Born Dorothy Maime McAlpine on November 21, 1918 in LaGrange Ohio.
One of the original members of the
"All American Girls Baseball League"
(AAGPBL)
Dorothy learned to play baseball by playing with the neighborhood boys. In 1934-1936, when she was only 16, a tool shop in Elyria Ohio made special arrangements to work around child labor rules so that she could play with them. She went on to play for the "Erin Brew" which was a fast pitch team in Cleveland Ohio. The Erin Brew were the perennial champions and it was there that Dorothy was scouted and invited to the 1943 try outs for the AAGPBL. Of the hundreds of young women from across the nation who went to the try outs... only 280 were invited to the final tryouts and only 60 of those were invited to become the first women to play professional baseball.
Dorothy's position was catcher and in 1943 she played on the "Racine Belles" who at the end of the season became the first World Champions of the All American Girls Baseball League.
In 1945 Dorothy married Tom Maguire. In June of 1945 she received a call just before a game from her Mother. Tom had been killed in action. Dorothy kept the news her Mother had given her to herself and played the game. It wasn't until after the game that Dorothy reported the news to the press. Then in August, she received a couple of letters from Tom. He had been in a hospital in Italy and had not been identified and was presumed dead. This event was included in the movie "A League of Their Own" and portrayed by Gena Davis.
Dorothy and Tom divorced in 1947 and in 1949 she married George Chapman.
Dorothy got her nickname in 1945 while playing with the Grand Rapids Chicks. She was said to have the tenacity of Mickey Cochrane, catcher for the Detroit Tigers. Hence the name... Dorothy "Mickey" Maguire Chapman. She was also reported to be the highest paid catcher in the league.
Dorothy played in the AAGPBL until June 15, 1949 when she retired.
After retiring she raised 6 children... George, Richard, Terry, Lawrence, Deborah and Robert.
She also trained horses as a hobby.
Dorothy passed from this earth on August 2, 1981.
In 2006 a bronze statue honoring the members of the All American Girls Baseball League was unveiled at the Baseball Hall of Fame in New York. The Statue named "At Bat" was made by Stanley Bleifeld from a picture of
Dorothy "Mickey" Maguire Chapman.
One of the original members of the
"All American Girls Baseball League"
(AAGPBL)
Dorothy learned to play baseball by playing with the neighborhood boys. In 1934-1936, when she was only 16, a tool shop in Elyria Ohio made special arrangements to work around child labor rules so that she could play with them. She went on to play for the "Erin Brew" which was a fast pitch team in Cleveland Ohio. The Erin Brew were the perennial champions and it was there that Dorothy was scouted and invited to the 1943 try outs for the AAGPBL. Of the hundreds of young women from across the nation who went to the try outs... only 280 were invited to the final tryouts and only 60 of those were invited to become the first women to play professional baseball.
Dorothy's position was catcher and in 1943 she played on the "Racine Belles" who at the end of the season became the first World Champions of the All American Girls Baseball League.
In 1945 Dorothy married Tom Maguire. In June of 1945 she received a call just before a game from her Mother. Tom had been killed in action. Dorothy kept the news her Mother had given her to herself and played the game. It wasn't until after the game that Dorothy reported the news to the press. Then in August, she received a couple of letters from Tom. He had been in a hospital in Italy and had not been identified and was presumed dead. This event was included in the movie "A League of Their Own" and portrayed by Gena Davis.
Dorothy and Tom divorced in 1947 and in 1949 she married George Chapman.
Dorothy got her nickname in 1945 while playing with the Grand Rapids Chicks. She was said to have the tenacity of Mickey Cochrane, catcher for the Detroit Tigers. Hence the name... Dorothy "Mickey" Maguire Chapman. She was also reported to be the highest paid catcher in the league.
Dorothy played in the AAGPBL until June 15, 1949 when she retired.
After retiring she raised 6 children... George, Richard, Terry, Lawrence, Deborah and Robert.
She also trained horses as a hobby.
Dorothy passed from this earth on August 2, 1981.
In 2006 a bronze statue honoring the members of the All American Girls Baseball League was unveiled at the Baseball Hall of Fame in New York. The Statue named "At Bat" was made by Stanley Bleifeld from a picture of
Dorothy "Mickey" Maguire Chapman.
Born Dorothy Maime McAlpine on November 21, 1918 in LaGrange Ohio.
