The Daily Alaska empire. [volume], August 21, 1941, Page 5, Image 5

About The Daily Alaska empire. [volume] (Juneau, Alaska) 1926-1964

Image provided by: Alaska State Library Historical Collections

                
National Girls Softball
Champions, Now Stressing
Youth, Versatility and Fight
AMELINA PERALTA: She’s a slugging pitcher.
By RAYMOND F. LAW
AI’ Feature Service
THCENIX, Ariz., Aug. 21. —One
summer evening in 1934, during
a girls’ softball game out in Hol
lywood, an 11-year-old kid came to
bat lor the Ramblers from Phoenix.
Serving ’em up for Hollywood
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Phone 3
was Lois Terry, the "blonde bomb
er,” then considered the greatest
pitcher in the game.
Quite unimpressed. Dot Wilkin
son, the fifth grader from the des
ert country, socked the ball out
of the lot for a home run which
(a) won the game; (b) got her
an offer to go into the movies,
which she didn't accept, and (c)
put the Ramblers in the big time
i softball picture which they now
dominate as national champions.
That was the second year of
the club’s existence. The 1941 Ram
blers, who will defend their title
in the national tournament at De
troit September 10-14, also empha
size youth, plus unusual versatility
of players and a tradition of win
ning that seldom is broken. The
average age of the ten regular
starters is 19 years.
They are real champions.
They take all comers. This sea
son has seen a parade of the
West's toughest teams to Phoe
nix, all to take a drubbing
from the Ramblers, who, be
tween invasions, have taken
time for a few triumphant tours
of their own.
The Ramblers are no softball
Topsy that just "growed" Into
fame. The clyb was organized
carefully with the Idea of making
it the best that available talent
and coaching skill could produce.
There was plenty of talent, be
cause in Arizona there is a soft
ball team behind every other
inesquite bush.
i The coaching, from the begin
ning, has been done by Ford Hoff
man, state softball commissioner,
who recounts this history of the
team.
In May, 1933, three girls who
taught physical education in Phoe
, nix schools decided to organize a
team to join a new league. They
hand-picked a group which did so
well that four of them remain ac
tive today. Hoffman, then a play
! ground instructor, agreed to show
[the girls some fine points of the
game. He still has the job and one
of the founders, Peggy Flood, who
still takes a turn in the outfield
now and then, is now Mrs. Hoff
man.
Other founders were Jessie Pet
erson, now Mrs. Paul Ellsworth,
'and Rheta Thomas, since become
Mrs. Russell Jackson.
The Ramblers dropped their
^ BRINGING UP FATHER
HELLO-JARVIS- IT'S
GOOD TO BE BACK
FROM TH'COUNTRy
EVERVTHIMG LOOKS
OUST THE SAME-AM
I GLAD TO BE BACK/
l_-/
first same, 4-3, but the next
day Hoffman talked a Phoenix
office supply company into
sponsoring the team and the
girls didn't lose another game
that first season until a Cali
fornia club beat them in the
finals of the sectional tourna
ment. They ropped the Arizona
title, and have repeated each
year.
Incidentally, that first 30-game
winning streak was the team’s
longest, although they have never
! lost more than eight games in any
: one season. For eight years the
I record stands 317 won, 33 lost.
The Ramblers reached the semi
finals in national competition three
times before, finally taking the
title in 1940.
"It Is not a team of stars,” Hoff
man insists, although the roster
includes Dot Wilkinson, now 18
and without a peer behind the
plate; Louise Miller Curtis, who
pitched three games in one day
at the 1937 tournament »nd won
them all, one a no-hitter; and
Amelina Peralta, who won all
America pitching honors last fall
by beating Cleveland 10 to 3 on
six hits in the championship
game.
Most of the 15 girls on the
squad play every position well,
which Hoffman points out, is a
tremendous help in the long
pull of a tough 50- or 60-gamc
schedule.
They are great "money" play
ers. The first five hitters, Louise
Curtis, Mickey Sullivan, Dot Wil
kinson, Amelina Peralta and Mar
jorie Wood, take pleasure in mur
dering the tightest pitching any
team can throw at them.
Squad members are carefully
selected, for many qualities, chief
of which, in Hoffman's estimation,
is the feminine equivalent of in
testinal fortitude.
PROMOTIONS AT
FORT RICHARDSON
Army Base Headquarters of the
Alaska Defense Command, at Fort
Richardson, announces four promo
tions of officers at the base.
John W. Bridges, one of the first
men to arrive in the newly establish
ed Alaska Defense Command, was
promoted to Corporal. Before going
in the Air Corps he spent consid
erable time with the infantry in the
motor transportation section. This is
Bridges’ second tour of duty in Al
aska, having served previously at
Chilkoot Barracks.
