10/09/2024

Cassie Kiser / CVG Airport / October 8, 2024

CVG Airport is a special place where important moments in people’s lives unfold. It is where heartfelt reunions take place daily, but two 90-year-old women, who were once professional baseball players, were in a league of their own at CVG in early September.

Mary Moore met her long-term friend, Lois Youngen, at CVG’s Baggage Claim after Youngen flew from Oregon to CVG. The duo was in town to attend the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) annual reunion that was held in Cincinnati this year. Moore was a second basewoman for the League and Youngen was a catcher.

Mary Moore (left), Lois Youngen (right)

Lois Youngen was 'practicing at CVG'

Mary Moore and Lois Youngen had a ball at the airport

AAGPBL was the forerunner of women’s professional sports in the United States. It began in 1943 during World War II while many male baseball players were fighting overseas. It provided an opportunity for women to competitively play baseball and build morale across the country.

Photo credit: All American Girls Professional Baseball League | (L-R) Lois Youngen, Mary Moore

The League’s first reunion took place in 1982. At that time, more than 300 women from the organization attended. In 2024, less than 10 were able to join. The athletes said because of their age and health conditions, it’s more important than ever to gather in person.

“We’re friends, but we belong to one organization and are so close that we all feel like family,” said Moore. “Any time we meet one of our other players, you will always see big smiles, big hugs, and just so much happiness.”

Mary Moore and Lois Youngen shared a warm hug when they reunited at CVG

After Moore and Youngen reunited at CVG, they met up with fellow players. The next day, the group of trailblazers attended a Cincinnati Reds’ game. They walked on the field and Youngen, who had been ‘practicing’ her skills at CVG, caught the first pitch of the game that was thrown by fellow player in the League, Katie Horstman. They were Fort Wayne Daisies teammates; Youngen was the catcher and Horstman was the pitcher.

Photo credit: Cincinnati Reds | Katie Horstman throwing the first pitch to Youngen

Photo credit: Cincinnati Reds | (L-R) Mary Moore, Dolly Vanderlip Ozburn, Gloria McCloskey Rogers, Katie Horstman, Jeneane DesCombes Lesko, Lois Youngen

They also participated on a panel at the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. The women discussed their experiences in the League and how it impacted their lives. The queens of baseball meeting in the Queen City, where the sport began, was a home run, and CVG was excited to play a small part in connecting these friends and teammates for a very special reunion.

Get to know Mary Moore

Photo credit: All American Girls Professional Baseball League

Moore was a star player for the Springfield Sallies. In 1951, the second basewoman from Michigan led the team in games played (77), hits (75), total bases (96), home runs (3), runs scored (65), and RBIs (48) in 1951. She suffered a severe hand injury while working in a factory in the off-season and returned to the League for Battle Creek in 1952 before she then had a career-ending ankle injury. Today, Moore remains active. She’s on a bowling team and enjoys playing golf. Read Moore’s full player profile.

Get to know Lois Youngen

Photo credit: All American Girls Professional Baseball League

Youngen, who is from Westfield Center, Ohio, played for a few different teams in the League but notably played for the Fort Wayne Daisies in 1952 under the management of Hall-of-Famer Jimmie Foxx. He was inspiration for the character of Jimmy Dugan in ‘A League of Their Own.’ In 1954, Youngen finished the year, the last year of the League, with .284 batting average. She earned a Ph.D. in 1971 and retired in 1996 from the University of Oregon as Director of Physical Activity and Recreation. Read Youngen’s full player profile.