Annastasia Batikis

From BR Bullpen

Annastasia Batakis.jpg

Annastasia Batikis
(Stash)

BR Register page

Biographical Information[edit]

Annastasia Batikis was a center fielder with the Racine Belles of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League for a single season in 1945.

Batikis first got interested in playing baseball as a young girl in third grade while watching men play baseball on the playgrounds. When she got older, she joined the Recreation Department League and played softball. During her high school years, the AAGPBL's Racine Belles were formed; Stash and her friends would go to the team's games and watch in awe the women on the field.

At 18 years and in her senior year in high school, Batikis tried out at the Belles' ballpark, Historic Horlick Field, for a contract with the league. She made the cut and was then send to spring training in Chicago, IL where she was assigned to the Racines, playing for her home town. At that time there was only one other woman in the league playing for her hometown team.

In her single season, Batikis appeared in five games but did not get a hit in eleven at-bats. After the season, she ended her career as a professional baseball player and attended college at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She later went to Northwestern University and became a teacher for 35 years. Batikis also did volunteer work for clubs, churches, ball teams, civic groups to give talks about the league.

Quotes[edit]

  • "I never dreamed I would make it, but I did. Seeing my name on the list of gals that made the team was my biggest thrill..." - Annastasia Batikis on making the AAGPBL

External links[edit]