▁times . ▁While ▁showing ▁an ▁array ▁of ▁pitch es ▁and ▁not ▁being ▁pr one ▁to ▁wal ks , ▁she ▁re lied ▁on ▁a ▁fast ball , ▁curve ball ▁and ▁change up ▁combination , ▁mixing ▁spe eds ▁in ▁her ▁curve ▁sp aring ly , ▁with ▁an ▁im pe cc able ▁control ▁over ▁location . ▁ ▁Born ▁in ▁Arc ad ia , ▁Wisconsin , ▁Er ick son ▁used ▁to ▁play ▁baseball ▁with ▁her ▁father , ▁un cles ▁and ▁five ▁brothers ▁at ▁an ▁early ▁age . ▁I ▁had ▁no ▁previous ▁formal ▁or ▁inform al ▁training ▁in ▁soft ball ▁or ▁baseball . ▁Two ▁of ▁my ▁un cles ▁played ▁week end ▁baseball ▁and ▁I ▁was ▁the ▁tom boy ▁sh ag ging ▁balls ▁in ▁the ▁out field , ▁she ▁re called ▁in ▁an ▁interview . ▁ ▁After ward ▁she ▁was ▁allowed ▁to ▁sh ag ▁balls ▁for ▁a ▁neighbor ing ▁town ▁team , ▁which ▁drew ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁the ▁manager , ▁who ▁recommended ▁her ▁to ▁the ▁league . ▁She ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁a ▁try out ▁and ▁immediately ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁R ac ine ▁B elles ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁season , ▁which ▁was ▁already ▁under way . ▁She ▁was ▁used ▁in ▁relief ▁duties ▁and ▁collected ▁a ▁ 1 – 0 ▁record ▁with ▁a ▁ 5 . 7 4 ▁earned ▁run ▁average ▁and ▁ 1 1 ▁inn ings ▁of ▁work ▁in ▁three ▁appearances . ▁ ▁Er ick son ▁opened ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁with ▁the ▁Rock ford ▁Pe aches . ▁She ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁pitch