Stephen Charles Filipowicz of Donora, Pennsylvania. Private First Class Filipowicz served in the Marine Corps from 1943 through 1944.
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Steve Filipowicz

Marine Corps Service

Stephen Charles “Flip” Filipowicz earned the title of United States Marine at Parris Island in 1943. Private First Class Filipowicz served until receiving a medical discharge in 1944.

His service interrupted an exceptional two-sport career. The New York Giants had selected him sixth overall in the 1943 NFL draft, but Filipowicz joined the Marine Corps before beginning his professional football career.

Baseball Career

Born in Donora, Pennsylvania, on June 28, 1921, Filipowicz attended Fordham University and competed in both baseball and football. He was an All-American running back for the Rams and appeared in the 1941 Cotton Bowl, the 1942 Sugar Bowl, and the 1943 East–West Shrine Game.

After his discharge, Filipowicz joined the Jersey City Giants as an outfielder and catcher. He made his Major League debut with the New York Giants on September 3, 1944, against Brooklyn. His first Major League home run came the following April and supplied the deciding runs in a 3–2 victory over the Dodgers.

Filipowicz appeared in 50 games for New York during the 1944 and 1945 seasons. He returned to the Major Leagues with Cincinnati in 1948, batting .346 in seven games for the Reds. Across 57 Major League games, he recorded 40 hits, two home runs, 26 runs batted in, and a .223 batting average. He continued playing in the minor leagues through 1950.

While pursuing baseball, Filipowicz also played two NFL seasons for the football Giants in 1945 and 1946. He therefore wore a New York Giants uniform in both Major League Baseball and the National Football League.

Later Life and Legacy

Filipowicz graduated from Fordham as a member of the Class of 1943. The university inducted him into the Fordham Athletics Hall of Fame in 1976 for his achievements in both baseball and football.

After professional sports, Filipowicz worked for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Revenue as a corporate tax officer for 17 years. He died in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on February 21, 1975, at age 53 and was buried at Saint Casimir Cemetery in Kulpmont.

Sources and Further Reading

  1. Fordham University Athletics Hall of Fame, Stephen Filipowicz
  2. Major League Baseball, Steve Filipowicz statistics and biographical data
  3. Baseball-Reference, Steve Filipowicz Major League record
  4. Baseball-Reference, Steve Filipowicz minor-league record
  5. Pro Football Archives, Steve Filipowicz professional football record
  6. 1945 New York Giants Media Guide, account of Filipowicz’s college career, Marine service, and medical discharge
  7. La Grande Evening Observer, April 28, 1945, contemporary account of Filipowicz’s first Major League home run