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Pride of the
Yanks - The Jackie Mitchell
Story
Email:
Michael
Aubrecht Website:
Pinstripe
Press
Reference Sources: America's
Game, History of Women in
Sports
"EQUALITY" MEANS
"The
state or quality of being equal."
It is a simple word. Yet this
4-syllable noun has echoed like a
cannon blast through the trenches
of our society since the
beginning of time. In the late
1940's and 50's the word
"equality" emerged as the trumpet
call for the women's movement in
their quest to bridge the "gender
gap." Today, it is inscribed on
handle of the feminists' hammer
that threatens to shatter the
so-called "glass-ceiling." Many
still feel that the "battle of
the sexes" is far from over and
that for every victory - there
has been defeat.
Throughout the
history of sports, the roles of
women have often come under fire
and the true integration of both
sexes on a "level" playing field
is still up for debate. I
personally don't consider myself
to be a "sexist", but I still
find it hard to believe that the
majority of female athletes could
compete in certain contests that
require brute-physical force such
as professional football.
However… I have no problem
envisioning a female taking
charge on a baseball diamond and
as anyone who knows anything
about the All-American Girls'
League can see - "throwing like a
girl" isn't always a "bad thing".
Over the past century, many women
have repeatedly risen to the
challenge of their male
counterparts, often changing
opinions and the way we (as
males) look at the fairer
species. One lady in particular
not only dominated the male
players of her time - she
dominated 3 legends and became an
inspiration both on and off the
field.
In 1931, the
owner of the Southern
Association's AA Chattanooga
Lookouts signed a talented,
17-year-old pitcher named Jackie
Mitchell. Desperate for an "edge"
to increase ticket sales Joe
Engel opted to bill his team as
the ONLY club to feature a female
on the mound and the demure
Mitchell fit that bill. Although
she was not the first female
player to sign in the minor
leagues as Lizzie Arlington had
broken through that barrier in
1898 while pitching a single game
for Reading PA's team against
neighboring Allentown, she was by
far the best and would soon prove
it to herself (and the world)
against three of the
greatest.
Mitchell's
pitching arsenal consisted of
only 1 pitch - a dropping curve
ball known as a "sinker" and she
used it like no other ace had
before (or after).
As was customary
back in the day, major league
teams often traveled the country
playing against members of their
minor league's farm system. This
gave the locals an opportunity to
see big league players in towns
that did not boast big league
franchises. It also kept the
players in off-season shape -
both in body and mind. In April
of '31, the New York Yankees
stopped in Chattanooga for an
exhibition game, on their way
home from spring training down
south. Billed as a huge event due
to the appearance of "Murderers
Row", over 4,000 fans turned out
along with scores of newspaper
reporters and
photographers.
Lookouts manager
Bert Niehoff initially started
the game with Clyde Barfoot, but
after he surrendered a double and
a single, the signal was sent out
for Jackie Mitchell. Imagine the
expressions on the Yankees' faces
when the rookie southpaw (in a
custom-made baggy white uniform)
stepped up on to the mound to
face their team. Even worse,
imagine the pressure she endured,
as the first batter of her
baseball career was none other
than the "Sultan of Swat" Babe
Ruth!
Mitchell's
pitching arsenal consisted of
only 1 pitch - a dropping curve
ball known as a "sinker" and she
used it like no other ace had
before (or after). A grinning
Bambino took ball one, and then
swung at (and missed) the next 2.
Jackie's fourth pitch caught the
corner of the plate for a
called-strike infuriating an
embarrassed Ruth who promptly
threw his bat and stomped back
into the Yankees' dugout.
Next up was
non-other than "The Iron Horse"
Lou Gehrig who followed the
Babe's lead and swung at three in
a row for "K" number 2. In just 7
pitches, Mitchell had sat down
two of the greatest sluggers ever
to don the pinstripes. After a
lengthy standing ovation, Jackie
walked Tony Lazzari and was
pulled in favor of the returning
Barfoot. Despite her historical
performance on the mound, the
Yankees went on to win the
contest 14-4.
A few days later,
Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw
Mountain Landis voided Mitchell's
contract, claiming that baseball
was "too strenuous" for a woman.
It was a gross injustice and an
obvious ploy to curb the
embarrassment of their bruised
male egos. (MLB formally banned
the signing of women to contracts
on June 21, 1952).
Determined to
press on, Jackie began
barnstorming, traveling across
the country pitching in
exhibition games and in 1933, she
signed on with a men's team known
as the House of David (for their
long hair and beards). Mitchell
traveled with them until 1937,
but eventually became
disenchanted with the recurring
"circus-type" antics that she was
called upon to do like playing an
inning while riding a donkey. Fed
up with baseball, she later
retired at the tender age of 23
and took an office job with her
father's company.
If not for the
blatant railroading of Kenesaw
Mountain Landis, who knows what
could have been? Would Mitchell
have eventually worked her way up
into the "big show" opening the
door for future female aces?
Would the All-American Girls'
League have been simply the Major
Leagues with less-men in the
line-up? Maybe. Perhaps we would
be watching Rogers Clemens or
Randy Johnson going up against a
much better-looking rival.
Regardless of what could have
been, Jackie Mitchell's story has
become an inspiration to
generations of female athletes.
Who knows? Maybe one day we'll
see a modern version of MISS
Mitchell on the mound. I just
hope that MR. Giambi and MR.
Jeter can deal with a strikeout
better than their forefathers
from the 1931 team.
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