Alta Weiss and Lois Youngen were both from Ragersville, Ohio. Alta was the pitcher for the Weiss All Stars and Lois grew up to play with the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League with the Fort Wayne Daisies, South Bend Blue Sox and Kenosha Comets during WWII. Lois and Alta crossed paths before Lois's baseball days. This is the story --

ALTA AND ME

Growing up I used to visit my aunt and grandmother Youngen in Ragersville, Ohio. When visiting I often played pitch and catch with my father, Elden “Ty” Youngen in front of my grandmother’s house which was located on the main road through this small Ohio town.

Alta Weiss (pronounced Wise as in wise old owl!), born and raised in Ragersville, had returned to Ragersville to retire and she was living in the house, the Neff house as it was called, in which I was born. Actually it was Alta’s father that delivered me in that house in 1933! At that time Doctor Weiss, a highly regarded doctor in Tuscarawas County, had his office directly across the
road from our house.

From her front porch, Alta, Ragersville’s famous woman baseball player of the early 1900’s, could see me throwing a baseball, not softball, with my father in front of my grandmother’s house. One summer day in 1946 or 1947, I don’t remember the exact date, I was 14 or 15 years old and Alta would have been in her late 50’s, Alta invited me to her Ragersville home for lemonade and cookies. I don’t remember how I received the invitation but I accepted!

On the appropriate date I walked the half a block to her home.

I was invited in and served lemonade and cookies ( I am certain that she did not bake those cookies!) as I sat on the edge of her old sofa. The conversation was primarily about me and how I got started playing baseball. I do not remember the exact onservation. I know that she did not talk much about her playing days although I knew that my two oldest uncles, Herman and Edwin Youngen, played with her on the local Ragersville town team before she became famous. My biggest regret is that I did not know enough about her baseball feats to ask her the many questions that, in retrospect, would have added to her mystique. At my age I was just interested in playing ball!

At the end of our time together she asked me if I would like a baseball that she had that was signed by Babe Ruth. She never mentioned how she got this ball but I definitely knew about Babe Ruth and I said YES to the offer. Then she asked me if I would like her to sign the ball and I said yes. She signed with an ink pen in bold black; this signature should last forever! When I
left her home I had a baseball signed by Babe Ruth and Alta Weiss!

When I got back to my grandmother’s house, my father told me to wrap it up and put it in a drawer out of the light for safe keeping. That is exactly what I did for 60 years! I admit that on occasion I unwrapped and admired that baseball. On October 15, 2009, It was my pleasure to present THE signed baseball to the Ragersville Historical Society.

Since that time the ball was appraised and it was found that the Babe Ruth signature was not authentic. More importantly there is no question about the authenticity of the bold Alta Weiss signature!

Lois J. Youngen, AAGPBL Player 1951 - 1954
November 4, 2020

	Lois Youngen in AAGBL uniform
Lois Youngen set to "Play Ball" in 2007 at the Ashland Chautaqua
	Susan Brewer as Alta Weiss in YOU CAN'T PLAY BALL IN A SKIRT at the Ashland Chautauqua in 2007
Susan Brewer and Lois Youngen relax at the Ashland Chautauqua in 2007.
	Lois Youngen and THE ball!
Lois Youngen (year unknown)