Of all the strange baseball exploits of the Depression era, none was more surprising than Jackie Mitchell’s supposed feat. Do you know about Jackie Mitchell? Let's have a look at the whole story.
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The astounding story of Jackie Mitchell, a 17-year-old southpaw who pitched against the New York Yankees on April 2, 1931. The first batter she faced was Ruth, followed by Lou Gehrig, the deadliest hitting duo in baseball history.
Mitchell struck them both out. There was a box score to prove it and news stories proclaiming her “organized baseball’s first girl pitcher.”
The prospect of a 17-year-old girl facing the mighty Yankees generated considerable media coverage, most of it is condescending. One paper wrote, “The curves won’t be all on the ball” when “pretty” Jackie Mitchell takes the mound. Another reported that she “has a swell change of pace and swings a mean lipstick.” The tall, slim teenager, clad in a baggy Lookouts uniform, also posed for cameras as she warmed up by taking out a mirror and powdering her nose.
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