In 1946, Violet Schmidt Weitzman was a Rockford Peach. Yes, the professional women's baseball team in Illinois made famous in the 1992 film "A League of Their Own."
Weitzman played sandlot baseball growing up in Indiana and was 19 when she was recruited by the Peaches as a pitcher. Today at age 91, she lives in Fruita. She still gets fan mail and passes out her Rockford Peach baseball card from 72 years ago.
The Peaches were quite a team, even outside the realm of Hollywood fame. They won four All-American Girls Professional Baseball League championships in the 11 years the team existed. Weitzman has her own ideas about their success.
"They were just a good team. Good-lookin’ gals. What more do you want?" she said.
Weitzman played for the Peaches for just one season, mostly as a self-proclaimed benchwarmer. Her husband Elmer objected to her working, so she quit to be with him. He died when he was 69, and she doesn't regret her decision.
She went on to be one of 43 original players who signed up to play extras in "A League of Their Own."
Weitzman recently tried skydiving, and would do it again. It's more her speed than watching baseball, which she doesn't do much these days.
"No, it's a little slow," she said. "I like football and basketball."
