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Abstract
| Dolly Ozburn was interviewed by Clement C. GrawOzburn on January 19, 2004, for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League oral history collection. "Lippy" as she was know by her teammates, was one of the youngest players signed by the AAGPBL. She was 13 years old in training camp and signed a contract with the Fort Wayne Daisies, debuting on June 5, 1952, one day after she turned fifteen. Dolly was chosen to join the All-American All-Stars team after the AAGPBL folded. The team played 100 games, against male teams, traveling over 10,000 miles in the manager's station wagon. In 1958, Dolly married her husband, Clement Ozburn. She currently resides in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Ozburn discusses the following topics: Family members, parents’ jobs at cotton mills, father’s company, Royal Floor Sweeping Compound (1940-1986, Charlotte, North Carolina) father’s job as butcher, bootlegging—Local baseball teams, grandfather, father, and brother playing for local baseball teams, creating baseball field for neighborhood, gender balance of kids playing baseball, playing in a boys’ baseball league, sponsorship of baseball league, comparing children’s and adults’ opinions on girls playing baseball—First baseball glove, playing baseball with family, parents’ encouragement in sports, playing kickball at school, fighting at recess—First baseball glove, playing ball with family, parents’ encouragement in sports, playing kickball at school, fighting at recess—Seeing All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954) in movie newsreel ca. 1943-1944, AAGPBL exhibition game in Charlotte ca. 1951, tryouts, pitching techniques—Trying out for Fort Wayne Daisies 1952, Jimmie “the Beast” Foxx (Fort Wayne Daisies manager, 1907-1967), signing contract, missing spring training, parents’ reaction to joining league, leaving home for the first time, excitement of joining league, first time on airplane—Dress code in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954) ca. 1952-1954, makeup, advice from father when joining league, playing tricks, Catherine “Horsey” Horstman (Fort Wayne Daisies and Kenosha Comets pitcher, b. 1935), treatment of rookies—Injuries in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), role of chaperones, curfews, avoiding chaperones and hotel staff, playing tricks on chaperones, dropping water balloons from hotel windows, player entertainment between games—Living in private home, boarding with older couple in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Bill Allington (Rockford Peaches and Fort Wayne Daisies manager, 1900-1966), quizzes on baseball rules, practice, Karl Winsch (South Bend Blue Sox manager, 1915-2001), comparison of Bill Allington, Karl Winsch and Jimmie “the Beast” Foxx (Fort Wayne Daisies manager, 1907-1967), Bill Allington, and Karl Winsch as managers, fan harassing Mary Baumgartner (Chicago Colleens, Peoria Redwings, Springfield Sallies, Kalamazoo Lassies, South Bend Blue Sox catcher, 1930-2018), attitude of managers— Singing on the team bus, playing cards with teammates, Jean “Grasshopper” Havlish (Kalamazoo Lassies and Fort Wayne Daisies short stop, b. 1935), salary in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), playing on company softball teams, factory salary ca. late 1950s, wages when working at cotton mills as child, packing cotton at mills ca. 1940s—Community support for All-American Girls Professional Baseball League teams (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), visiting hospitals, picnics with fans, community involvement, food allowances while traveling—Opinion on uniforms for All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), sliding, sliding practice with Bill Allington (Rockford Peaches and Fort Wayne Daisies manager, 1900-1966), pitcher’s uniform, Atomic Balm (muscle ointment), resting pitching arms, pitching exercises, baseball clowns, Jackie Price (traveling baseball clown, 1912-1967), Dolores “Pickles” (Lee) Dries (Rockford Peaches pitcher, 1935-2014), rotating team positions—Thoughts on end of All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), television’s impact on the league, changes in transportation, loss of fans, internal politics in AAGPBL, finding out about league ending, rumors of league restarting—Allington’s All-Americans (traveling women’s allstar baseball team, ca. 1955-1958), Ruth “Richie” Richard (Grand Rapids Chicks and Rockford Peaches pitcher, 1928-2018), joining Allington’s All-Americans, turnover in Allington’s All-Americans, difficulties of being in a travelling league, staying in poor quality hotels, parties with men’s teams after games, Jean “Smitty” Smith (Fort Wayne Daisies, Kenosha Comets, Peoria Redwings, Grand Rapids Chicks, outfield and pitcher, 1928-2011), creating publicity for games, playing throughout Midwest, salary with Allington’s All-Americans, Pullman Hotel (1873-1968, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)—Travel for Allington’s All-Americans (traveling women’s all-star baseball team, ca. 1955-1958), fitting everything in two cars options for travel to North Carolina—Success of Allington’s All-Americans (traveling women’s all-star baseball team, ca. 1955-1958), generosity of locals—Meeting future husband on opposing team at exhibition game, reprimanded for going on date by Bill Allington (Rockford Peaches and Fort Wayne Daisies manager, 1900-1966), keeping in touch with future husband—Restriction from high school basketball team, coaching junior high school basketball team, forming girls’ basketball team in parks and recreation department league ca. 1950s, prevalence of girls’ basketball in North Carolina ca.1940s, playing slowpitch women’s softball for National Auto Parts league— Feelings on National Baseball Hall of Fame induction, Nov. 5, 1988, surprise at interest in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), signing autographs, age range of modern fans—Teaching high school physical education and biology, running Girls’ Athletic Association, North Carolina, attending University of Iowa (est. 1847, Iowa City, Iowa), learning field hockey and fencing, Gertrude “Gertie” Dunn (Battle Creek Belles and South Bend Blue Sox short stop, 1933-2004), University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (est. 1909, La Crosse, Wisconsin), fencing club, teaching others to fence |
