San Diego Sandpipers

International Women’s Professional Softball Association (1976)

Tombstone

Born: December 1975 – IWPSA founding franchise¹
Folded: Postseason 1976

First Game: May 30, 1976 (Result? vs. Santa Ana Lionettes)
Last Game: September 6, 1976 (L 6-0, W 3-0 vs. Phoenix Bird)

IWPSA Championships: None

Stadium

Smith Field (2,200)²

Branding

Team Colors:

Ownership

Louis J. Cella & Everett Skillings

Fastpitch

The Untold History of Softball and the Women Who Made the Game

By Erica Westly

“Fastpitch is A League of Their Own for the softball set.”

-Lily Koppel, bestselling author of The Astronaut Wives Club

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Background

The San Diego Sandpipers were a women’s pro softball outfit in the obscure International Women’s Professional Softball Association of the 1970’s.

The IWPSA was a creation of serial league creator Dennis Murphy and tennis superstar Billie Jean King. Murphy and King previously collaborated on the development of World Team Tennis (1974-1978), which was America’s first co-ed professional sports league. Murphy was also the promoter behind nearly a half dozen other league concepts during the 1970’s, which varied from the iconic (American Basketball Association, World Hockey Association) to the failed and forgotten (the Super Soccer League, anyone?).

The Sandpipers were one of ten founding franchises when the league launched in 1976. Nancy Welborn handled virtually all of the pitching and managed the team, which played at Smith Field on the campus of San Diego State University. The ‘Pipers had a record of 64-52 and then quietly disbanded after one season of action.

The IWPSA lasted for four seasons from 1976 to 1979. The league shut down shortly before a fifth season was due to begin in 1980.