All-American Girls Professional Baseball League ®
| Team | Position | Uniform # |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 Rockford Peaches | Catcher | 17 |
| 1947 Fort Wayne Daisies | Catcher | 9 |
| 1948 Fort Wayne Daisies | Catcher & Pitcher | 35 |
| 1949 Fort Wayne Daisies | Catcher | 35 |
| 1950 Racine Belles | Catcher | 15 |
| 1951 Battle Creek Belles | Catcher | 15 |
Ruby was born into a very athletic family of eight children--four boys and four girls.
Ruby began playijng softball in her hometown at the age of 10. She played fast pltch on the same team as her sister. They played 6 days a week. The women organized a league, and Ruby was offered money to play on the men's team, but she declined
Ruby served in the armed forces for the Air Force in Virginia.
In 1946, Ruby joined THE AAGPBL with the Rockford Peaches and established herself as a valuable catcher and clutch hitter. She recalls her joy at catching for Vivian Kellogg and playing with Edie Perlick and Sophie Kurys and many others for whom she had great respect.
See Related Article above "Player Profile Search" for Ruby's obituary.
The Daisies had a wizard behind the plate on defense but she also had her share of hits many coming with runners on base.
CHERRYVILLE - Ruby Ethel Heafner, 86, Carolina Care of Cherryville, passed away October 2, 2010, at Kings Mountain Hospice House.
She was a native of Gaston County, born March 5, 1924, daughter of the late Robert Monroe and Nancy Hilderbrand Heafner.
She was a World War II veteran, having served in the Womens Air Corp. She retired from Boeing Aircraft in Long Beach California.
Ruby started a baseball career with Dixon and AYP in Mount Holly. She then played baseball as a catcher with the All-American Girl's Professional Baseball League from 1946 – 1951, which was depicted in the movie "A League of Their Own," including teams from Rockford, Fort Wayne, Racine and Battle Creek. She was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY and in 2008, the Gaston County Sports Hall of Fame. Her favorite pastime was reading the Bible. Family and friends will miss her and cherish all the fond times.
She was preceded in death by four brothers, John "Bunch," Robert "Jockey," Jack Dempsey and Eugene Harding Heafner; sisters, Vera "RahRah" Austin and Juanita Cook; late nieces, Karen Farley and Shirley Kitchen;
Burial followed the service at Armstrong Cemetery with full military rites by the Gaston County Last Man Club.
Author: Gaston Gazette, Gastonia, NC.
Contributed By: Merrie Fidler
Copyright: Gaston Gazette, Gastonia, NC, 10/5/2010
| Year | G | IP | R | ER | ERA | BB | SO | HB | WP | W | L | PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 |