Gertrude Dunn, 1952 Rookie of the Year and Hall of Famer in baseball, field hockey, lacrosse and golf, crashes in Piper Archer

Gertrude Dunn, 72, who played in the women's professional baseball league in the 1950's, and was also inducted into several halls of fame, including the US Field Hockey Hall of Fame, died on Wednesday in Avondale (PA) in the Piper PA-28 which she owned along with Vijay Nilekani of Delaware. The Piper Archer apparently lost power after takeoff from New Garden Airport, according to a witness who provided information to an NTSB investigator, and she was unable to recover safely.

Gertie Dunn, as she was known to her fellow players and friends, played shortstop in the pro women's baseball league that was immortalized in the film "A League Of Their Own." She was inducted into the Delaware County (PA) Baseball, Field Hockey, Golf and Lacrosse Halls of Fame, and she was voted Rookie of the Year of the All American Girls Professional Baseball League in 1952.

After graduating from West Chester University, she was a physical education teacher and continued to be involved in field hockey until her death.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 54397        Make/Model: PA28      Description: PA-28 CHEROKEE, ARROW, WARRIOR, ACHER, D
  Date: 09/29/2004     Time: 1803

  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Substantial

LOCATION
  City: AVONDALE                    State: PA   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT CRASHED INTO A RESIDENTIAL AREA UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ONE
  PERSON ON BOARD WAS FATALLY INJURED, AVONDALE, PA

INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   1
                 # Crew:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   

WEATHER: KILG 29175Z 01009KT 10SM BKN028 OVC070 21/14 A2991                         
                                                                                    
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation

  Departed: UNK                         Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: UNK                      Flt Plan: UNK          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: UNK
  Last Clearance: UNK

  FAA FSDO: PHILADELPHIA, PA  (EA17)              Entry date: 09/30/2004

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.aagpbl.org, http://www.pasportshalloffame-dcc.com/inductes/1995/1995dunn.html