One of the original members of the
"All American Girls Baseball League"
(AAGPBL)
Dorothy learned to play baseball by playing with the neighborhood boys. In 1934-1936, when she was only 16, a tool shop in Elyria Ohio made special arrangements to work around child labor rules so that she could play with them. She went on to play for the "Erin Brew" which was a fast pitch team in Cleveland Ohio. The Erin Brew were the perennial champions and it was there that Dorothy was scouted and invited to the 1943 try outs for the AAGPBL. Of the hundreds of young women from across the nation who went to the try outs... only 280 were invited to the final tryouts and only 60 of those were invited to become the first women to play professional baseball.
Dorothy's position was catcher and in 1943 she played on the "Racine Belles" who at the end of the season became the first World Champions of the All American Girls Baseball League.
In 1945 Dorothy married Tom Maguire. In June of 1945 she received a call just before a game from her Mother. Tom had been killed in action. Dorothy kept the news her Mother had given her to herself and played the game. It wasn't until after the game that Dorothy reported the news to the press. Then in August, she received a couple of letters from Tom. He had been in a hospital in Italy and had not been identified and was presumed dead. This event was included in the movie "A League of Their Own" and portrayed by Gena Davis.
Dorothy and Tom divorced in 1947 and in 1949 she married George Chapman.
Dorothy got her nickname in 1945 while playing with the Grand Rapids Chicks. She was said to have the tenacity of Mickey Cochrane, catcher for the Detroit Tigers. Hence the name... Dorothy "Mickey" Maguire Chapman. She was also reported to be the highest paid catcher in the league.
Dorothy played in the AAGPBL until June 15, 1949 when she retired.
After retiring she raised 6 children... George, Richard, Terry, Lawrence, Deborah and Robert.
She also trained horses as a hobby.
Dorothy passed from this earth on August 2, 1981.
In 2006 a bronze statue honoring the members of the All American Girls Baseball League was unveiled at the Baseball Hall of Fame in New York. The Statue named "At Bat" was made by Stanley Bleifeld from a picture of
Dorothy "Mickey" Maguire Chapman.
One of the original members of the
"All American Girls Baseball League"
(AAGPBL)
Dorothy learned to play baseball by playing with the neighborhood boys. In 1934-1936, when she was only 16, a tool shop in Elyria Ohio made special arrangements to work around child labor rules so that she could play with them. She went on to play for the "Erin Brew" which was a fast pitch team in Cleveland Ohio. The Erin Brew were the perennial champions and it was there that Dorothy was scouted and invited to the 1943 try outs for the AAGPBL. Of the hundreds of young women from across the nation who went to the try outs... only 280 were invited to the final tryouts and only 60 of those were invited to become the first women to play professional baseball.
Dorothy's position was catcher and in 1943 she played on the "Racine Belles" who at the end of the season became the first World Champions of the All American Girls Baseball League.
In 1945 Dorothy married Tom Maguire. In June of 1945 she received a call just before a game from her Mother. Tom had been killed in action. Dorothy kept the news her Mother had given her to herself and played the game. It wasn't until after the game that Dorothy reported the news to the press. Then in August, she received a couple of letters from Tom. He had been in a hospital in Italy and had not been identified and was presumed dead. This event was included in the movie "A League of Their Own" and portrayed by Gena Davis.
Dorothy and Tom divorced in 1947 and in 1949 she married George Chapman.
Dorothy got her nickname in 1945 while playing with the Grand Rapids Chicks. She was said to have the tenacity of Mickey Cochrane, catcher for the Detroit Tigers. Hence the name... Dorothy "Mickey" Maguire Chapman. She was also reported to be the highest paid catcher in the league.
Dorothy played in the AAGPBL until June 15, 1949 when she retired.
After retiring she raised 6 children... George, Richard, Terry, Lawrence, Deborah and Robert.
She also trained horses as a hobby.
Dorothy passed from this earth on August 2, 1981.
In 2006 a bronze statue honoring the members of the All American Girls Baseball League was unveiled at the Baseball Hall of Fame in New York. The Statue named "At Bat" was made by Stanley Bleifeld from a picture of
Dorothy "Mickey" Maguire Chapman.
Gravesite Details
Grandaughter - Michelle Joann Chapman
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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See more Maguire Chapman or McAlpin memorials in:
- Butternut Ridge Cemetery Maguire Chapman or McAlpin
- Eaton Maguire Chapman or McAlpin
- Lorain County Maguire Chapman or McAlpin
- Ohio Maguire Chapman or McAlpin
- USA Maguire Chapman or McAlpin
- Find a Grave Maguire Chapman or McAlpin
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