Other promotions saw advance
ment of Technical Sergeant Oppie
D. Wellborn, of the Signal Corps, to
the grade of Master Sergeant.
On the same order, Sergeants
Jack J. Steorts and James Hornbeck
were promoted to the grade of Staff
Sergeant.
COPSTEADS LE^VF.
Mr. and Mrs. C. Copstead and
their two children, who have been in
Juneau visiting their two sons, left
on the Alaska for their home in Ket
chikan. They have been here for
several weeks.
ERROR AIDS
DODGERS AS
BASES FUEL
Cards Climb Half Game in
Standings with Win of
Doubleheader
(By Associated Press)
Ninth inning errors by the Pitts
burgh Pirates helped Brooklyn yes
terday in a wild game tied from the
seventh Inning. Brooklyn loaded the
bases in the ninth and Harry Lava
getto dropped a fly ball allowing a
score to come In.
The St. Louis Cardinals gained a
half-game on the Dodgers yesterday,
taking a doubleheader from the Bos
ton Braves. Ernie White pitched a
shutout opener and Howard Pollet
made a four-hit major league debut
in the nightcap.
The Chicago Cubs shellacked the
Giants yesterday, reaching four
pitchers for 16 hits.
Johnny Vander Meer and Elmer
Riddle shut out Philadelphia for the
Cincinnati Reds yesterday as Van
der Meer pitched a three-hitter and
Riddle a six-hitter.
TIGERS NOSE
OUTYANKEES
WITH NO HITS
Chicago Team Takes Third
Straight Shutout to
Blank Athletics
(By Associated Press)
The Detroit Tigers nosed out the
Yankees yesterday with Tommy
Bridges giving no hits in the ten-in
ning game.
Cleveland lost its seventh straight
game yesterday as Washington ad
ded four runs in the ninth to win.
The Chicago White Sox won its
third straight shutout yesterday as
Johnny Rlgney blanked the Phlla-.
delphia Athltics, allowing only three
hits.
The Boston Red Sox lost a double
header to the St. Louts Browns yes
terday with the second battle going
ten innings, but decided by Johnny '
Berardinos bunt, scoring Cullenbine.
EXPRESS AUDITOR HERE
I Stanley Johnson, auditor and
loute agent of the Alaska area for
the Railway Express Agency, ar
rived in Juneau yesterday on a
northbound Lodestar. He is on a
routine trip.
Tree-climbing fish abound in
Ceram, an island in the Dutch
East Indies.
Fifth Child for Dodger Star
The Dolph Camlllis
Presenting another new heir of the Dolph Camllll household. A fifth
child, a boy, is bom to the wife of the slugging first baseman of
the Brooklyn Dodgers and both mother and child are doing well.
The Dodger star, his Wife and baby are Shown in New York hospital.
SEATTLE IN
CLOSE WIN
0YERS0L0NS
Coast Leaders Shut Out Last
Nighf-Hollywood, Oaks
Have Hurlers' Duels
(By Associated Pres)
Sacramento’s lead has been trim
med to six games, the lowest since
the third week of the season, as the
result of Seattle defeating the Sol
ons last night, in fact the Ralniers
shut the leaders out, 2 to 0. Les
Webber allowed the Solons only four
hits and he was aided by three
double plays.
Pinch hitter George Detore doubled
It) the eighth inning last night scor
ing two runs for San Diego and a
victory over Portland.
Hollywood split a doubleheader
with Oakland last night with Henry
Pippen defeated in the seventh In
ning of the nightcap though he al- j
lowed only one hit. Both games were
pitching battles.
GAMES WEDNESDAY
Pacific Coast League
San Diego 8: Portland 7.
Seattle 2; Sacramento 0.
Los Angeles 6, 3; San Francisco
0, 6.
Oakland 1, 0; Hollywood 0, 1.
National League
Pittsburgh 6; Brooklyn 7.
Chicago 9; New York 4.
Cincinnati 2, 3; Philadelphia 0, 0.
St. Louis 2, 3; Boston 0, 2.
American League
Philadelphia 0; Chicago 9.
New York 0; Detroit 1, ten in
nings.
Washington 6; Cleveland 3.
Boston 9, 3; St. Louis 11, 4.
STANDINGS OF THE CLUBS
Pacific Coast League
Won Lost
Sacramento
San Diego
Seattle .
Hollywood
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Oakland .
Portland .
86
79
79
69
61
62
61
57
54
59
59
69
75
76
79
81
Brooklyn
St. Louis
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
New Y'.^k
Chicago
Boston .
Philadelphia
74
64
60
56
50
46
31
41
49
53
56
67
68
83
New York
Chicago
Boston .
