Betty Petryna

Betty Petryna or Doreen Allen (born on November 26, 1930 in Regina, SK, Canada) played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She both threw and batted right-handed.

Personal life

Betty was the youngest of six children. Her father delivered all of the kids at home. At 10 years old, the whole family moved from Liberty to Regina, Saskatchewan. Betty met her first husband through her roommate’s brother-in-law, Roger Allens, on a blind date. They met in September and were married in November since they knew they were going to get married and Betty had Visa issues so they pushed it forward. They lived in Grand Rapids as he was working for General Motors. They had three kids, all of whom Betty coached in softball. She married her second husband in 2002.

Early baseball career

In 10th grade, a friend who also loved softball told Betty that the Regina Oilers were looking for players for their softball team. There were two local teams that played against teams from out of town. It was like a semi-pro league and everyone was invited to try out. She recalls that she didn't even own a glove, but her friend told her they should try out anyway. She got on the team and then that spring, Phil Wrigley sent scouts up to Canada for his league. But Betty didn’t know anything about that; she just loved to play softball.

In the spring of 1948, Betty and one other player from her team, along with two other from the Royals were chosen by Wrigley to try out for the Wrigley baseball team. At that time, they knew nothing about baseball. So Betty wasn’t sure she wanted to try out. But the scouts came to her house, spoke to her parents and older brother John. It was John who said to her parents, ‘let her try; what does she have to lose?’ Her parents were somewhat apprehensive, since it was 4,000 miles away, and at the time, Betty hadn’t even left Saskatchewan, let alone, Canada. But they agreed and let her go.

Four hundred girls showed up for the try out at the Opa-locka, Fla., Naval training base. Most were from America, some from Canada. It took her four days to get there. She stayed for a month, training. At the end of the month they made a list of who made which team and she found herself on the Grand Rapids Chicks.

Professional baseball career

Betty was described as “a rock-solid player at third base.” She had never even played that position, but was told by the teacher in the first game that she had to play in third base. After that she said she wanted second as it was a closer throw but was told she had to be third as she was ‘good and could throw the ball to first.”^[1] She played for both the Fort Wayne Daisies (1949), Grand Rapids Chicks (1948).^[2] In her first year she earned $75 a week and in her second, $125.

Betty also got an AAGPBL all-time record of 12 assists in one game. She made a solid contribution to her team in its 1948 win of the Eastern Division Championship.

Betty retired from playing professional baseball 1950. She just missed her husband too much so she quit.^[3]

Career statistics

Seasonal batting record

References