2016 Legacy听Award: Dorothy "Dot" Kovalchick Roark
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Dorothy 鈥淒ot鈥� Kovalchick Roark came to the Twin Cities on April 15, 1952 from Sagamore Pennsylvania at the age of
26, four years following her retirement from her 8 year baseball career from 1940
鈥� 1948.
She was a first baseman on an all-male baseball team which traveled throughout 66
towns and cities in western Pennsylvania during WWII while the men were off to war.
Her parents owned and operated 鈥淭he Hotel Sagamore鈥� during that time and the baseball
team was owned as well as coached by her father, a dedicated baseball fanatic.听 John
Kovalchick or 鈥淏ounce鈥� as he was known opened the door for many of his players resulting
in four major and eight minor leagues opportunities during his lifetime.听 "Bounce"
recognized his daughter鈥檚 God given talents, a baseball talent that completely surprised
him.
"Bounce" utilized Dottie鈥檚 talent for baseball when in 1940 at the age of 14 she became
the first baseman for her father鈥檚 team.听 Her strength and natural ability was unquestionable
and the team of 14 male players ages 18-48 accepted her immediately as their teammate.听
This fact inspired the men and before long, "The Kovalchicks" as they were called
became known as the 鈥淯nbeatable Kovalchicks鈥� or 鈥淒ot鈥檚 Kovies鈥� as they were referred
to by news reporters. The demand was so great that games were booked 2 years in advance.听
Other states pleaded to be booked but it was war time and gas was rationed.听 Fans
would even offer their gas cards rations to help the team travel into adjoining states.
Towns and cities pleaded for return games because more money was collected and bigger
crowds attended than ever before.听 People wanted to see this 5鈥�2鈥� pigtailed girl wearing
big red bows in her hair that played ball with the men.听 Their team had to commit
to doubleheader games both Saturday and Sunday every week to satisfy the demand.
In the spring of 1945, Dottie contracted with the All American Girls Professional
Baseball League as a Fort Wayne Daisy, the first girl鈥檚 professional baseball league
in history founded just 2 years prior in 1943. Dottie was assigned to 3rd Base and
Center Field much to her disappointment since she was far advanced as a baseball player.听
That same year she chose to return to the all-male team and played for 4 more years.
During those 4 years she went to Orlando, FL for spring training.听 The Brooklyn Dodgers
were also in spring training and spotted Dottie practicing on an adjoining field.听
This resulted in an invitation to practice with them.听 They said they wished they
had her on their team.
At the age of 19 she tried out for the Pittsburgh Pirates Minor League and was offered
a contract with the contingency that her mother also had to sign as her chaperone.听
Her mother fearing for her safety and security refused to sign thus ending further
negotiations of the contract.
At the age of 22, Dottie was at her peak and chose to retire from the game.听 It was
a great blow to her father, however, realizing Dottie was serious and would not change
her mind he disbanded the team and canceled all commitments.听 It was 1948 so Dottie鈥檚
eight year baseball career came to an end.
Numerous doors opened immediately giving her the training and knowledge that equipped
her for her own business as a Century21 Real Estate Broker which she excelled in for
24 years.
She retired at the age of 69 in 1994.听 Eighteen months after retiring from real estate
she designed and created a man鈥檚 silk tie "Crazy Quilt" and entered it into the annual
International Quilter鈥檚 Association show in Houston, TX.听 Her quilt came in 2nd place
competing against entries from 89 countries in the 鈥淐razy Quilt鈥� division.听 Her quilt
has been appraised for $10,000.
In 2004 Dorothy completed her promise to her dying father she made听ten years earlier
and completed a 5 star historical classic, 300-page book entitled 鈥�Uncertain Destiney, A True Story鈥� by Dorothy Kovalchick Roark.听 It is a must read book, currently in its 8th printing
and available from the author.
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