Vivian Anderson

Who was Vivian Anderson?

Vivian Anderson [Sheriffs] was an infielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the 1944 season. Listed at 5 ft 2 in, 140 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Vivian Anderson played with her hometown Milwaukee Chicks in their championship season. Unfortunately, she severely injured two fingers of her throwing hand that shortened her playing career in her rookie year.

At age of 13, Vivian began playing softball in a league which required its players to be 16. "I cheated on my age a little," she admitted in an interview. She attended West Division High School in Milwaukee, where she played in the school baseball and basketball teams. In 1942 she married Daniel Anderson, her assistant coach, just when she turned 21 years old. She was spotted by AAGPBL scouts while playing in a Milwaukee league, and sent her an invitation to the league's spring training camp at Peru, Illinois.

״Andy״, as her teammates nicknamed her, tried out at third base and learned the skills of the game from Chicks' manager Max Carey, to become the first player from her hometown on the Milwaukee team. The strong-armed third sacker was later joined by pitcher Sylvia Wronski, making them the only two Milwaukee natives to play for their hometown Chicks.