The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth (and Lou Gehrig)
On April 2, 1931 the New York Yankees stopped in Chattanooga, Tennessee on their way home from spring training for an exhibition game. A crowd of 4,000 came to watch, including scores of reporters, wire services, and even a newsreel camera.
But the reason for all of the special attention wasn't the Yankees and the likes of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Instead, it was a 130-pound 17-year old left-handed pitcher that had been signed to a contract after catching the eye of Lookouts owner Joe Engel at a baseball camp in Atlanta in March.
Her name was Jackie Mitchell. She had but one pitch, a wicked, dropping curve ball.
After the starting pitcher gave up a double and a single in the top of the first, the manager signaled for Ms. Mitchell. The rookie took the mound wearing a baggy white uniform that had been custom-made by the Spalding Company.
The first batter she faced was Babe Ruth, who walked to the plate, tipped his hat to her, and then dug into the batter's box.
Ruth took ball one, and then swung at - and missed - the next two pitches. Jackie's fourth pitch caught the corner of the plate and the umpire called "strike three. Upon being punched out by a teenage girl, Ruth "kicked the dirt, called the umpire a few dirty names, gave his bat a wild heave, and stomped out to the Yank's dugout."
The next batter was Lou Gehrig, who promptly struck out swinging on three pitches.
With the "Sultan of Swat" and the "Iron Horse" out of the way, and after a standing ovation that lasted several minutes, Jackie walked Tony Lazzari and was taken out of the game.
As it turned out, the Yankees won the game 14-4 and Mitchell's professional career lasted only two-thirds of an inning.
Commissioner Kennesaw Landis (who didn't even have jurisdiction over minor league baseball) voided her contract a few days later, claiming that baseball was "too strenuous for a woman to play," and barred women from playing professional baseball.
Afterward Babe Ruth uttered: "I don't know what's going to happen if they begin to let women in baseball. Of course, they will never make good. Why? Because they are too delicate. It would kill them to play ball every day."
Mitchell did go on to play for traveling semi-pro teams, barnstorming across the country until she retired at the age of 23 to work in her father's optometry office.
Decades after Jackie made history she is not forgotten. Country singer LeAnn Rimes is scheduled to play Mitchell in the movie "The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth." The estimated release date for the film is October 2004.
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