Chicago Ravens

Eastern Division

2627 S. 59^th Court, Cicero, Illinois 60650

312.656.2321

Director: Fred Huebner

General Manager: Fred Huebner

Field Manager: Mary Conway

Home Field: Windy City Softball Complex, Chicago, Illinois

Starting Time: 8:00 p.m. except 7:30 p.m. Saturday doubleheaders and 1:30 p.m. Sundays

Team Colors: red, white, blue

The Ravens played only the first year the league was in existence. The team finished second in the Eastern Division with a record of 57 wins and 63 losses. The Ravens played the Connecticut Falcons in the Eastern Division playoffs losing the best 3 out of 5 series 3 games to none.

The following is an except from the 1976 San Jose Sunbirds program (Reprint).

Reprint – The Ravens have one of the strongest pitching staffs in the Women’s Professional League.

Donna Lopiano retired from active competition in 1972, but not before striking out 1,633 batters in 817 innings (an average of two strike-outs per inning). She’s back now, and the Ravens paid cash and traded next year’s first-round draft choice to the Southern California Gems to gain her services.

Donna Schwenk also came to Chicago via a rather circuitous route. Formerly a pitcher for the Moline Redbirds, Donna was originally drafted by Buffalo but came to Chicago – at her own request – in a three-way trade involving Chicago, Buffalo and Connecticut.

Chicago got its talent from a dozen different cities and may suffer some early-season difficulties with team cohesiveness, but should be a very tough team as the season develops.

Sheri Diamond, Jennifer Vanness, Mary Conway (player-coach) and Connie Peterson supply additional strength to the Windy City team.

1976 Highlights

Starting at the top of the order with Pat Guenzler, Chicago's Ravens featured a potent attack that improved as the summer progressed and carried them from fourth place into the playoffs. The Ravens played the Connecticut Falcons in the Eastern Division Playoffs and lost 3 straight games in the best 3-out-of-5. Although they lost in the playoffs, the Ravens had a successful season.

The Ravens, in fourth from June 10 to July 21, put together a streak to vault to second, a position that they held despite pressure from Buffalo during the final weeks of the season.

The Ravens made their move behind the run-producing hitting of Barb Ross, who ranked in the top five in IWPSA RBI totals, the on-base ability of Guenzler and Connie Peterson, the arms of Donna Lopiano and Donna Schwenk and the glove of 17-year-old Karen Gallagher.

Lopiano won over 20 games and showed power with five home runs despite having to split time as a player with her duties as the women's athletic director at the University of Texas. Guenzeler won the batting title with a .385 batting average. Schwenk hurled a no-hitter against Pennsylvania on August 28. Peterson ranked in the top 10 for batting average most of the season.