Erma Bergmann

Erma M. "Bergie" Bergmann (June 18, 1924 – September 13, 2015) was an American baseball pitcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). Listed at , 155 lb., she batted and threw right-handed. She later served as one of the first commissioned police women in the city of St. Louis.

Early life Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Erma Bergmann was one of three children into the family of Otto and Sophie Bergmann. Her father was a packinghouse butcher, while her mother, a ragtime pianist, wanted her only daughter to take piano lessons. But Erma declined, preferring to play sandlot ball with her two brothers and other neighborhood kids. At fourteen, she began playing at third base in the St. Louis Amateur Softball League since other opportunities at school were limited. At fifteen, she played shortstop for the Melbas, a girls' softball team at St. Louis Park, and pitched for the Phantoms, a boys' baseball team, pitching ten straight victories. After eight years of experience, she was recruited by an AAGPBL scout that followed her for three years before signing a contract to play after graduation.

Career Since the only organized ball for women in the country was softball, the AAGPBL created a hybrid game which included both softball and baseball. Over the twelve years of history of the league, the rules were gradually modified to more closely resemble baseball. Throwing underhand, Bergmann was one of the few AAGPBL hurlers to pitch all three styles in the league's history, being able to make the transition to full sidearm in 1947 and overhand pitching in 1948.

Bergmann entered the league in 1946 with the expansion Muskegon Lassies, playing for them two years before joining the Springfield Sallies (1948), Racine Belles (1949–1950) and Battle Creek Belles (1951).

In her rookie season, Bergmann posted a 15–16 record and a 2.05 earned run average in 35 pitching appearances, top numbers for the sixth-place Lassies. She also spent time at outfield, hitting a .255 average in 50 games. Her biggest thrill in her season debut came when she belted her only career home run in the top of the ninth inning of a game against the Rockford Peaches. She then shut down the Peaches in the bottom of the inning for a victory with her parents in attendance.

Career statistics Pitching GPWLW-L%ERAIPHRAERBBSO 182 64 91 .413 3.28 1076 1046 627 381 462 338 Batting