Baseball Players

Unidentified Photographer, [Two Baseball Players], ca. 1875 (84.2004)

Tyson & Son, [Two Female Baseball Players], ca. 1918 (2011.17.1)

Unidentified Photographer, Henry, 1920s (2010.71.1)

Unidentified Photographer, Women’s Baseball Team, ca. 1910 (2011.17.3)

Unidentified Photographer, Victoria Plaza, School girl’s pitcher for Passaic NJ girls baseball team who pitched no-hit game against Rutherford NJ girls., April 1921 (2011.17.2)

Almost one hundred years ago Victoria Plaza struck out twenty batters while pitching a no-hitter. There were scores of articles (and at least one poem) penned about that achievement, here are five:

Girl Twirls No-Hit Game
Miss Victoria Plaza, pitcher for the girls’ baseball team of the Passaic Public School No. 12, yesterday won the distinction of being the first of her sex to pitch a no-hit game. Miss Plaza’s opponents, the East Rutherford grammar school girls, were unable to solve her mysterious delivery. Passaic won 7 to 1. The Brooklyn Standard Union, April 27, 1921.

First Girl Credited With Pitching No-hit Game
To Victoria Plaza, pitcher of the girls’ baseball team of Passaic public school No. 12, falls the honor of being the first feminine hurler in New Jersey to enter the no-hit class. In a well played game which was watched by 300 fans No. 12 defeated the East Rutherford Grammar school team by a score of 7 to 1, the visitors getting a run on a pass and two errors.
The East Rutherford batters were unable to solve the mysterious delivery of Miss Plaza, who fanned twenty of the twenty-nine batters who faced her. Only three reached first, and one of them was run down between the bases. Amsterdam Evening Recorder, April 27, 1921.

Watch Her, Scouts!
Hurls No-Hit Game
Today’s nomination for baseball’s hall of fame is a female pitcher who twirled a no-hit game. The hurling of Miss Victoria Plaza of the Passaic, N.J. public school team No. 12 yesterday was insoluble to the batters of the East Rutherford (N.J.) grammar school. She struck out twenty batters. Passaic won, 7 to 1, their opponents scoring on a pass and two errors. Chicago Daily Tribune, April 28, 1941, p. 15.

The insider says:
That over-crowded institution, the Hall of Fame, has another candidate. This time it is, Victoria Plaza, pitcher of the girls’ baseball team which represents Passaic, N.J. Public School No, 12. The young lady admits pitching a no-hit game against the Rutherford Grammar School team the other day. In addition, she struck out twenty of the twenty-nine batters who faced her. The Saratogian, April 28, 1921.

To a Jazzabelle

Vicoria Plaza, a schoolgirl of Passaic, N.J., is the first of her sex on record known to have pitched a no-hit game of baseball. – Newspaper note.

A real pazzaza, that’s you, Victoria Plaza,
And high in Fame’s Hall stands your name.

A contract from Gatti Cazzaza, you would soon hand the razz-a
Just to hurl another such game.

Philadelphia Enquirer, 1921.