Chris Ballingall Explained

Chris Ballingall
Position:Catcher
Birth Date:May 17, 1932
Birth Place:Ann Arbor, Michigan
Bats:Left
Throws:Right
Debutleague:AAGPBL
Debutyear:1953
Debutteam:Muskegon Belles
Finalleague:AAGPBL
Finalyear:1954
Finalteam:Kalamazoo Lassies
Teams:
Highlights:
  • AAGPBL Championship (1954)

Chris Ballingall (born May 17, 1932) is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) in 1953 and 1954. Listed at 5feet and 145lb, she batted left-handed and threw right-handed.[1]

A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ballingall learned to play baseball while catching for her twin brother. She had originally been offered a contract at the age of 15 to play in the AAGPBL, but her father did not want her to play then. She had to wait six years before being signed in 1953. She entered the league with the Muskegon Belles, and was traded to the Kalamazoo Lassies during the midseason. She also appeared in a few games at first base and outfield. In 1954, Ballingall posted a .242 batting average with 17 home runs and 40 runs batted in in 90 games. In the playoffs, she hit .444 with eight RBI and two home runs, including one grand slam, to help the Lassies clinch the AAGPBL last championship title. She and her teammate Carol Habben, who hit a total of 16 homers (one in postseason), were dubbed the "Home Run Twins" by terrorizing opponents with their bats all the way through the lineup.

Ballingall is currently living in Mattawan, Michigan.

Statistics

Regular season

Batting

Fielding

Postseason

Batting

Fielding

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: All-American Girls Professional Baseball League – Chris Ballingall. 2019-03-26. 2019-03-26. https://web.archive.org/web/20190326073853/http://www.aagpbl.org/profiles/chris-ballingall/265. live.