Sophie Kurys
Encyclopedia
Sophie Kurys is a former second basewoman who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
. Listed at 5' 5", 115 lb., Kurys batted and threw right-handed.
, Kurys was by far the greatest base stealer
in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League history. She was nicknamed Tina Cobb or the Flint Flash for her swiftness in stealing bases, because once she reached base
she was virtually unstoppable. Eighty percent of the time she stole at least one base, averaging 150 steals per season between 1944 and 1950, with a career-high 201 in 1946. Besides this, she amassed a World Record with a career 1,114 stolen bases, more than Ty Cobb
(892), and later more than both Lou Brock
(938) and Japan
ese star Yutaka Fukumoto
(1,065), until her mark was surpassed by Rickey Henderson
in . Her 201 stolen bases in a single season still stands an professional record, collecting 71 more than Henderson (130), who set the Major League Baseball
single-season record in . But like many of her colleagues, Kurys was relatively unknown until the 1992 film A League of Their Own
by filmmaker Penny Marshall
was exhibited for the first time.
A well-rounded athlete, at the age of 14 Kurys scored 4,693 points out of 5000 in the Mott Pentathlon, to set a record. That year she also was Most Valuable Player of the Michigan State Basketball Tournament at Lansing
. In addition, she was a competent infielder
at shortstop
and third base
in fastpitch softball
. Kurys did not even play second base until joining the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, yet she immediately became the best in the game at the position.
]
A founding member of the AAGPBL when it was organized in 1943, Kurys entered the league with the Racine Belles
, playing for them eight years. Her most productive season came in 1946, when she reached base 215 times and stole 201 bases in 203 attempts, while hitting a .286 batting average
with league-leads in runs
(117) and on-base percentage (.434). She also set season-league records with 93 walks
in 113 games and for fielding percentage
by a second baseman, at .973, being named Player of the Year
.
In addition to her 1946 campaign, Kurys capped the season by being the top hitter in the playoffs and stole five bases in the 16-inning, title-winning Game Six against the Rockford Peaches
, where she singled
in the bottom of the 13th, stole second, then hustled home with the winning run on a short single
by Betty Trezza
.
Before the 1951 season, when the team moved from Racine, Wisconsin
to Battle Creek, Michigan
, Kurys, Eleanor Dapkus
, Maddy English
, Edythe Perlick
and Joanne Winter
, among some original Belles members, were disappointment and decided not to make the move. During eight years, the Belles were a close-knit team, always like a family away from home. Kurys and her teammates thought that all would be different, like a new team, maybe a new manager and, specially, a new location. Nevertheless, Kurys reconsidered the decision and joined the Battle Creek Belles
club in 1952. She played in 17 games before being injured, retiring during the midseason.
Kurys was an All-Star second baseman four years in a row, from 1946 through 1949, though the league only selected All-Star teams in five of her seasons as a regular. She holds the all-time records for stolen bases (1,114), runs scored (688), runs in a single game (five) and in a regular season (117). She also is third lifetime in hits (859) and walks (522).
Following her AAGPBL career, Kurys recovered from her injuries and played professional softball for four more years before retiring. She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona
.
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
. Listed at 5' 5", 115 lb., Kurys batted and threw right-handed.
Career
A native of Flint, MichiganFlint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
, Kurys was by far the greatest base stealer
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League history. She was nicknamed Tina Cobb or the Flint Flash for her swiftness in stealing bases, because once she reached base
Times on base
In baseball statistics, the term times on base, also abbreviated as TOB, is the cumulative total number of times a batter has been awarded for reaching base as a result of hits, walks and hit by pitches. This stat does not include times reaching first by way of error, dropped 3rd strike, fielders...
she was virtually unstoppable. Eighty percent of the time she stole at least one base, averaging 150 steals per season between 1944 and 1950, with a career-high 201 in 1946. Besides this, she amassed a World Record with a career 1,114 stolen bases, more than Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
(892), and later more than both Lou Brock
Lou Brock
Louis Clark "Lou" Brock is an American former professional baseball player. He began his Major League Baseball career with the Chicago Cubs but, spent the majority of his career as the left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Brock was best known for breaking Ty Cobb's all-time major league...
(938) and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese star Yutaka Fukumoto
Yutaka Fukumoto
Yutaka Fukumoto is a retired Japanese professional baseball player in Nippon Professional Baseball born in Osaka, Osaka.After a brief career at the company team of Matsushita, he was drafted seventh overall by the Hankyu Braves in 1968. In only his second season, he stole 75 bases, setting the...
(1,065), until her mark was surpassed by Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
in . Her 201 stolen bases in a single season still stands an professional record, collecting 71 more than Henderson (130), who set the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
single-season record in . But like many of her colleagues, Kurys was relatively unknown until the 1992 film A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Directed by Penny Marshall, the film stars Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Rosie O'Donnell...
by filmmaker Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall
Penny Marshall is an American actress, producer and director.After playing several small roles for television, she was cast as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom Laverne and Shirley...
was exhibited for the first time.
