Shirley Palesh (November 23, 1929 – March 1, 2017)[1] was an American baseball player in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between 1949 and 1950. She both batted and threw right-handed. She earned herself two nicknames while playing for the league: Shirl and Butch.

Shirley Palesh
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Right Field
Born: (1929-11-23)November 23, 1929
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died: March 1, 2017(2017-03-01) (aged 87)
Wausau, Wisconsin, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Teams

Pre-baseball career

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Before Shirley joined the league, she played softball. She played locally in the position of pitcher, outfielder and leading hitter. It was her strength in these positions for the local team, that helped them win in the Wisconsin regionals. She came from a family of sports lovers, with her brother and father being active baseball players, helping her hone her skills from a young age.

Professional baseball

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Shirley played for three teams during her short time with the AAGPBL. She played for the: Racine Belles (in 1949) Grand Rapids Chicks (in 1950), and the Rockford Peaches (in 1950). While playing for the Belles, in spring training, Shirley was in the outfield as it was believed she would make a "solid all-around player."[2]

Career statistics

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Year G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG
1949 8 31 - 1 - - - - - - - .077
1950 10 25 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 4 .040

References

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  1. ^ "Shirley E. Palesh's Obituary". Wausau Daily Herald. March 3, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  2. ^ "Shirley Palesh AAGPBL Player/Profile". AAGPBL. Retrieved September 24, 2014.