Learn about the life of Dorothy (Dottie) Schroeder. Schroeder was a shortstop for the All-American Girl's Baseball League (AAGPBL), which was the inspiration for A League of Their Own.
Anna Sielaff will be presenting the history of Schroeder's life before and after her baseball career. This is the first time baseball fans will finally learn about Dorothy Schroeder’s life off the field. As Anna has said, "It is finally time to tell and preserve Dottie’s story. She is more than just a baseball player." Dorothy Schroeder (1928-1996) was a talented shortstop who played for the All-American Girl’s Baseball League. At the age of 15 years old, Schroeder became the youngest member of the AAGPBL and was the only woman to play all 12 seasons until the league disbanded in 1954. Dorothy became a standout performer and fan favorite for the South Bend Blue Sox, the Kenosha Comets, the Fort Wayne Daisies, and the Kalamazoo Lassies. In addition to playing 12 AAGPBL seasons, Schroeder holds all-time records for most games played, most at-bats, and most RBIs. On November 5, 1988, Dorothy was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York.
Anna Sielaff graduated from Concordia University Chicago in 2021 with her B.A. in history with a minor in theology. For 13 years she competed in track and field and was a Division III NCAA student-athlete during her time at Concordia. She attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and recently received her master’s degree in library and information sciences in May 2023. Sielaff is a volunteer at the Champaign County History Museum and has done research on Champaign County’s very own Dorothy (Dottie) Schroeder. Through her efforts, Sielaff has been able to connect with Schroeder’s family and friends to learn about Schroeder’s life before and after her baseball career.
Cosponsored by the Champaign County History Muesum and The Urbana Free Library.
Conveniently located at the corner of Race and Green in downtown Urbana.
