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darkcloud4579 · 07-09-2023, 05:47 PM

Nancy Darensburg is a retired Major League Women's Baseball (MLWB) pitcher who enjoyed a successful career spanning from 1962 to 1972. Known for her exceptional control and ability to shut down opposing batters, Darensburg consistently showcased her talent and made a significant impact on the teams she played for.

Darensburg began her professional career in 1962 with the Rockford team in the MLWB. Despite finishing with a losing record that season, she demonstrated her potential as a dominant pitcher by recording a 4.33 ERA and 285 strikeouts in 330.1 innings pitched. She pitched two shutouts and showcased her prowess with a 2-hit shutout against the Long Beach Titans and a 9-hit shutout against the New York Liberty.

In 1963, Darensburg joined the Québec Carnavals, where she truly flourished. She achieved a remarkable 22-11 record with a 3.15 ERA and 270 strikeouts in 289.0 innings pitched. Her impressive performance led the team to win the Women's World Series, and she was recognized as the MLWB Ruby Glove Award winner for her exceptional pitching.

The following season, Darensburg continued her dominance with Québec, posting a stellar 24-7 record and a remarkable 2.31 ERA. She achieved 240 strikeouts in 292.2 innings pitched, earning her second MLWB Pitcher of the Year Award. Her outstanding control was evident with only 51 walks issued throughout the season.

In 1965, Darensburg remained with Québec, maintaining her high level of performance. She compiled a 19-9 record with a 2.50 ERA and 193 strikeouts in 251.2 innings pitched. She pitched three shutouts during the season and played a pivotal role in leading her team to victory in the Women's World Series for the second time.

Darensburg's tenure with Québec concluded after the 1965 season, and she signed a contract with the Long Beach Titans. Despite a change in team, she continued to excel on the mound. In her first season with Long Beach, she recorded a 15-15 record with a 3.02 ERA and 190 strikeouts in 286.1 innings pitched. She demonstrated her consistency and durability by pitching in all 36 games and 36 complete games.

Over the next four seasons with Long Beach, Darensburg maintained a high level of performance. She achieved double-digit win totals each year, including an impressive 24-7 record with a minuscule 1.90 ERA in 1970. Her exceptional performance in that season earned her the MLWB Pitcher of the Year Award for the third time. Throughout her career, Darensburg displayed remarkable control, evidenced by her consistently low walk totals and outstanding WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) ratios.

In 1971, Darensburg joined the Boston Battalion, where she continued to excel despite battling through injuries. She compiled an 11-7 record with a 2.64 ERA in 167.1 innings pitched. Her accomplishments were highlighted by a 9.0 inning, 5-hit shutout performance against the Orlando Orcas. Unfortunately, an injury forced her to miss significant playing time, limiting her to 23 games that season.

In her final season in 1972, Darensburg joined the Philadelphia Keystones. Though her performance declined due to injuries, she contributed to the team's success with a 9-10 record and 83 strikeouts in 238.0 innings pitched. She retired from professional baseball at the end of the season.

Throughout her career, Darensburg showcased her exceptional control and durability, amassing a remarkable career record of 180 wins and 124 losses. She registered a lifetime ERA of 3.17 and an impressive total of 2,163 strikeouts in 2,942.2 innings pitched. Her contributions on the mound played a vital role in her teams' success, leading to multiple Women's World Series championships.

Darensburg's impact was not limited to her pitching prowess alone. She also demonstrated solid fielding skills, with a fielding percentage of .939 over the course of her career.

In recognition of her remarkable achievements, Darensburg was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975, solidifying her legacy as one of the greatest pitchers in the history of Major League Women's Baseball and the league's top pitcher award was renamed after her, for her legacy in baseball despite her age and being one of the best to ever play.

07-09-2023, 05:47 PM	#3
darkcloud4579 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 8,659	Nancy Darensburg is a retired Major League Women's Baseball (MLWB) pitcher who enjoyed a successful career spanning from 1962 to 1972. Known for her exceptional control and ability to shut down opposing batters, Darensburg consistently showcased her talent and made a significant impact on the teams she played for. Darensburg began her professional career in 1962 with the Rockford team in the MLWB. Despite finishing with a losing record that season, she demonstrated her potential as a dominant pitcher by recording a 4.33 ERA and 285 strikeouts in 330.1 innings pitched. She pitched two shutouts and showcased her prowess with a 2-hit shutout against the Long Beach Titans and a 9-hit shutout against the New York Liberty. In 1963, Darensburg joined the Québec Carnavals, where she truly flourished. She achieved a remarkable 22-11 record with a 3.15 ERA and 270 strikeouts in 289.0 innings pitched. Her impressive performance led the team to win the Women's World Series, and she was recognized as the MLWB Ruby Glove Award winner for her exceptional pitching. The following season, Darensburg continued her dominance with Québec, posting a stellar 24-7 record and a remarkable 2.31 ERA. She achieved 240 strikeouts in 292.2 innings pitched, earning her second MLWB Pitcher of the Year Award. Her outstanding control was evident with only 51 walks issued throughout the season. In 1965, Darensburg remained with Québec, maintaining her high level of performance. She compiled a 19-9 record with a 2.50 ERA and 193 strikeouts in 251.2 innings pitched. She pitched three shutouts during the season and played a pivotal role in leading her team to victory in the Women's World Series for the second time. Darensburg's tenure with Québec concluded after the 1965 season, and she signed a contract with the Long Beach Titans. Despite a change in team, she continued to excel on the mound. In her first season with Long Beach, she recorded a 15-15 record with a 3.02 ERA and 190 strikeouts in 286.1 innings pitched. She demonstrated her consistency and durability by pitching in all 36 games and 36 complete games. Over the next four seasons with Long Beach, Darensburg maintained a high level of performance. She achieved double-digit win totals each year, including an impressive 24-7 record with a minuscule 1.90 ERA in 1970. Her exceptional performance in that season earned her the MLWB Pitcher of the Year Award for the third time. Throughout her career, Darensburg displayed remarkable control, evidenced by her consistently low walk totals and outstanding WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) ratios. In 1971, Darensburg joined the Boston Battalion, where she continued to excel despite battling through injuries. She compiled an 11-7 record with a 2.64 ERA in 167.1 innings pitched. Her accomplishments were highlighted by a 9.0 inning, 5-hit shutout performance against the Orlando Orcas. Unfortunately, an injury forced her to miss significant playing time, limiting her to 23 games that season. In her final season in 1972, Darensburg joined the Philadelphia Keystones. Though her performance declined due to injuries, she contributed to the team's success with a 9-10 record and 83 strikeouts in 238.0 innings pitched. She retired from professional baseball at the end of the season. Throughout her career, Darensburg showcased her exceptional control and durability, amassing a remarkable career record of 180 wins and 124 losses. She registered a lifetime ERA of 3.17 and an impressive total of 2,163 strikeouts in 2,942.2 innings pitched. Her contributions on the mound played a vital role in her teams' success, leading to multiple Women's World Series championships. Darensburg's impact was not limited to her pitching prowess alone. She also demonstrated solid fielding skills, with a fielding percentage of .939 over the course of her career. In recognition of her remarkable achievements, Darensburg was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975, solidifying her legacy as one of the greatest pitchers in the history of Major League Women's Baseball and the league's top pitcher award was renamed after her, for her legacy in baseball despite her age and being one of the best to ever play.