Helen Filarski

Helen Filarski (later Steffes; May 11, 1924 – September 13, 2014) was an American baseball player. She was an infielder and outfielder who played from 1945 through 1950 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). Listed at , , she batted and threw right-handed.

Career 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 aspired to become 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. (1947) and South Bend Blue Sox (1948–1950).

In her rookie season for the Peaches she helped them win the Championship Title that year. Her biggest contribution during the postseason came in the final best-of-seven series, against the Fort Wayne Daisies, when she scored two decisive runs and led her team with three runs batted in,

Career statistics Batting Fielding GPPOAETCDPFA 513 866 1224 300 2390 99 .874