August 1995 Blazer

In Utah the shamrocks were, The Girls of Summer

THE HISTORY BLAZER ATE? t'S OF UTAH'S PAST FROM THE Utah State Historical Society 300 Rio Grande Salt Lake Citv. tTT 84101 ( 801) 533- 3500 FAX ( 801) 533- 3503 In Utah the Shamrocks Were " The Girls of Summer" W ~ ANN - WO MEN'S SOFTBALL TEAM WAS - ESTABLISHEDI N Salt Lakc City in 1935 people were unsure what would happen. Women's softball had been introduced into Utah in the past but with little success. The dedicated commitment of the team members and a growing craze for baseball, however, combined to make the Salt Lake Shamrocks one of the leading women's softball teams in Utah and the nation. For thousands of fans, both men and women, the Shamrocks became " The Girls of Summer. " At the turn of the century women's baseball was ridiculed in Utah. When the Boston Bloomer Girls played an all- male team in Salt Lake City on May 28, 1901, news writers could not resist portraying the event as humorously as possible. The Salt Lake Tribune noted that Maud Nelson, the pitcher, ' walk[ ed] like a man" and had hair so unkept that it looked like it was made / of ' parlor chairs." The reporter described the game more in terms of entertainment than sports: ' The Bloomers seemed to take things serious, but my goodness gracious sakes alive, how those boys did eat it up!" It took another 30 years before Utahns would consider women's softball in a more serious light. In 1935 employees of Auerbach's department ston asked Dennis J. Murphy, personnel manager, if he would sponsor a women's softball team. He not only accepted the request but also became the team manager and coach, a position he held until his death in 1967. At first the team called itself the Auerbach Girls, but later the name was changed to the Shamrocks in honor of Murphy's Irish roots. The Shamrocks quickly developed a reputation as one of the best softball teams in the state. As they defeated male and female teams alike, fans began to flock to their games. In 1941 the Shamrocks beat the Franklin Lion's boys team by a score of 6 to 5. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that thousands of fans watched as pitcher Pat Baxter held ' the masculine players to a * minimum of hits." As women's softball became more popular, the Shamrocks played against more female teams. Competitors such as the Magna Copperettes and the Spanish Fork Rovers challenged the Shamrocks for the state championships. Though they put up a good fight, few teams could defeat the Shamrocks. Beginning in 1937 the Shamrocks enjoyed a winning streak that made them state champs every year except 1964. The Shamrocks also starred on a national level. A highlight year was 1953 when they took second place in the World Championships in Portland, Oregon. During the opening round, the Salt Lake team beat the Arizona Queens 5 to 3. The victory launched the team on its championship quest. After easy wins over Seattle and Vancouver, the Shamrocks faced the Lind Florists of ( more) Portland for the title. During the championship game Bonnie Martin of the Shamrocks tried unsuccessfblly to steal home. Though the Shamrocks lost the game 2 to 0, they did not walk away from the tournament empty- handed. Three team members received All- American honors in Portland- Bonnie M das Most Valuable Player and Wilma Freston and Pat Whitmore. One reason for the team's widespread success was the dedication of its players. Members of the team developed a strong sense of commitment to one another and the sport. During bus trips teammates expressed their camaraderie in song with lyrics such as " side by side is where we belong" from the ' Shamrock Friendship Song. " Before games, team members would gather for prayer and words of inspiration. Moments such as these helped to ensure team spirit and unity. For many of the women the driving force of the game was a love for the sport. Jean Ballings, who joined the Shamrock team in 1941, had played softball with an all- male team in her home town of Bird City, Kansas. After graduating from high school, she moved to Ogden where she played for the Utah General Depot. She was recruited by the Shamrocks not long afterwards. Donna Poll became a Shamrock in 1941 * and ' remiiined a member of the- taim until the late 1960s. Sofkball was her life even before she joined the team. She had been a star player at the Ogden Arsenal while still in high school. As a Shamrock she played every position and later became the team manager and coach. She left the team for only two years, 1954- 55, to serve an LDS mission. Even as a missionary she continued to play on a local softball team in Perth, Australia. To Poll softball was not just a pastime but a way of life. After years of success the Shamrock team disbanded in 1978. For one reason, women's softball teams in the state's high schools and colleges were drawing off potential recruits as well as fans. The " golden age" of women's softball in Utah had come to an end. But with its passing, the legacy of the Shamrocla has remained secure. Several of the teams outstanding players have been inducted into Softball Hall of Fame and the Utah Sports Hall of Fame. Sources: Women's Softball Collection in Utah State Historical Society Library; Salt Lake Tribune, August 27, 1937, June 19, 1941, September 11- 15, 1953; Deseret News, May 28, 1901. THEH ISTOBRLYAZ ER is produced by tbe Utah State Historid Society and funded in part by a grant from the Utah Statehood Centennial Commission. For more information about the Historical Society telephone [phone].