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Philomena Zale

Philomena Zale

Philomena Zale

Philomena Zale

Philomena Zale

Profile Information

  • Maiden Name: (Gianfrancisco)
  • Nickname: "Frisco"
  • Hometown: Chicago, IL (US)
  • Throwing Hand: Right
  • Batting Hand: Left
  • Born: April 20, 1923
  • Died: January 18, 1992

Philomena ZaleHistory

Team Position Uniform #
1945 Grand Rapids Chicks Outfield 17
1946 Grand Rapids Chicks Outfield 15
1947 Grand Rapids Chicks Outfield 15
1948 Racine Belles Outfield 14

Frisco was a fan favorite, electifying crowds with her outfield play and daring base running.  She joined the league in 1945 with the Grand Rapids Chicks and returned for the '46 and '47 seasons.  In '48 she was traded to Racine and helped the Belles to reach the postseason, appearing in a career-high 114 games while batting .204 with four homers and 45 RBI. 

In 1970 she married former Middleweight Boxing Champion Tony Zale and managed his personal appearances until her death in 1992.

Philomena Zale, 68, a schoolteacher, professional baseball player and wife of former middleweight boxing champion Tony Zale, died Saturday January 18, 1992 at Michael Reese Hospital after a four-month illness. 

Mrs. Zale, a South Side resident, was a Chicago public school teacher for 25 years and worked with hearing-impaired children. 

During World War II, when there was a shortage of men and morale stateside, Mrs. Zale played in the All American Girls Baseball League. The league, which existed from 1943 through 1954, was the subject of the movie production called "A League of Their Own." 

Mrs. Zale was honored in 1988 by the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., said a niece, Karen Brown. She also was inducted into the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame. 

"When she was playing, she was known as 'Frisco,' " Brown said. Frisco is a shortened version of her maiden name, Gianfrancisco.

Before joining the AAGPBL''s Grand Rapids Chicks in Michigan, she played right field for the Moline Belles in Illinois.  

Mrs. Zale was present at the College of Du Page in Glen Ellyn [IL] when President Bush, while campaigning for Gov. Edgar, awarded her husband the Presidential Citizenship Medal. 

Mrs. Zale also worked with hearing-impaired children for the Chicago Park District. 

Other survivors include two sisters, and two brothers.

Burial: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery Alsip, Cook County, Illinois, USA

Author: Find A Grave Memorial

Contributed By: Helen Nordquist

Copyright: Find A Grave Memorial, 1/26/2012


LeagueBatting Record

Year Ga AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG
1945 21 39 6 6 1 0 0 1 1 99 6 .154
1946 98 342 34 77 9 2 2 53 21 38 33 .225
1947 32 98 13 16 2 1 0 5 6 12 13 .163
1948 114 398 34 81 11 2 4 35 45 47 36 .204

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