Joan Knebl

Joan Berger Knebl

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 4", Weight 132 lb.
• High School Garfield (NJ) High School
• Born October 9, 1933 in Passaic, NJ USA
• Died September 11, 2021

Biographical Information

Joan Knebl played four seasons in the AAGPBL. She debuted in 1951 with the Rockford Peaches, hitting .194/~.277/.219. She went 2 for 14 in the finals, which Rockford lost to the South Bend Blue Sox. In 1952, Joan became the starter at second base, where she won All-Star honors. The teenager batted .251/~.321/.304 with 24 steals and 54 runs in 109 games. She tied for fourth in the league with six triples and was 9th in runs, between Eleanor Callow and Jo Lenard. In the finals, she went 4 for 22 with a double, a team-high four RBI and no errors as ROckford fell to South Bend in five games.

In 1953, the Passaic native put up a .247/~.328/.293 batting line with 44 walks, 31 swipes and 56 runs in 103 contests. She tied Dottie Key for 10th in runs and was 11th in steals. In the finals, she went 4 for 11 with 3 runs, 2 RBI and a steal but the Peaches lost to the Grand Rapids Chicks. Knebl moved to third base in 1954 and hit .260/~.322/.356 with 19 stolen bases, good for 9th in the AAGPBL. Overall, Joan had hit .250/~.318/.304 in the AAGPBL.

Her full surname was Eisenberger.

Source: The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book by W.C. Madden

Further Reading

• Obituary