Wikipedia

Pekin Lettes

The Pekin Lettes is a fast-pitch softball team in Pekin, Illinois, and is the oldest member-sanctioned Amateur Softball Association team in the United States.

History edit

The Lettes were started in 1936 and were then called the "Caterpillar Girls" because the team was sponsored by and composed of women from Caterpillar Tractor Company in nearby East Peoria. Caterpillar sponsored the team from 1936 until 1955.[1][2] They became the Caterpillar Dieselettes in 1940, the Sunnyland Lettes in 1956,[3] and the Pekin Lettes in 1959. Chuck McCord managed the team from 1947 and brought the team to Pekin.[4]

In the late 1950s and early 1960s the Lettes average attendance-per-season was over 100,000, with thousands of spectators attending each game. The 1963 season averaged over 5,000 fans per game, setting a national ASA attendance record of 122,000 for 21 home games. In 2005, the Pekin Lettes team was inducted into the ASA Hall of Fame.

Field edit

The Lettes play home games at Pekin's Mineral Springs Park. The Pekin Park District renamed "Diamond 1", the historic playing field of the Lettes, "Lettes Field" in 2002.[5]

Records edit

  • Illinois State Championships: 1940, 1942–1955, 1957, 1969, 1977–79, 1991
  • ASA National Tournament: 1959 (7th place), 1960 (4th place), 1961 (4th place), 1965 (3rd place), 1966 (7th place), 1970 (5th place), 1971 (7th place)

Legends edit

ASA Women's Fastpitch First Team All-Americans prior to 1990 edit

  • Gloria Bonelli (1950)
  • Marie Wadlow (1950)
  • Carolyn Thome Hart (1950–1952, 1959)[1][6][7][8][9] (aunt of Jim Thome)
  • Shirley Coney (1950, 1951)
  • Sunne Bea Thomas (1960)
  • Lorene Ramsey (1960, 1965)[6][4][10]
  • Ann Mullins (1965, 1970)
  • Kelly Waldrup (1986)
  • Wendy Smith (1986)
  • Leanne Bonifas (1987)
  • Linda Wells (1988)
  • Margie Wright (1988)

Other notable players edit

Legacy edit

On June 25, 2008, Pekin mayor Dave Tebben named it "Pekin Lettes Day" for 50 continuous years of softball.[4] A five-day celebration included the current Lettes team versus former players at Lettes Field in Mineral Springs Park.[4]

The Caterpillar Visitors Center hosted a public exhibit from April to October 2015, featuring artifacts such as a signed softball from the 1946 state championship, team jacket and uniform, team pictures, and other mementos.[6][20][21]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Caterpillar's Baseball Connection". Caterpillar. 2021-11-01. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  2. ^ Graves, Jamie; Scroggs, Lori; Collins, Nina (2008). "They Played in Peoria: The AAGPBL Redwings". Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. 101 (1): 7–21. ISSN 1522-1067. JSTOR 40204711.
  3. ^ "Park History". www.ntrainc.org. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Schwindenhammer, Lonnie (2008-06-25). "Softball brought them here". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  5. ^ Stein, Steve (2016-07-16). "PEKIN LETTES: Women's softball powers headed to Pekin". Pekin Daily Times. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  6. ^ a b c Duvall, Adam (2015-04-13). "Caterpillar Visitors Center unveils exhibit dedicated to Caterpillar Dieselettes". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  7. ^ "Hall of Fame". USA Softball. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  8. ^ Wahl, Greg (2015). Legendary Locals of Peoria. Arcadia Publishing. p. 100. ISBN 978-1-4671-0173-8.
  9. ^ Bamberger, Michael (1998-07-13). "The Pride Of Peoria". Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  10. ^ "Coach Lorene Ramsey to speak in Washington". Courier Newspapers. 2012-09-19. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  11. ^ "Eslinger, L. Sidney (Lucille Sidney) – Special Collections & University Archives". Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  12. ^ Harvey, Judy (2017-10-23). "Peoria area Springdale Cemetery holds stories about community's history - Chronicle Media". chronicleillinois.com. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  13. ^ "GPSHOF | Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame". www.gpshof.com. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  14. ^ Kendall, Jeanette (2014-03-26). "'Gabby' Kneer recalls time with Caterpillar Dieselettes". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  15. ^ "2009 HOF Inductees". ilaging.illinois.gov. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  16. ^ "Marian Kneer (1976) - Illinois State Athletics Percy Family Hall of Fame". Illinois State University Athletics. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  17. ^ Mahan, Ryan (2022-01-29). "This hall of fame softball player left a legacy stretching from Springfield to Peoria". The State Journal-Register. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  18. ^ "Springfield Sports Hall 2014 Inductees". www.springfieldsportshalloffame.com. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  19. ^ "Newcomer Family Obituaries - Juanita H Zutt". www.newcomerkentuckiana.com. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  20. ^ Rusciano, Alex (2015-04-15). "Exhibit showcases historic Caterpillar softball team". WCBU Peoria. Retrieved 2023-11-27.
  21. ^ Potts, Jim (2015-06-05). "Cat historian digs into company roots". Pekin Daily Times. Retrieved 2023-11-27.

Sources edit

External links edit


 

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