Agnes Zurowski

Agnes "Aggie" Zurowski (February 21, 1920 – June 25, 2013) was a pitcher for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) in 1945. She both threw and batted right-handed.[1]

Early life and family

She was born on a family farm, five miles north of Edenwold, Saskatchewan in Canada. Her parents were: Maria Theresia (née Kwasnicki) and Leon Zurowski. They were both immigrants from the Bukovina region of Austria-Hungary. They were known for being the first Catholics to settle in the district, arriving in 1907, just two years after the creation of the province of Saskatchewan.

Pre-league baseball

Before joining the AAGPBL, she played for the Regina Bombers. In 1940 and 1941, she played in the Canadian Championship. In 1944, while she was playing for the Bombers, the team won the city championship.

Baseball league

Zurowski played professional baseball for the league in two teams: the Racine Belles and the Fort Wayne Daisies, both in 1945.[1] She was signed up by league President Max Carey along with six other Canadian baseball players in 1945. Together with Marie Menheer, Zurowski made her debut for Racine on the road in Kenosha, Wisconsin. As reported by the Racine Journal Times, "Zurowski was the losing pitcher, although she only survived into the third inning. The Comets slammed 10 hits from her offerings, and she saw six runs cross the plate before giving up to Menheer, a Kenosha native, who passed out five more safeties." The team was defeated by the Kenosha Comets, 12-2.

The next game she appeared in was the fourth inning against the South Bend Blue Sox. Agnes surrendered a further five runs (including a home run) in the 15-3 loss. Those two performances resulted in her being put on waivers by the Belles; she was then put on the roster for use in long relief by the Fort Wayne Daisies. All in all, she pitched 12 innings in four games, surrendered 17 earned runs and issued nine bases on balls with two strikeouts.[2]

Post-league-baseball

After her professional baseball career, Zurkowski went back to Canada and pitched for the Edmonton Mortons. In 1988, its 1945–52 roster was inducted into the Softball Alberta Hall of Fame. In 1991, Zurkowski was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame.

Post-baseball career

She worked at Regina's Army & Navy Department Store for 48 years. She retired in 1989.

Pitching records
YearGIPRERERABBSOHBWPWLPCT
19454121917-920001.000

Batting record
YearGABRH2B3BHRRBISBBBSOAVG
194545---------.000

Sources
  1. "Agnes Holmes (Zurowski)". AAGPBL. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  2. Hawthorn, Tom. "A Final Farewell to Canada's Athletes and Sports Characters". Benched Athletes. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
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