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Kenosha Comets

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Kenosha Comets
Team logo Cap insignia
Minor league affiliations
Previous leagues
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Team data
Previous names
Shamrocks[1]
ColorsGreen, white
   
Previous parks
Lake Front Stadium (1943–1947)
Simmons Field (1948–1951)
Owner(s)/
Operator(s)
AAGPBL
1943 Kenosha Comets inaugural season - Back L-R: Josh Billings (Manager), Audrey Wagner, Ethel McCreary, Lee Harney, Ann Harnett, Janice O`Hara, Ada Ryan (Chaperone).
Middle L-R: Phyllis Koehn, Kay Heim, Helen Westerman, Helen Nicol, Darlene Mickelsen.
Front L-R: Clara Cook, Myrna Nearing, Mary Louise Lester, Shirley Jameson, Pauline Pirok.

Based in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the Kenosha Comets were a women's professional baseball team that played from 1943 through 1951 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The team played their home games at Kenosha's Lake Front Stadium, but later moved to Simmons Field.

History

The Kenosha Comets were one of the first four teams in the AAGPBL. Unofficially nicknamed the "Shamrocks" by out of town newspapers owing to their green uniforms, a contest to name the team was won by Mrs. Hazel Templeton who chose The Comets which the team officially adopted on June 4. [2] [1] In 1943, the Comets posted the third-best record of the league at 56–52, but had won the second-half title (33–21) and earned a ticket to the playoffs; they were swept in three games by the Racine Belles.

Kenosha again placed third in 1944 (62–54) and made the playoffs, thanks to a first-half title (36–23). The Comets took a 3–2 lead over the Milwaukee Chicks in the best-of-seven series, but lost the decisive Game 7. Kenosha faded after that, placing last in 1945 (41–69), seventh of eight teams in 1946 (42–70), and last in 1947 (43–69).

The Comets rebounded in 1948, placing fifth (61–64) in the five–team Western Division and advancing to the playoffs, but were defeated by Racine in the first round, three games to zero. In 1949, Kenosha finished fourth (58–55) in the eight–team league, and lost to the Muskegon Lassies in two games during the first round of post–season action.

Their most productive season came in 1950, when they finished second with a 64–46 record, three games behind Racine, only to lose for the fifth straight appearance in the first round, this time to the Rockford Peaches in four games.

In 1951, Kenosha placed sixth (36–71) in the eight-team league, out of contention. The team folded at the end of the season.

In its nine years of history, the Kenosha Comets had in their rosters notable players as pitcher Helen Nicol and slugger Audrey Wagner, as well as Lois Florreich, Katie Horstman, Elizabeth Mahon, Dorothy Schroeder, and Fern Shollenberger.

All-time roster

Bold denotes members of the inaugural roster

Managers

* Josh Billings 1943
1944
* Marty McManus 1944
* Eddie Stumpf 1945
* Press Cruthers 1946
* Ralph Shinners 1947
* Chet Grant 1948
* Johnny Gottselig 1949
1950
1951
* Ernestine Petras 1950

References

  1. ^ a b @AAGPBL (May 30, 2018). "1st game in the doubleheader between the #RacineBelles & Kenosha Shamrocks (renamed Comets later that week) resulted in Kenosha winning 8-6 in 7 inns due to rain and heavy fog. 2nd game was rained out and picked up the next day where Racine won 6-3 (in 7 innings due to rain)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Kenosha Evening News, June 5, 1943

Sources

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