Erma Bergmann

Erma M. Bergmann
(Bergie)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 7", Weight 155 lb.
• High School McKinley High School

• Born June 18, 1924 in St. Louis, MO USA
• Died September 13, 2015 in St. Louis, MO USA

Biographical Information

Erma Bergmann pitched in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1946 to 1951. She also played in the outfield in 1946.

Bergmann inaugurated the overhand pitch era in the AAGPBL by throwing the first pitch in a May 9, 1948, regular-season game. It was also the first game in the history of the Springfield Sallies.

She began her career with the Muskegon Lassies, going 15-16 with a 2.05 ERA in 35 games for the club in 1946. In 1947, she went 11-10 with a 1.74 ERA in 27 games. With the Springfield Sallies in 1948, Bergmann was 9-19 with a 3.05 mark. Joining the Racine Belles for 1949 and 1950, Bergmann went 11-14 with a 2.08 ERA the first year and 11-14 with a 2.68 mark the latter. She wrapped up her career with the Battle Creek Belles, going 7-18 with a 3.92 ERA in 1951.

Overall, she went 64-91 with a 3.28 ERA in 182 games. In 1,076 innings, she had 462 walks and 338 strikeouts. At the plate, she batted .201 in 552 at-bats.

She is a member of the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.

Further Reading

• Gary Belleville: "May 9, 1948: Springfield Sallies drop inaugural game as AAGPBL’s overhand pitching era begins," SABR Baseball Games Project.
• Gary Belleville: "June 30, 1949: Earlene ‘Beans’ Risinger outlasts Erma Bergmann in 17-inning AAGPBL pitchers’ duel," SABR Baseball Games Project.

Related Sites

• Erma Bergmann on AAGPBL.org