| Content | 00:01:04—Family members, parents’ jobs at cotton mills, father’s company, Royal Floor Sweeping Compound (1940-1986, Charlotte, North Carolina) father’s job as butcher, bootlegging |
00:03:26—Local baseball teams, grandfather, father, and brother playing for local baseball teams, creating baseball field for neighborhood, gender balance of kids playing baseball, playing in a boys’ baseball league, sponsorship of baseball league, comparing children’s and adults’ opinions on girls playing baseball |
00:09:36—First baseball glove, playing baseball with family, parents’ encouragement in sports, playing kickball at school, fighting at recess |
00:14:37—Seeing All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954) in movie newsreel ca. 1943-1944, AAGPBL exhibition game in Charlotte ca. 1951, tryouts, pitching techniques |
00:22:01—Trying out for Fort Wayne Daisies 1952, Jimmie “the Beast” Foxx (Fort Wayne Daisies manager, 1907-1967), signing contract, missing spring training, parents’ reaction to joining league, leaving home for the first time, excitement of joining league, first time on airplane |
00:27:39—Dress code in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954) ca. 1952-1954, makeup, advice from father when joining league, playing tricks, Catherine “Horsey” Horstman (Fort Wayne Daisies and Kenosha Comets pitcher, b. 1935), treatment of rookies |
00:33:29—Injuries in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), role of chaperones, curfews, avoiding chaperones and hotel staff, playing tricks on chaperones, dropping water balloons from hotel windows, player entertainment between games |
00:39:16—Living in private home, boarding with older couple in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Bill Allington (Rockford Peaches and Fort Wayne Daisies manager, 1900-1966), quizzes on baseball rules, practice, Karl Winsch (South Bend Blue Sox manager, 1915-2001), comparison of Bill Allington, Karl Winsch and Jimmie “the Beast” Foxx (Fort Wayne Daisies manager, 1907-1967), Bill Allington, and Karl Winsch as managers, fan harassing Mary Baumgartner (Chicago Colleens, Peoria Redwings, Springfield Sallies, Kalamazoo Lassies, South Bend Blue Sox catcher, 1930-2018), attitude of managers |
00:52:14—Fan support, opposing team’s fans, first time staying in a hotel, hotel quality during away games, South Bend Blue Sox team bus driver, bus mechanical problems |
00:59:44—Singing on the team bus, playing cards with teammates, Jean “Grasshopper” Havlish (Kalamazoo Lassies and Fort Wayne Daisies short stop, b. 1935), salary in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), playing on company softball teams, factory salary ca. late 1950s, wages when working at cotton mills as child, packing cotton at mills ca. 1940s |
01:05:28—Community support for All-American Girls Professional Baseball League teams (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), visiting hospitals, picnics with fans, community involvement, food allowances while traveling |
01:09:22—Opinion on uniforms for All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), sliding, sliding practice with Bill Allington (Rockford Peaches and Fort Wayne Daisies manager, 1900-1966), pitcher’s uniform, Atomic Balm (muscle ointment), resting pitching arms, pitching exercises, baseball clowns, Jackie Price (traveling baseball clown, 1912-1967), Dolores “Pickles” (Lee) Dries (Rockford Peaches pitcher, 1935-2014), rotating team positions |
01:19:16—Thoughts on end of All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), television’s impact on the league, changes in transportation, loss of fans, internal politics in AAGPBL, finding out about league ending, rumors of league restarting |
01:24:22—Allington’s All-Americans (traveling women’s all-star baseball team, ca. 1955-1958), Ruth “Richie” Richard (Grand Rapids Chicks and Rockford Peaches pitcher, 1928-2018), joining Allington’s All-Americans, turnover in Allington’s All-Americans, difficulties of being in a traveling league, staying in poor quality hotels, parties with men’s teams after games, Jean “Smitty” Smith (Fort Wayne Daisies, Kenosha Comets, Peoria Redwings, Grand Rapids Chicks, outfield and pitcher, 1928-2011), creating publicity for games, playing throughout Midwest, salary with Allington’s All-Americans, Pullman Hotel (1873-1968, Cedar Rapids, Iowa)
01:32:21—Travel for Allington’s All-Americans (traveling women’s all-star baseball team, ca. 1955-1958), fitting everything in two cars, options for travel to North Carolina |
01:35:00—Success of Allington’s All-Americans (traveling women’s all-star baseball team, ca. 1955-1958), generosity of locals |
01:37:07—Meeting future husband on opposing team at exhibition game, reprimanded for going on date by Bill Allington (Rockford Peaches and Fort Wayne Daisies manager, 1900-1966), keeping in touch with future husband |
01:39:48—Restriction from high school basketball team, coaching junior high school basketball team, forming girls’ basketball team in parks and recreation department league ca. 1950s, prevalence of girls’ basketball in North Carolina ca. 1940s, playing slowpitch women’s softball for National Auto Parts league |
01:43:21—Feelings on National Baseball Hall of Fame induction, Nov. 5, 1988, surprise at interest in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL, 1943-1954), signing autographs, age range of modern fans |
01:46:41—Teaching high school physical education and biology, running Girls’ Athletic Association, North Carolina, attending University of Iowa (est. 1847, Iowa City, Iowa), learning field hockey and fencing, Gertrude “Gertie” Dunn (Battle Creek Belles and South Bend Blue Sox short stop, 1933-2004), University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (est. 1909, La Crosse, Wisconsin), fencing club, teaching others to fence |
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