THE BLOOMER GIRLS

Author

Matthew Garringer
November 02, 2023

Good evening. This is Dead Legends. We’re skipping the typical intro today to congratulate the Texas Rangers on becoming the 2023 World Champions.

And a special congrats to Will Smith who has now won three consecutive World Series with three different teams.

It’s the first time anyone has done that in any of the major sports leagues (MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA).

Let’s dive in.

Today’s story is about some badass, female ballplayers.

Most of us have probably seen the movie, “A League of Their Own,” which tells the story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

But before the AAGPBL was created, there were “Bloomer Girls” baseball teams that played in the late 1890s and early 1900s.

These ball clubs would barnstorm around the country playing local, semi-pro, and minor league men’s teams.

Often times, they would bring their own fences, tents, and even grandstands.

Bloomer teams would also usually have a few “toppers” on the squad - male ballplayers that added a little extra pop in the lineup.

Matter of fact, Rogers Hornsby was a topper for a bit when he was a teenager.

These guys would typically wear wigs to disguise themselves as women, but, from what I’ve read, they weren’t that convincing.

The schedule was pretty grueling and sometimes they would play for weeks on end without a single off day.

But at a time when there were limited professional options for women, this was a pretty good gig.

Bloomer teams had become entirely extinct by the ‘30s, but they left a lasting impression and undeniably played a role in laying the foundation for the AAGPBL's emergence during World War II.

WORLD SERIES BAT MUGS!

In honor of the big win last night, Dugout Mugs dropped official 2023 World Series drinkware.

Check it out:

Quick Links:

And if you’re not a Rangers fan, they’ve also started offering holiday discounts on their entire website.

All of their products make for PERFECT Christmas gifts.

STRANGE NAMES

If you're just joining us, we play this game every day where we try to find the weirdest names throughout baseball history.

Why? Don't ask us, it's just something we like to do.

If you've been rocking with us for awhile now, you know what time it is.

Today's winner is:

Alfred Robert Clark, affectionately known as "Dad," had a brief and forgettable stint in the major leagues.

He played in 12 games total for the Chicago Orphans, and honestly, his numbers were terrible.

In 43 AB’s, Clark had eight knocks and recorded a .186 batting average.

THE DEAD LEGENDS ARCHIVE

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