Margaret Wigiser
Encyclopedia
Margaret M. Wigiser [Wiggie] (born December 17, 1924) is a former center fielder
who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
. She batted and threw right-handed.
public school sports, becoming a significant factor in persuading the New York School System to fund athletic programs for high school girls.
, Gloria Cordes
, Mildred Deegan
, Nancy Mudge
and Betty Trezza
. She was the daughter of Herman Wigiser, orthodox Jewish
and Pauline (née Fabian) Wigiser, a Roman Catholic, family of Hungarian ancestry. At early age, she started to play baseball for the temple team. In 1942, she graduated from Seward Park School, where she received the Underhill Certificate for outstanding athlete, recognizing her achievements in softball
and track and field. She later attended college and joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
, an awful team who had a poor fan support and lacked of victories. The team ended with an overall record of 45-72, 26½ games out of first place. That year Wigiser belted the longest home run
ever hit at Rockford Park, home of the Rockford Peaches
. The blast must have impressed the Peaches' management, as they picked up her contract when the Millerettes folded at the end of the season.
Wigiser exploded with Rockford in 1945, hitting .249 with two home runs, eight doubles
and two triples
, helping her team to clinch the Championship Title. The Peaches, with Bill Allington
at the helm, enjoyed a 67-43 record and won the title after beating the Fort Wayne Daisies
in the best-of-seven series.
In 1946, Rockford placed in fourth place (60-52). Wigiser appeared in only 39 games for the team, after she tore a cartilage in her right knee and her playing career came to an end. She posted a lifetime batting average
of .227 with four home runs and 88 runs batted in in 203 games.
. Following her baseball career, she received a Bachelor of Arts
and Master of Arts
degrees and became an active participant in New York City
public school sports, persuading the New York School System to fund athletic programs for high school girls. She worked as a physical education teacher from 1948 through 1969, directed the city's high school programs from 1969 to 1982, and helped pace the way for additional funding of girls sports. She is an honor member of the New York City PSAL (Public School Athletic League), the Hunter College Hall of Fame, and the Hunter College Alumni Association.
On November 5, 1988, Wigiser was honored with the rest of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the opening of a permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York
. Besides this, the New York PSAL (Public School Athletic League) annually presents the Margaret Wigiser Award, named after her, to recognize the Outstanding Female student-athlete of the city. Wigiser is currently living in Hobe Sound, Florida
.
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
who played from through 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.
Overview profile
Wigiser was a solid hitter and a fine center fielder for three seasons in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, including one year for the Championship Team. She also has been regarded as one of the earliest sluggers in the league, until a severe injury during a regular game shortened her promising playing career. After her playing days, she became an active participant in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
public school sports, becoming a significant factor in persuading the New York School System to fund athletic programs for high school girls.
Early life
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Wigiser was one of 25 players who made the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League clubs hailed from New York City and State, including Muriel BevisMuriel Bevis
Muriel Bevis [″Breezy″] was a female outfielder and pitcher who played in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the season. Bevis batted and threw left-handed. She was born in Corona, Queens, New York City....
, Gloria Cordes
Gloria Cordes
Gloria Cordes [Elliott] is a former starting pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
, Mildred Deegan
Millie Deegan
Mildred Eleanor Deegan was an American pitcher and second baseman who played ten seasons in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, from to .-Background:...
, Nancy Mudge
Nancy Mudge
Nancy Mudge [Cato] is a former second basewoman who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 2", 120 lb., Mudge batted and threw right handed. She was nicknamed ″Smudgie″....
and Betty Trezza
Betty Trezza
Betty Trezza [″Moe″] was an American professional baseball player. An infield and outfield utility, she played from through for four different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League....
. She was the daughter of Herman Wigiser, orthodox Jewish
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
and Pauline (née Fabian) Wigiser, a Roman Catholic, family of Hungarian ancestry. At early age, she started to play baseball for the temple team. In 1942, she graduated from Seward Park School, where she received the Underhill Certificate for outstanding athlete, recognizing her achievements in 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...
and track and field. She later attended college and joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
AAGPBL career
Wigiser entered the AAGPBL in 1944 with the expansion Minneapolis MillerettesMinneapolis Millerettes
The Minneapolis Millerettes were an expansion All-American Girls Professional Baseball League team that played for one season in 1944. They played their home games in Nicollet Park, home of the men's minor league team the Minneapolis Millers...
, an awful team who had a poor fan support and lacked of victories. The team ended with an overall record of 45-72, 26½ games out of first place. That year Wigiser belted the longest home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
ever hit at Rockford Park, home of 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....
. The blast must have impressed the Peaches' management, as they picked up her contract when the Millerettes folded at the end of the season.
Wigiser exploded with Rockford in 1945, hitting .249 with two home runs, eight doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and two triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, helping her team to clinch the Championship Title. The Peaches, with 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....
at the helm, enjoyed a 67-43 record and won the title after beating 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...
in the best-of-seven series.
In 1946, Rockford placed in fourth place (60-52). Wigiser appeared in only 39 games for the team, after she tore a cartilage in her right knee and her playing career came to an end. She posted a lifetime batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .227 with four home runs and 88 runs batted in in 203 games.
Life after baseball
Even before she started playing in the AAGPBL, Wigiser attended Hunter CollegeHunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
. Following her baseball career, she received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degrees and became an active participant in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
public school sports, persuading the New York School System to fund athletic programs for high school girls. She worked as a physical education teacher from 1948 through 1969, directed the city's high school programs from 1969 to 1982, and helped pace the way for additional funding of girls sports. She is an honor member of the New York City PSAL (Public School Athletic League), the Hunter College Hall of Fame, and the Hunter College Alumni Association.
On November 5, 1988, Wigiser was honored with the rest of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the opening of a permanent display at 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...
. Besides this, the New York PSAL (Public School Athletic League) annually presents the Margaret Wigiser Award, named after her, to recognize the Outstanding Female student-athlete of the city. Wigiser is currently living in Hobe Sound, Florida
Hobe Sound, Florida
Hobe Sound is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Martin County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,376 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Port St. Lucie Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography and climate:...
.