The August 7 ceremony at Jackson Field in Lansing drew a crowd of former players, fans and local officials, all gathered to celebrate a remarkable figure in baseball history.
The ‘Iron Woman’ Legacy
Connie Wisniewski, a Detroit native who earned the moniker ‘Iron Woman’ for her dominant performances, was recognized as the 1945 league Player of the Year and for her pivotal role in a historic doubleheader against the Racine Belles, winning both games.
Wisniewski’s career with the Grand Rapids Chicks exemplified the spirit of the All‑American Girls Professional Baseball League, a pioneering competition that attracted over 600 women between 1943 and 1954 and remains a touchstone for female athletes in the sport.
The event also featured Mary Moore, a former pitcher for the Springfield Sallies and Battle Creek Belles, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch, linking past and present generations of women in baseball.
The ceremony coincided with the 2026 revival of the Women’s Pro Baseball League, a new professional circuit that marks the first organized league for women in more than 70 years, signaling a renewed commitment to gender equity in the sport.
Organizers emphasized that the induction is part of a broader effort to preserve the legacy of the AAGPBL and to highlight the enduring impact of women who helped shape baseball’s cultural fabric.