Editing Helen Stephens (section)

==Biography==
Stephens, nicknamed the "Fulton Flash" after her birthplace, [[Fulton, Missouri]], was a strong athlete in sprint events—she never lost a race in her entire career—and also in weight events such as the [[shot put]] and [[discus throw]]. She won national titles in both categories.

When she was 18, Stephens participated in the [[1936 Summer Olympics]]. There she won the [[100 metres at the Olympics|100 m]] final, beating reigning champion and [[world record]] holder, [[Stanisława Walasiewicz]] (aka Stella Walsh) of [[Poland]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=owVRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Eb8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3772%2C2021308 |title=Helen Stephens is best athlete: Missouri's Olympic star wins Associated Press honor |date=December 15, 1936 |newspaper=Lawrence Journal-World |author=Alan Gould |access-date=August 23, 2016 }}</ref><ref name=pinched>{{Cite news |periodical=The Herald |title=Hitler pinched my bottom |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/helen-stephens-hitler-pinched-my-bottom-1.891278 |first=Doug |last=Gillon |access-date=October 7, 2008 }}</ref> Stephen's time of 11.5 s was below the [[world record]], but was not recognized because a strong tailwind was blowing at the time of the race. Next, Stephens anchored the American [[4 × 100 metres relay at the Olympics|4 × 100 m relay]] team that won the Olympic title after the leading [[Germany|German]] team dropped its baton.

Stephens is quoted by Olympic historian, David Wallechinsky, about her post-race experience with [[Adolf Hitler]].<ref name=pinched /> "He comes in and gives me the Nazi salute. I gave him a good, old-fashioned Missouri handshake," she said. "Once more Hitler goes for the jugular vein. He gets hold of my fanny and begins to squeeze and pinch, and hug me up. And he said: 'You're a true Aryan type. You should be running for Germany.' So after he gave me the once over and a full massage, he asked me if I'd like to spend the weekend in Berchtesgaden." Stephens refused.<ref name=pinched /><ref>Kinney-Hanson, Sharon (2004). The life of Helen Stephens: the Fulton Flash. Southern Illinois University Press. {{ISBN|0-8093-2559-4}}.</ref>

Stephens retired from athletics shortly after the games and played professional [[baseball]] and [[softball]]. She attended [[William Woods University]], Fulton High School, and Middle River School in Fulton. She was later inducted into the [[William Woods Owls]] Hall of Fame, described as "the most well-known athlete in Fulton’s history."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-04-17 |title=The "Fulton Flash" Will Be Inducted Into the William Woods Hall of Fame |url=https://wwuowls.com/news/2013/4/17/GEN_0417134339.aspx |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=William Woods University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> From 1938 to 1952, she was the owner and manager of her own semi-professional [[basketball]] team; she was the first woman to own and manage a semi-professional basketball team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gak0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=NWoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4513%2C861231 |title=Did you know? |date=November 7, 2005 |newspaper=Mc Cook Gazette |access-date=August 23, 2016 }}</ref> She was employed for many years in the Research Division of the U.S. Aeronautical Chart and Information Service (later, a part of the [[National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency|Defense Mapping Agency]]) in [[St. Louis]], Missouri.

Her longtime partner was Mabel O. Robbe (née Wires), a dietician at [[History of Shimer College|Francis Shimer College]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=In Memoriam - 31 Oct 1986, Fri • Main Edition • Page 20|journal=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=1986|page=20|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16768225/st_louis_postdispatch/|access-date=22 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The State Historical Society of Missouri collection on Helen Stephens – Biographical Sketch |url=https://shsmo.org/manuscripts/columbia/c3552.pdf |access-date=7 June 2018 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141218/https://shsmo.org/manuscripts/columbia/c3552.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1993, she was inducted into the [[National Women's Hall of Fame]].<ref>[https://www.womenofthehall.org/inductee/helen-stephens/ National Women's Hall of Fame, Helen Stephens]</ref>

She died in Saint Louis at age 75.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5IRPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RSUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4363%2C4393399 |title=Olympic start Stephens dies |date=January 19, 1994 |newspaper=Times-News (Henderson, NC) |access-date=August 23, 2016 }}</ref>