Helen Filarski

Who was Helen Filarski?

Helen Filarski [Steffes] was an infielder and outfielder who played from 1945 through 1950 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5 ft 2 in, 125 lb., she batted and threw right-handed.

Nicknamed ״Fil״, Helen played on a championship team and won a season title as the best defensive third base during her six years in the league. Basically a line drive hitter, she was able to be patient and swing at good pitches at the same time, as evidenced by her .309 career on-base percentage and her 1.81 walk-to-strikeout ratio. After her playing days, she coached hundreds of girls for more than 40 years.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Filarski grew up dreaming about being a professional athlete. She was supported by her mother, who never had the chance to play sports because girls were not supposed to be too physical. After graduating at high school Helen went to work for the Briggs Manufacturing Company on the B-29 wings. In her spare time she played amateur baseball around the playgrounds of Detroit, starting at shortstop, and then switched to second base, before finally settling in at third base.