Very little is known about this man who worked hard for the AAGPBL during the final five years of its existence. Previously,Skupien had managed the Rayson Sporting Goods,a Chicago baseball team,and also had served as a scout for the AAGPBL since the early years of the circuit. He reported to the board of directors in 1949 and later managed during four years,leading his teams to three playoff appearances,including the Championship title in the league's last season.[2][3]
Skupien took the field in 1951 with the Grand Rapids Chicks,managing for them one year before joining the Kalamazoo Lassies (1952–1954). In his first season,Skupien led Grand Rapids to the first-half title with a 40–13 record and posted the second-best record at 71–35 (in an eight-team format),earning a ticket to the playoffs. But the Chicks lost the first round to the Rockford Peaches,two games to none.[1][4]
He landed in Kalamazoo in 1952 in an attempt to revive the struggling Lassies franchise,who had had losing records in four of their six previous seasons. With him at the helm,the team improved to 49-60 and ended fifth (next to last),after collecting a second-worst 34-75 the previous year.[1][4][5]
In 1953,the Lassies finished third with a 53–50 record and advanced to the playoffs. After defeating the Fort Wayne Daisies in the first round (2–1),Kalamazoo was beaten by Grand Rapids in the final series (2-to-1).[4][6]
The Lassies had a 48–49 mark in 1954 and finished fifth out of six teams. In the playoffs,Kalamazoo defeated the South Bend Blue Sox in three games,and later disposed of the strong Daisies (3-2) to clinch the last Championship title in the league's history.[4][7][8][9]
In addition to his work as a skipper,from 1949 to 1950 Skupien was kept busy as a general manager for the Chicago Colleens and Springfield Sallies touring teams. For the next two years the Colleens and Sallies recruited new talent for the league,while playing an extensive exhibition schedule against each other through the South and East,including contests at Griffith Stadium in Washington,D.C.,and Yankee Stadium in New York City. Patricia Barringer,who had played at second base in the AAGPBL,was named by Skupien as chaperone and manager of the Colleens,who wore green uniforms,while another former second bagger,Barbara Liebrich,became the chaperone-manager for the Sallies,who wore white uniforms.[8][10]
↑ Encyclopedia of Women and Baseball – Leslie A. Heaphy, Mel Anthony May. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2006. Format: Paperback, 438 pp. Language: English. ISBN0-7864-2100-2
↑ A League Of My Own: Memoir of a Pitcher for the All-American Girls – Patricia I. Brown. Publisher: Macfarland & Company, 2003. Format: Paperback, 216pp. Language: English. ISBN978-0-7864-1474-1
Related Research Articles
The Kalamazoo Lassies were a team who played from 1950 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The team represented Kalamazoo, Michigan. Home games were initially played at Lindstrom Field, but later games were played at the Catholic Athletic Association Field, now the Soisson-Rapacz field. Kalamazoo uniforms were white (home) and gold (away) with dark green numbers, belt, socks, and cap.
Gloria Cordes Elliott was an American starting pitcher who played from 1950 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 8", 138 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
Inez Ferne Voyce, nicknamed Lefty, was a first basewoman who played from 1946 through 1953 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 6", 148 lb., she batted and threw left-handed.
Isabel "Lefty" Álvarez was a Cuban pitcher and outfielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between the 1949 and 1954 seasons. She batted and threw left-handed.
Joanne "Joltin' Jo" Weaver was a right fielder who played from 1951 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), 142 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
Doris Jane Sams, nicknamed "Sammye", was an American outfielder and pitcher who played from 1946 through 1953 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m), 145 lbs., she batted and threw right-handed.
Doris Tetzlaff [″Tetz″] was an infielder and chaperone in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5'5", 155 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
Nancy Warren was a pitcher and infielder who played from 1946 through 1954 for six different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m), 130 lb., she batted and threw right-handed. Hank was a nickname she picked up as a youth.
Alma Ziegler was an infielder and pitcher who played from 1944 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m), 125 lb., Ziegler batted and threw right-handed.
Eleanor Moore [Warner] was an American baseball pitcher who played from 1950 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), Moore batted and threw right-handed. She was born in Long Point, Illinois.
Jane Stoll ("Jeep") was an outfielder who played from 1946 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 2", 135 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
Barbara E. Liebrich [Bobbie] was an American infielder, manager and chaperone in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the 1948 and 1954 seasons. She batted and threw right-handed.
Jean Marie Smith was an outfielder and relief pitcher who played from 1948 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m), 128. lb, she batted and threw right-handed.
Helen Earlene Risinger was a pitcher who played from 1948 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 6' 2", 137 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.
The 1948 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the sixth season of the circuit. The AAGPBL grew to an all-time peak of ten teams in that season, representing Eastern and Western zones, just in the first year the circuit shifted to strictly overhand pitching. Other modifications occurred during 1948. The ball was decreased in size from 11+1⁄2 inches (290 mm) to 10+3⁄8 inches (260 mm), while the base paths were lengthened to 72 feet and the pitching distance increased to 50 feet.
The 1949 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the seventh season of the circuit. With the Chicago Colleens and Springfield Sallies turning into rookie development teams after the 1948 season, the AAGPBL was left with eight squads: the Kenosha Comets, Fort Wayne Daisies, Grand Rapids Chicks, Muskegon Lassies, Peoria Redwings, Racine Belles, Rockford Peaches and South Bend Blue Sox. The teams competed through a 112-game schedule.
The 1950 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the eight season of the circuit. The teams Fort Wayne Daisies, Grand Rapids Chicks, Kenosha Comets, Muskegon Lassies, Peoria Redwings, Racine Belles, Rockford Peaches and South Bend Blue Sox competed through a 112-game schedule.
The 1951 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the ninth season of the circuit. The teams Battle Creek Belles, Fort Wayne Daisies, Grand Rapids Chicks, Kalamazoo Lassies, Kenosha Comets, Peoria Redwings, Rockford Peaches and South Bend Blue Sox competed through a 112-game schedule, while the Shaugnessy playoffs featured the top four teams from each half of the regular season.
The 1953 All-American Girls Professional Baseball League season marked the eleventh season of the circuit. The teams Fort Wayne Daisies, Grand Rapids Chicks, Kalamazoo Lassies, Muskegon Belles, Rockford Peaches and South Bend Blue Sox competed through a 110-game schedule, while the Shaugnessy playoffs featured the top four teams. This time, the postseason was reduced to a best-of-three series for both rounds.
Frances L. Janssen, also known as "Big Red" or "Little Red", was an American pitcher who played from 1948 through 1952 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). Listed at 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), 155 lb, she batted and threw right-handed.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
