Beverly Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Beverly Armstrong [Steuert] (born September 27, 1934) is a former female pitcher
who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
. She batted and threw right-handed. Sometimes she is credited as Bev Steuert.
A native of Maywood, New Jersey
, Armstrong began to play at age 10 in the backyard from her father, a semi-professional baseball player who taught her how to pitch and knew all about the baseball game. She later developed a strong fastball
and a decent curve
.
While the Korean War
raged thousands of miles away, Armstrong and her teammates packed minor league ballparks and lifted war-weary spirits through the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Armstrong found that out firsthand when she and some of her high school teammates organized their own team. The manager of one of the teams they played offered her a spot on the Garfield Flashettes of New Jersey. She accepted and soon learned that he was a scout
for the AAGPBL. After that Armstrong attended a try out, which was a success, and was a signed a contract. For her labor, she earned $200 a week with room and board taken care of by the team, because the girls stayed with families during the regular season.
Armstrong entered the league in with the Rockford Peaches
, pitching for them in that season while she was still in high school. She posted a 4-1 record in six starts
and three relief
appearances. Managed by Bill Allington
, the Peaches featured top-notch players as Eleanor Callow
, Rose Gacioch
, Carol Habben
, Alice Pollitt
and Ruth Richard
. The team advanced to the playoffs, only to lost in the first round to the Fort Wayne Daisies
.
Unfortunately, in 1953 Armstrong injured an ankle midway through her second season. Due to the AAGPBL folded in 1954, before she had a chance to really play, Armstrong went on to play basketball
and softball
. She later married and raised three children.
In November 1988, Armstrong along with the rest of the AAGPBL received their long overdue recognition when the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York
dedicated a permanent display to the entire league rather than any individual player. She currently lives in Kernersville, North Carolina
.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
. She batted and threw right-handed. Sometimes she is credited as Bev Steuert.
A native of Maywood, New Jersey
Maywood, New Jersey
Maywood is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 9,555.Maywood was incorporated as a borough on June 29, 1894, from portions of Midland Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day, at the height of the...
, Armstrong began to play at age 10 in the backyard from her father, a semi-professional baseball player who taught her how to pitch and knew all about the baseball game. She later developed a strong fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
and a decent curve
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
.
While the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
raged thousands of miles away, Armstrong and her teammates packed minor league ballparks and lifted war-weary spirits through the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Armstrong found that out firsthand when she and some of her high school teammates organized their own team. The manager of one of the teams they played offered her a spot on the Garfield Flashettes of New Jersey. She accepted and soon learned that he was a scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
for the AAGPBL. After that Armstrong attended a try out, which was a success, and was a signed a contract. For her labor, she earned $200 a week with room and board taken care of by the team, because the girls stayed with families during the regular season.
Armstrong entered the league in with the Rockford Peaches
Rockford Peaches
The Rockford Peaches were a team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playing out of Rockford, Illinois for the entire existence of the league from 1943 to 1954....
, pitching for them in that season while she was still in high school. She posted a 4-1 record in six starts
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
and three relief
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
appearances. Managed by Bill Allington
Bill Allington
William Baird Allington was an American Minor league baseball player and manager. Listed at 5' 9" , 160 lb., Allington batted and threw right-handed. He was born in St. Clair County, Michigan....
, the Peaches featured top-notch players as Eleanor Callow
Eleanor Callow
Eleanor Callow Squirt is a former Canadian female left fielder who played from through for three different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Callow was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed...
, Rose Gacioch
Rose Gacioch
Rose M. Gacioch [gay'-sotch] was a right fielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 6", 160 lb., Gacioch batted and threw right-handed...
, Carol Habben
Carol Habben
Carol Habben was a center fielder and backup catcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 5", 135 lb., she batted and threw right-handed....
, Alice Pollitt
Alice Pollitt
Alice Pollitt [Deschaine] is a former infielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 3", 150 lb., she batted and threw right-handed....
and Ruth Richard
Ruth Richard
Ruth Richard [Richie] is a former female catcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 4", 134 lb., she batted left-handed and threw right-handed....
. The team advanced to the playoffs, only to lost in the first round to the Fort Wayne Daisies
Fort Wayne Daisies
The Fort Wayne Daisies were a women's professional baseball team that played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
.
Unfortunately, in 1953 Armstrong injured an ankle midway through her second season. Due to the AAGPBL folded in 1954, before she had a chance to really play, Armstrong went on to play basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
. She later married and raised three children.
In November 1988, Armstrong along with the rest of the AAGPBL received their long overdue recognition when the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
dedicated a permanent display to the entire league rather than any individual player. She currently lives in Kernersville, North Carolina
Kernersville, North Carolina
Kernersville is a town in Forsyth County in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 17,126 at the 2000 census. In 2007 the U.S. Census estimated the town's population at 22,309. Kernersville is located at the heart of the Piedmont Triad metropolitan area, which consists of the cities...
.