Inducted, 1991

Helen Hofmann Bertagnole dominated women's golf in Utah during the 1930' sand 40' s. Those who watched her hit a golf ball believe that had she hungered for personal glory and fame a whole lot more, while loving Utah a little less, she might well have dominated the national and international golf scenes at the same time. Helen is recognized as Utah's greatest woman golfer, but she was also an outstanding star in basketball, softball, swimming and bowling. In 1950, the Deseret News honored her as Utah's Most Outstanding Woman Athlete in the 1850 to 1950 century.

Helen's greatest triumph in golf came in the 1938 Women's Western Open in Colorado Springs when she defeated World Golf Hall of Famer Babe Didrickson Zaharias I-up in the semifinals. She lost the final match to Beatrice Barrett of Mineapolis, 4-3.

Another achievement at the national level came when she reached the of the Women's Trans-Mississippi Classic in 1939.

Babe Didrickson was credited for changing the way women swing at a golf ball. Babe had a high, hard swing that enabled her to out-hit most of her rivals who at that time used the Scottish swing that was waist high, fl. and short. Helen, though, swung just as high and hard and hit it just as long as Babe. The two long hitting women stars opened a lot of eyes during their match in 1938. One magazine printed a story of Helen's victory over Babe that said in part..." At that, Helen drove just as far as di~ Babe-if you want to know something, we were surprised not a little as we saw them wham out tee shots one along side the other well past the 240-yard marker.

She could have been one of the golfing world's all-time greats but she wanted to remain at home with her friends, especially the man she would eventually marry, Robert Bertagnole.

Helen won her first major tournament, the Forest Dale Invitational, at the age of 18, the same year she first won the women's state driving title averaging 218 yards.

In 1935 Helen won the "Grand Slam" of Utah womens golf, the Fort Douglas Invitational, the Salt Lake City Amateur, and the Utah State Open. She won the Utah State Open six times.

She was the first woman inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame.

After retiring from tournament golf, Helen turned professional and taught golf at Bonneville Golf Course. She worked untiringly as a leader in the Utah Junior Golf program.

She was born on April 15, 1916 in Salt Lake City. She lived in Utah he entire life and died on February 15, 1962. Helen and Robert have two children, Albert Bertagnole and Barbara Earl.