The first female inductee into the National Softball Hall of Fame, M. Marie Wadlow compiled a pitching record of 341 wins and 52 defeats between 1929 and 1950. In seven years with the Caterpillar Dieselettes of Peoria, IL Wadlow compiled a record of 107 wins and only 18 losses. Former manager Chuck McCord called Marie “one of the greatest competitors I’ve seen anywhere.”Growing up playing softball on the sandlots of St. Louis, Wadlow said her greatest thrill in softball came in the 1950 ASA national championship. She had a 2-2 record in the tourney, striking out 26 batters. “We had a 17-inning 1-0 loss to the Phoenix Ramblers, giving us third place in the national tourney at San Antonio,” said Marie. “The thrill was watching the Ramblers come back in the evening after that more than three-hour struggle in the intense heat of the afternoon. We had about two hours rest, then beat the undefeated Orange Lionettes 1-0 in 11 innings. We then took a half hour rest, then lost a heart-breaking 15 inning game to Orange, 3-1, for the championship. “It was 43 innings in about 11 hours,” continued Wadlow. “ Bertha (Ragan) Tickey pitched 26 innings in the last two games for Orange. She was knocked to the ground by a vicious line drive in one of the games, only to get up and finish the game and the tournament.”Wadlow retired from the Caterpillar Tractor Company in February of 1977. She also is a member of three other Halls of Fame.Wadlow passed away April 6th, 1979 at age 61.
