All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Sophie Kurys, nicknamed "Tina Cobb" or "The Flint Flash”, set a world record 1114 stolen bases, more than Ty Cobb, and later more than both Lou Brock and Japanese steals king Yutaka Fukumoto. Kurys' total was not passed until Rickey Henderson did it in 1994.
Kurys also stole 201 bases, on 203 attempts, in 1946 (bases were 72' apart). Kurys is the league's all-time record holder for runs in a game (5), season (117) and career (688). She was not only fearless on the bases, but she tied for the league lead in home runs in 1950, set the league's walk record in 1946 (93), finished second in batting in 1946 and holds the league fielding records at second base for a season (.973) and career (.957).
She was a four-time All-Star though the league only selected All-Star teams in 5 of her seasons as a regular.
In 1946, she won Player of the Year when she hit .286/.434/.352 - in addition to setting records in runs, steals, second-base fielding percentage and walks, she led the league in OBP, was tied for 2nd in average, 4th in slugging and tied for 4th in homers.
She capped the season by being the top hitter in the playoffs and stole 5 bases in the 14-inning title-winning Game 6 against Rockford - in the bottom of the 14th Kurys singled, stole second, then hustled home on a short single by Betty Trezza.
Kurys was a well-rounded athlete. At the age of 14 she scored 4,693 points out of 5000 in the Mott Pentathlon, a record. That year she also was MVP of the Michigan State Basketball Tournament at Lansing, MI.
In addition, she was an excellent shortstop/third baseman in softball.
She did not even play second base until joining the AAGPBL in its first season in 1943, yet she immediately became the best in the game at the position.
Sophie Kurys retired in Arizona where she loved to hear from fans of the All-American League until her passing in 2013 at age 87.
players
Annabel Lefty Harmon
Annabel Lefty Harmon
Annabel Lefty Harmon
In 1944, Annabelle Lee (the aunt of Bill Lee) pitched the first perfect game in the history of the AAGPBL.
Dorris Sams
Annabel Lefty Harmon
Annabel Lefty Harmon
Doris "Sammye" Sams was an outfielder and pitcher in the AAGPBL. She made her debut as a pitcher with the expansion Muskegon Lassies in 1946.
Sophie Kurys
Annabel Lefty Harmon
Sophie Kurys
Sophie Kurys, nicknamed "Tina Cobb" or "The Flint Flash", was an outstanding player for the Racine Belles of the AAGPBL, playing 9 seasons in the league from 1943-1952.
Mary Nesbitt
Joanne Weaver
Sophie Kurys
Mary Nesbitt was a star in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League as both a pitcher and at first base.
Joanne Weaver
Joanne Weaver
Joanne Weaver
Joltin’ Jo Joanne Weaver was one of the greatest hitters in the history of the AAGPBL.
Betty Foss
Joanne Weaver
Joanne Weaver
Betty Foss hit .342 in five seasons for the Fort Wayne Daisies; her career average is second in AAGPBL history to her sister Joanne.
Lois Florreich
Connie Wisniewski
Connie Wisniewski
In 1949, Lois Florreich became Rockford's ace and she put up a great 22-7, 0.67 season. She set the AAGPBL all-time record for lowest ERA.
Connie Wisniewski
Connie Wisniewski
Connie Wisniewski
Connie Wisniewski holds the AAGPBL record for best winning percentage (.690) by a pitcher. She began her career with the expansion Milwaukee Chicks in 1944.
Connie Wisniewski
Connie Wisniewski
Connie Wisniewski
Anna May Hutchison played for the Racine Belles and is the AAGPBL all-times league leader in appearances playing from 1944-1949. She helped lead the belles to a championship in 1946.
Dorothy Schroeder
Dorothy Schroeder
Connie Wisniewski
Dorothy Schroeder had the longest career in the AAGPBL. The only player to appear in all 12 years the league existed.
Theda Marshall
Dorothy Schroeder
Theda Marshall
Marshall struggled at the plate in 1947. She went 51-for-362 for a .141 average, striking out 79 times to set an all-time single-season record.
Rita Briggs
Dorothy Schroeder
Theda Marshall
Briggs joined the AAGPBL when she was 18, playing through 1954. She played for with the Rockford Peaches, the Chicago Colleens, the South Bend Blue Sox, the Peoria Redwings, and the Daisies.
