June Peppas
| June Peppas | |||
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| All-American Girls Professional Baseball League | |||
| First base Pitcher |
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Born: June 16, 1929 Kansas City, Missouri |
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Died: March 14, 2016 (aged 86) Stuart, Florida |
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| Career statistics | |||
| Batting average | .273 | ||
| Home runs | 21 | ||
| Runs batted in | 257 | ||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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June Peppas (June 16, 1929 – March 14, 2016) was a first basewoman and pitcher who played from 1948 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m), 145 lb (66 kg), she batted and threw left-handed.
Peppas was born in Kansas City, Missouri and grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana. As a student she was always involved in athletics, predominantly underhand fast pitch softball. She graduated from Elmhurst High School in 1947, and from 1942 to 1947 played for a championship team sponsored by Harold Greiner, owner of the Bob-Inn Restaurant in Fort Wayne. The team won state titles in 1944 and 1945, while Greiner, who scouted for the All-American Professional Baseball League, recommended Peppas for the league's tryouts. She received contract offers from a professional softball league and the AAGPBL, but decided to join the All-Americans. She had a mother who had a bad cold all the time and had to use the money she earned to take care of her
In 1948, Peppas attended to spring training at Opa-locka, Florida and was assigned to the Fort Wayne Daisies, playing for them one and a half year before joining the Racine Belles (1949–50), Battle Creek Belles (1951) and Kalamazoo Lassies (1951–54). She spent most of her time at first base and pitching, eventually appearing at outfield.
According to the new league's regulations, Peppas had to make the transition from underhand to overhand pitching. Her unfamiliarity with the style and the ball size caused her negative results.
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