A well-rounded athlete, at the age of 14 Kurys scored 4,693 points out of 5000 in the Mott Pentathlon, to set a record. That year she also was Most Valuable Player of the Michigan State Basketball Tournament at Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
. In addition, she was a competent infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
at shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
and third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
in fastpitch softball
Fastpitch softball
Fast-pitch softball is a form of softball played commonly by women and men, though coed fast-pitch leagues also exist. The International Softball Federation is the international governing body of softball...
. Kurys did not even play second base until joining the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, yet she immediately became the best in the game at the position.
]
A founding member of the AAGPBL when it was organized in 1943, Kurys entered the league with the Racine Belles
Racine Belles
The Racine Belles were one of the original teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playing from through out of Racine, Wisconsin. The team played its home games at Horlick Field.-History:...
, playing for them eight years. Her most productive season came in 1946, when she reached base 215 times and stole 201 bases in 203 attempts, while hitting a .286 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with league-leads in runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(117) and on-base percentage (.434). She also set season-league records with 93 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
in 113 games and for fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
by a second baseman, at .973, being named Player of the Year
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Player of the Year Award
Starting on its third year of operation, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League honored with the Player of the Year Award the top performer in the circuit that year. The AAGPBL folded at the end of the 1954 season. This is the list of winners.-Winners:...
.
In addition to her 1946 campaign, Kurys capped the season by being the top hitter in the playoffs and stole five bases in the 16-inning, title-winning Game Six against the Rockford Peaches
Rockford Peaches
The Rockford Peaches were a team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playing out of Rockford, Illinois for the entire existence of the league from 1943 to 1954....
, where she singled
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
in the bottom of the 13th, stole second, then hustled home with the winning run on a short single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
by Betty Trezza
Betty Trezza
Betty Trezza [″Moe″] was an American professional baseball player. An infield and outfield utility, she played from through for four different teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League....
.
Before the 1951 season, when the team moved from Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
to Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
, Kurys, Eleanor Dapkus
Eleanor Dapkus
Eleanor Dapkus [Wolf] was a center fielder and pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 6", 160 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.-Women in baseball:...
, Maddy English
Maddy English
Madeline Catherine English [Maddy] was a third basewoman who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 4", 130 lb., English batted and threw right-handed...
, Edythe Perlick
Edythe Perlick
Edythe Perlick [Edie] was a left fielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 3", 128 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.-Overview profile:...
and Joanne Winter
Joanne Winter
Joanne Emily Winter [Jo] was a pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 8", 138 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.-Overview profile:...
, among some original Belles members, were disappointment and decided not to make the move. During eight years, the Belles were a close-knit team, always like a family away from home. Kurys and her teammates thought that all would be different, like a new team, maybe a new manager and, specially, a new location. Nevertheless, Kurys reconsidered the decision and joined the Battle Creek Belles
Battle Creek Belles
The Battle Creek Belles were a women's professional baseball team that played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
club in 1952. She played in 17 games before being injured, retiring during the midseason.
Kurys was an All-Star second baseman four years in a row, from 1946 through 1949, though the league only selected All-Star teams in five of her seasons as a regular. She holds the all-time records for stolen bases (1,114), runs scored (688), runs in a single game (five) and in a regular season (117). She also is third lifetime in hits (859) and walks (522).
Following her AAGPBL career, Kurys recovered from her injuries and played professional softball for four more years before retiring. She currently lives in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
.
Batting
| GP Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... | AB At bat In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance... | R Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... | H Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice.... | 2B Double (baseball) In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... | 3B Triple (baseball) In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... | HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... | RBI Run batted in Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI... | SB Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... | W Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... | SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... | BA Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :... | OBP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 914 | 3298 | 688 | 859 | 71 | 39 | 22 | 279 | 1,114 | 522 | 204 | .260 | .362 |
Fielding
| PO Putout In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base... | A Assist (baseball) In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional... | E Error (baseball) In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ... | TC Total chances In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding... | DP Double play In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two".... | FA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2407 | 1641 | 190 | 4238 | 173 | .957 |
Fact
- While her stolen base totals were enhanced by the fact that AAGPBL baselines were only 72 feet long, compared to 90 feet in major-league baseball, Kurys faced a hindrance that major-league runners don't have to worry about it. She played in a short skirt that offered absolutely no protection to her legs when she slid into a base. In such a uniform, it took uncommon courage to slide as often as she did during her career. By 1954, the last year of the AAGBL, the base path lengths was the same as in the Majors.
Sources
- A League Of My Own: Memoir of a Pitcher for the All-American Girls – Patricia I. Brown. Publisher: Macfarland & Company, 2003. Format: Paperback, 216pp. Language: English. ISBN 9780786414741
- All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Record Book – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2000. Format: Paperback, 294pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786437472
- Biographical Dictionary of American Sports – David L. Porter. Publisher: Greenwood Pub Group, 1987. Language: English. ISBN 0313311765
- Women in Baseball: The Forgotten History – Gai Berlage, Charley Gerard. Publisher: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1994. Format:Hardcover, 224 pp. Language:English. ISBN 0275947351
- Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League: A Biographical Dictionary – W. C. Madden. Publisher: McFarland & Company, 2005. Format: Paperback, 295 pp. Language: English. ISBN 0786437472
- SABR Biography Project – Jim Sargent