Dottie Collins, star pitcher of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball league in the 1940s, has died at the age of 84. Collins was portrayed by Geena Davis in the movie A League of Their Own.

The New York Times has a lot of good information on Ms. Collins’ career, but I think that at least this quote is worth reprinting:

“I pitched and won both games of a doubleheader once pitching underhand,” she told Susan E. Johnson in “When Women Played Hardball.”

“I think I could have pitched a doubleheader overhand, too,” she said. “I don’t think it would be that hard. Nowadays, the men can’t do it, but hell, they can’t do nothin’.”

So true.

Boxscore

The Cardinals were hoping to sweep the Reds yesterday, but that failed when they ran into the awesome might of young Edinson Volquez. Not even the wizardry of Kyle Lohse could save them.

Volquez had a no-hitter going for a while, so powerful were his pitches. He left the game after allowing 3 in 7 innings. He struck out 4 and allowed no runs, lowering his ERA to 2.73. Even the suckitude of the Reds was no match for Volquez today.

You know I think Edinson himself might keep the Reds from losing 100 games this year.

Boxscore

I haven’t checked in on the Cubs in a while, but strangely, I’m not surprised to see them continuing to win. They won their weekend series against the Marlins, capping it off yesterday with another great outing from Ryan Dempster.

Chicago has tons of great players, but the roster isn’t that different from last year. The one major addition, Kosuke Fukodome, is mired in a terrible slump and hasn’t even been playing every day lately. I guess that just goes to show you what a competent manager with an expectation of winning and the knowledge of how to do it can get you. Piniella has done a good job this year.

Of course, getting a career year out of Dempster doesn’t hurt, either. (8-run innings from your offense never hurt, either.) He pitched for 6 innings, allowing only 2 runs and striking out 10. The chants of “Dumpster! Dumpster!” are not being heard this year. Well, maybe in the playoffs.