Sophie Kurys facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sophie Kurys |
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| All-American Girls Professional Baseball League | |||
| Second base | |||
| Born: May 14, 1925 Flint, Michigan |
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| Died: February 17, 2013 (aged 87) Scottsdale, Arizona |
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Sophie Kurys (born May 14, 1925 – died February 17, 2013) was an amazing baseball player. She played as a second baseman from 1943 to 1952. Sophie was part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. She was 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 115 pounds. Sophie batted and threw with her right hand.
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Sophie's Incredible Baseball Journey
Sophie Kurys grew up in Flint, Michigan. She became known as the best base stealer in the history of her league. People called her Tina Cobb or the Flint Flash. This was because she was so fast at stealing bases. Once she got on base, it was almost impossible to stop her.
The Fastest Player Ever
Sophie stole at least one base 80% of the time. She averaged 150 stolen bases each season between 1944 and 1950. In 1946, she set a career high with 201 stolen bases. This was a world record at the time.
Her career total was 1,114 stolen bases. This was more than famous male players like Ty Cobb (892) and Lou Brock (938). Her record stood until Rickey Henderson broke it in 1994. Sophie's 201 stolen bases in one season is still a professional record. Rickey Henderson's best was 130 in 1982.
A Movie Star Connection
Like many players from her league, Sophie was not widely known. That changed when the 1992 movie A League of Their Own came out. This film, made by Penny Marshall, showed the world how amazing these women were.
More Than Just Baseball
Sophie was a talented athlete in many sports. When she was 14, she scored a record 4,693 points in the Mott Pentathlon. This is a competition with five different events. That same year, she was the Most Valuable Player in a Michigan State Basketball Tournament.
She was also a great infielder in fastpitch softball. She played shortstop and third base. Sophie didn't even play second base until she joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. But she quickly became the best at that position.
Joining the Racine Belles
Sophie was one of the first players in the AAGPBL when it started in 1943. She played for the Racine Belles for eight years. Her best season was in 1946. That year, she got on base 215 times. She stole 201 bases out of 203 tries.
She also had a .286 batting average. Sophie led the league in runs (117) and on-base percentage (.434). She set league records with 93 walks in 113 games. She also had a great fielding percentage of .973 as a second baseman. Because of her amazing play, she was named Player of the Year.
Winning Championships
In 1946, Sophie helped her team win the championship. She was the best hitter in the playoffs. In the final game, she stole five bases. This game lasted 16 innings! Sophie hit a single in the 13th inning. Then she stole second base. Finally, she ran home to score the winning run on a short hit by Betty Trezza.
A Change of Teams
Before the 1951 season, the Racine Belles team moved. They went from Racine, Wisconsin, to Battle Creek, Michigan. Many original players, including Sophie, were sad about this. They felt like a family and didn't want things to change. They didn't like the idea of a new team, manager, or location.
However, Sophie decided to join the Battle Creek Belles in 1952. She played in 17 games before she got hurt. She retired from baseball during that season.
Sophie's Legacy
Sophie was chosen as an All-Star second baseman for four years in a row. This was from 1946 to 1949. She holds many all-time records in the league. She has the most stolen bases (1,114) and runs scored (688). She also holds the record for runs in a single game (five) and in a season (117).
After her AAGPBL career, Sophie played professional softball for four more years. Her record of 201 stolen bases in a season was honored in 2013. The Baseball Hall of Fame recognized her amazing achievement.
Sophie Kurys lived in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a long time. She passed away in 2013 at 87 years old. In 2013, she was inducted into the National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame.
Images for kids
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Sophie Kurys, a baseball legend.
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Sophie Kurys in her baseball uniform.
