: Line 49:
<ref name="RecordBook"/>
<ref name="RecordBook"/>


==Sources==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
{{All-American Girls Professional Baseball League}}
{{All-American Girls Professional Baseball League}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wanless, Betty}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wanless, Betty}}
[[Category:All-American Girls Professional Baseball League players]]
[[Category:All-American Girls Professional Baseball League players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Illinois]]
[[Category:People from Kalkaska, Michigan]]
[[Category:People from Kalkaska, Michigan]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Springfield, Illinois]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Springfield, Illinois]]
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:1928 births]]
[[Category:1995 deaths]]
[[Category:1995 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American people]]

Latest revision as of 22:19, 29 December 2023

Betty Wanless
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Third base
Born: (1928-08-28)August 28, 1928
Springfield, Illinois, US
Died: December 20, 1995(1995-12-20) (aged 67)
Kalkaska, Michigan, US
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • Championship team (1953)
  • Postseason appearance (1954)
  • Best fielding average at third base (1953)
  • Women in Baseball – AAGPBL Permanent Display
    at Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (1988)

Betty Wanless [Decker] (August 28, 1928 – December 20, 1995) was an infielder who played from 1953 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m), 134 lb, Wanless batted and threw right-handed. She was born in Springfield, Illinois.[1]

Betty Wanless played in the rival National Girls Baseball League of Chicago before joining the AAGPBL during its last two seasons. A strong defender at third base with a combination of power and speed, Wanless belted 18 home runs and stole 74 bases in a career 171 games. Nicknamed ״Duke״ by her teammates, she reportedly hit the longest home run ever recorded at the old Grand Rapids ballpark, which was estimated at 425 feet.[2]

Wanless entered the league in 1953 with the Grand Rapids Chicks, to form part of a solid infield that included Inez Voyce at first base, Eleanor Moore or Alma Ziegler at second, and Marilyn Olinger at shortstop. Wanless batted a .248 average with a .309 on-base percentage and a .291 of slugging, driving in 35 runs and scoring 49 times, while her 48 stolen bases ranked for the tenth best in the league. She also led the circuit in fielding average at her position with a .924 mark. Grand Rapids, managed by Woody English, won the regular title and claimed the championship, though she did not play in the postseason.[3][4]

Wanless was sent to the South Bend Blue Sox before the 1954 season. She was used as the leadoff hitter by manager Karl Winsch, and she responded with a BA/OBP/SLG line of .274/.334/.467, placing tenth in total bases (150). She also tied for third in doubles (14), and for fifth in runs (75) and stolen bases (26) while hitting 18 homers, two of them grand slams. South Bend advanced to the playoffs, only to be beaten in the best-of-three first round by the Kalamazoo Lassies. Wanless hit .286 (4-for-14) with two home runs, three RBI and four runs in a lost cause.[5][6]

Following her baseball career, she married Daniel George Decker. She is part of Women in Baseball, a permanent display based at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, which was unveiled in 1988 to honor the entire All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

Betty died in 1995 in Kalkaska, Michigan, at the age of 67. She is buried at Saint Mary of the Woods Catholic Cemetery in Kalkaska County.

Career statistics

[edit]

Batting

GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB TB BB SO BA OBP SLG
171 627 124 164 23 3 18 82 74 247 56 71 .262 .322 .394

Fielding

GP PO A E TC DP FA
170 207 360 69 636 22 .892

[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ The Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
  3. ^ All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2000. Format: Hardcover, 294pp. Language: English. ISBN 978-0-7864-3747-4
  4. ^ 1953 Grand Rapids Chicks
  5. ^ a b All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book
  6. ^ 1954 South Bend Blue Sox Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine
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