Tickey, Bertha (1925—)
Tickey, Bertha (1925—)
American softball player who pitched 757 winning games and lost 88. Born in Dinuba, California, on March 13, 1925.
Bertha Tickey was typical of the many talented women who left their mark on the game of softball. During her 23-year career, she pitched 757 winning games and lost only 88. For the 13 years she played for the Raybestos Brakettes, she never lost more than 13 games per season. "Blazing Bertha," as fans called her, was a member of 11 national championship teams—the Orange, California Lionettes (1950, 1951, 1952 and 1955) and the Raybestos Brakettes (1958, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1966, 1967, and 1968). She won the Most Valuable Player award eight times. In 1950, the first year Tickey played a national championship series, she won 65 of 73 games, struck out 795 batters, gave up 143 hits, and had 143 consecutive scoreless innings. Tickey's lifetime record as a pitcher was an incredible 162 no-hitters. In 1967, the year before she retired, she pitched a 13-inning no-hitter against Fresno. Bertha Tickey was named to the Connecticut Hall of Fame in 1973 and the National Softball Hall of Fame in 1972.
Karin Loewen Haag , Athens, Georgia