A catcher who played from 1947 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, Rita Briggs (1929-1994) honed her skills at Ayer High School where she was the first and only female baseball player in the school’s history. Described professionally as a consistent and durable player, Briggs played for seven teams while in the League and recorded an all-time mark for most games played by a catcher in a single season. She played in the1952 All-Star Game. In 2009, Rita Briggs Field, a softball park in her hometown of Ayer, Massachusetts was dedicated in her honor.