▁and ▁pitch ing ▁distance ▁and ▁decre asing ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁ball ▁until ▁the ▁final ▁year ▁of ▁play . ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁through ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁the ▁circuit ▁used ▁a ▁fast p itch ▁under hand ▁motion , ▁shift ed ▁to ▁side arm ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁and ▁never ▁really ▁became ▁baseball ▁until ▁over hand ▁pitch ing ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁decre asing ▁gradually ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁ball ▁from ▁ 1 2   in ches ▁in ▁circum ference ▁in ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁season ▁to ▁ 9   in ches ▁( reg ulation ▁baseball ▁size ) ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁season ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁ ▁A ▁native ▁of ▁Phoenix , ▁Arizona , ▁Morris ▁was ▁a ▁sm iling ▁attract ive ▁br un ette ▁who ▁purs ued ▁a ▁model ing ▁career ▁before ▁turning ▁all ▁of ▁her ▁attention ▁to ▁baseball . ▁She ▁started ▁pitch ing ▁fast ball ▁in ▁grammar ▁school , ▁and ▁stayed ▁in ▁school ▁competition ▁right ▁up ▁to ▁and ▁through ▁high ▁school . ▁After ▁that , ▁she ▁hur led ▁in ▁the ▁Phoenix ▁area ▁in ▁male ▁teams . ▁In ▁addition , ▁Morris ▁was ▁an ▁accomplished ▁music ian ▁and ▁devoted ▁to ▁classical ▁music . ▁She ▁entered ▁the ▁A AG P BL ▁after ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁and ▁was ▁allocated ▁to ▁the ▁Rock ford ▁Pe aches . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁Morris ▁joined ▁a ▁Rock ford ▁team ▁managed ▁by ▁Nap ▁K lo za .