Mildred Earp

Mildred Kathryn Earp
(Mid, Middie)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 6", Weight 135 lb.

• Born October 7, 1925 in West Fork, AR USA
• Died 2017 in Arkansas

Biographical Information

Pitcher Mildred Earp spent four years in the AAGPBL as a stand-out hurler for the Grand Rapids Chicks.

She debuted in 1947, going 20-8 with a 0.68 ERA and striking out 192 while walking just 32 in 280 IP. Her ERA was a new league record, though Lois Florreich would later go .01 better for the all-time mark. She tied for third in the league in wins, was second to Dorothy Collins in strikeouts and second to Doris Sams in winning percentage and made her only All-Star team. In the playoffs, she was 1-1, 1.13 in the first round. She lost Game 1 of the finals 2-0 in 11 innings after retiring the first 21 Racine Belles. She won Game 4 on a shutout (3-0) and then had a four-hitter in Game 7 to win the finale, 1-0; she was 2-1, 0.62 in the finals.

In 1948, Earp went 15-14, 1.31 and was sixth in ERA and seventh with 166 strikeouts. She won both first-round playoff games, including a one-hit shutout of the South Bend Blue Sox but allowed 6 runs in 6 innings in the losing game of the second round against the Fort Wayne Daisies. In 1949, Mildred had a 14-10, 1.83 year and struck out 143, second in the AAGPBL behind Florreich. She won Game 3 in the first playoff round to knock out Fort Wayne in revenge despite six walks, then beat the Muskegon Belles in the second round while picking up two hits at the plate. In the finals, she dropped Game 3 to the Rockford Peaches as Grand Rapids fell 3 games to 1. Her last season netted results of 5-6, 2.52. She was 0-1 with a 6.25 ERA in the 1950 playoffs. Overall, she was 54-38, 1.35 in the regular season, .12 behind Jean Faut for the all-time lead. In the post-season, she went 7-5 with a 1.95 ERA.

Source: The AAGPBL Record Book by W.C. Madden