Jane Moffet

Jane Moffet (born July 2, 1930) is a former utility who played from 1949 through 1952 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), 151 lb., Moffett batted and threw right-handed. She was born in Pitman, New Jersey.^[1]

Jane Moffet was one of the 15 players born in New Jersey to join the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in its 12-year history. She was among the most versatile players in the late years of the circuit, being always ready to catch and play at first base and the outfield. She made the league by mistake and ended playing for four different teams in part of four seasons.^[2][3]

In 1949, Moffet was a freshman at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania when she was dragged to a AAGPBL tryout at Allentown by a classmate who did not want to go alone. More than 100 girls showed up. In the process, Moffet offered her assistance to league executive Lenny Zintak by fielding balls and helping in any way she could. Zintak, the league advance man who was charged with player development for the All-Americans, asked her why she was not trying out, then told her to grab a bat and demonstrate her skill. She left that day with a contract in her hand, but her friend did not make the league. I really felt badly about that, Moffet recalled in an interview.^[3][4]

Moffet was allocated to the travelling Springfield Sallies and Chicago Colleens for two years to acquire more experience and better professional quality. In 1950, she played 21 games mostly as a catcher and hit .161 with 11 runs and nine RBI. She continued her college education, but joined the league at the end of each semester to play ball.^[3][5]

In 1951 Moffett was promoted to the Kalamazoo Lassies and she played in 94 of the 100 games of her team. Smooth at the plate, she was just as splendid in the field, turning in seemingly effortless catches between all three outfield spots. She finished her rookie season with a .205 average (64-for-312), including 11 doubles, one triple and 23 stolen bases, driving in 23 runs while scoring 35 times.^[6]

Moffet opened 1952 with Kalamazoo, but was dealt to the Battle Creek Belles during the midseason, as the league usually switched players as needed to help new teams to be competitive. She posted a combined .238 average in 56 games, while dividing her playing time at first base and the outfield.^[6]

At the end of four years, Moffet quit the league and remained in New Jersey because her mother was terminally ill. Then, she finished her master's degree at Rutgers University and worked in the education area for more than four decades. Eventually, she became a high school principal at Saddle Brook High School until her retirement in 1994.^[7]

Since 1988 Moffet is part of Women in Baseball, a permanent display based at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, which was unveiled to honor the entire All-American Girls Professional Baseball League rather than individual baseball personalities. Besides this, in 2002, during the Women's Equality Day, Moffet and fellow AAGPBL player Ernestine Petras were honored by New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey prior to a Trenton Thunder minor league baseball game at Mercer County Waterfront Park. After the ceremony, Moffet threw out the ceremonial first ball. It's funny, she explained. I worked in education for 42 years, but people remember me best for baseball.^[3]

Moffet currently lives in Toms River, New Jersey.

Career statistics

Batting

Collective fielding

^[6]

Sources