Cleveland
Detroit
Philadelphia
Washington
§t. Louis
65
61
59
55
51
50
50
55
58
57
64
66
65
66
Pet
.614
.572
.572
.500
.449
.449
.436
.413
National League
Won Lost
.76 40
Pet.
.655
.643
.566
.531
.500
.427
.404
.272
American League
Won Lost
81 41
Pet.
.664
.542
.513
.509
.458
.436
.435
.431
PARISH PICNIC
PLANNED FOR
NEXT SUNDAY
The Parish picnic planned by the
Rev. W. G. LeVasscur at the Shrine
of St Terese will take place next
Sunday afternoon, and a large crowd
is expected. Members of th* Parish,
and of Douglas and Thane, are all
Invited, and children are especially
asked.
Transportation to the picnic is
free, as three busses have been don
ated by the Catholic Daughters of
America. The busses will leave from
„he Bus Depot at 1:30 o'clock.
In charge of the refreshments are
Mrs. D. P. Holden, Mrs. Howard
Hayes, and Mrs. Malcolm Greeny.
A sports program of races and
contests has been arranged for the
afternoon., with Harold Roth in
charge and Joe Brultt assisting.
At the Shrine, the Rev. LeVasseur
will have the souvenir booth open
for the picnickers to see, and they
may also see the many improve
ments made at the Shrine this sum
mer.
FAREWELL PARTY
Mrs. Hal Klmmell entertained this
week at her Auk Lake home in honor j
>f Mrs. William Bills who will leave j
»on for Fairfield, Ohio, to Join her j
rusband who is now an airplane
mechanic at the big Ohio airfield.
NEW FALL DRESS LENGTHS
OVER 200 GUARANTEED 3'/2 TO 45b YARD PIECES IN A
GLORIOUS ASSORTMENT OF NEW PATTERNS AND FABRICS.
TIME TO START PLANNING YOUR FALL
WARDROBE. Our new dress lengths are
a thrilling and economical beginning. You
get 3'/2 to 45/s yard pieces for miu.h less
than you could buy the same materials
in yard goods.
I
Solid Colors
Siripes
Plaids
Prints
Monotones
Perfect materials for school dresses, business clothes, house frocks,
house coat:j, dress suits, and all guaranteed quality. This may be
the last opportunity to purchase them at this featured low price.
In Juneau Il's Behrends for Values!
J&.dA{ TSzlilsnch Co.
QCML/ry s/ncs:
FISHERMEN
FINED UP
TO $200
Nineteen Arraigned at Pet
ersburg, Wrangell for
Illegal Fishing
Nineteen fishermen, hailed be
fore U. 8. Commissioners at Wran
gell and Petersburg the past two
oays have paid fines ranging from
$200 to $25 plus court costs when
they have pled guilty of illegal
fishing.
Top fine was meted out to l red
Haltiner, who was assessed $200 and
costs when he was arraigned at
Petersburg. In second place for the
doubtful honor of paying most
nearly for illegal fishing was Earl
Larson, fined $150 at Petersburg.
Also at Petersburg, five Kake In
dians were fined $50 each. They
were Thomas Skeek, William Jack
son, John J. Brown, Kelly Brown
and Joseph Johnson.
In Wrangell yesterday, top rine
if $50 was imposed against Henry
Johnson, of the beat Chinook, while
three other members of the Chin
ook’s crew, Oeorge Beaudroo, Clar
ence Buhler and George- Rogers,
each were fined $25.
Also fined $25 by the Wrangell
commissioner were Jerry Neilson,
Lawrence Bahovlc. Warren^ Gartley,
and Laurie Brood, of the gasboat
Lalowa; and Ed Lynch, Mike Lynch,
Jr., Jerry Desmond and Marcus
Dailey, of the boat Annie K.
Illegal fishing charges brought at
Wrangell against Karl Theile and
Eddie Churchill, also of the boat
Chinook, were dismissed because the
two are under legal age.
REPRESENTS ELKS
Past Exalted Ruler Prank Bayer
of Anchorage Lodge No. 1351, has
been named Deputy Grand Exalted
%uler in the Anchorage district.
By GEORGE HcMANUS
At Army Chapel Dedication
Cen. George C. Marshall, U. 8. chief of staff, shakes hands with James
J. Norris (left), assistant director of the National Catholic Community
Service, after dedication at Arlington Cantonment near Washington,
D. C., of the first of 555 frame chapels being built in army camps
throughout tbs nation.
FAMILY PORTRAIT—Behind the ktui la Lea Neva,
who* training at Nicatou* Lake, Me., for September beat with
Champion Joe Louis. On hand to watch the training triad are.
Mrs. Neva and their daughter, Hcrtha Louise.