Anna May Hutchison ["Hutch"] (May 1, 1925 – January 29, 1998) was a female pitcher and catcher who played from 1944 through 1949 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
[1] A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Anna May Hutchison was one of the most dominant sidearm pitchers in All-American Girls Professional Baseball League history and holds the all-time record for most pitching appearances in a single season.
Hutchison grew up in Louisville and played softball in the local Girls Athletic Association (GAA) during her high school years.
After that, the club was invited to participate in the regional tournament in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where an AAGPBL scout spotted her and decided to talk to her parents about joining the league.
She spent her first two seasons serving as a backup to Belles incumbent catcher Irene Hickson, who was a member of the team that won the first league championship in 1943.
Nevertheless, Hutchison was able to make the adjustment to pitching before the 1946 season, when Leo Murphy, former Pittsburgh Pirates catcher and Belles manager, helped her to throw a fastpitch underhand delivery during spring training.
She also collected more low-hit games than any pitcher in the league, while teaming up with Joanne Winter (33–9) to give Racine a strong one-two punch pitching combination in the eight-team circuit.
[5][6] The Belles finished in first place with a league-best 74–38 record, and won the semifinal round of playoffs by defeating the South Bend Blue Sox in four games.
Racine advanced to the final round to face the defending AAGPBL champion Rockford Peaches, who have eliminated Grand Rapids in the other playoff contention.
The Belles also showed a great defense, notably by Edythe Perlick (LF), Eleanor Dapkus (RF), Margaret Danhauser (1B), Betty Trezza (SS) and Maddy English (3B).
On the other hand, Winter collected four wins in all series, including three against Rockford, despite allowing 19 base runners in a 14-inning, 1–0 shutout victory over the Peaches in decisive Game Six.