Put me in, Coach: Legendary Women in Baseball
The Series is over, my team flag is rolled up in the garage, and pennants across the country will languish in closets and attics until Spring training starts in February. While conjuring dreams of mustard covered hot dogs, sunny afternoons, and the sound of “Take Me Out to The Ball Game”, let’s also pay homage to the amazing WOMEN that have been breaking boundaries in baseball since the sport became America’s pastime.
Mary Elizabeth Murphy was the first female professional baseball player and played in men and women’s leagues for 17 years. She pushed down a major barrier for women in the sport early on, demanding after her first game that she be paid a share and a bonus just like the male players. A whiz at self promotion in the days before Twitter, she signed autographs, sold photos between innings, and wore a jersey with her own name emblazoned on it so fans could identify her from the stands. The high point of her career came in 1922 when she played first base in an exhibition against the Boston Red Sox.
Jackie Mitchell’s interest in baseball was encouraged by both her father and Hall of Famer Dazzy Vance, a neighbor who taught her how to pitch as a child. By sixteen, she was playing for the Chattanooga women’s team where she would eventually catch the eye of the Chattanooga Lookouts manager. On April 2, 1931 the Lookouts played an exhibition game versus the Yankees during which seventeen-year-old Jackie struck out reigning kings of baseball Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Unfortunately, three days later the commissioner of baseball voided her contract and declared women unfit to play baseball as the game was “too strenuous.”
Dottie Kamenshek was recruited into the Rockford Peaches in 1943. She was considered one of the greatest athletes of her time and turned down several offers to join men’s leagues. She struck out only 81 times in 3,736 at-bat appearances and retired with a career average of .292 (to put that into perspective, that would rank her in the top 300 male players of all time).
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was initially established to boost ticket sales during WWII. Players wore skirted uniforms, were required to attend charm school, and given makeup kits and tips to remain attractive while playing. Crowds soon began following their local teams out of admiration for their athleticism though and, in 1948, with just twelve teams, league attendance peaked at over 900,000 spectators. The Peaches, Dottie, and the All-American Girls Baseball League are the subject of the 1992 movie A League of Their Own.
Toni Stone was the first woman to play professional baseball as part of the Negro Leagues. She started her career at 15 in the semi-professional St. Paul Giants. She moved up to the San Francisco Sea Lions and played with both the New Orleans Black Pelicans and Creoles. Her biggest move became the eventually takeover of Hank Aaron’s second base spot on the Indianapolis Clowns in 1953. Toni endured hostility from a number of men throughout the league who were unhappy to be playing with a woman. She would eventually show off scars on her left wrist and remember the time she had been spiked by a runner trying to take out the woman standing on second base. “He was out,” she recalled.
In 1989 Julie Croteau made history as one of the first two women to play NCAA baseball (for St. Mary’s College of Maryland). Despite the harassment she endured in college baseball, she continued to play and in 1994 she and a teammate from the women’s Colorado Silver Bullets were signed to the Hawaii Winter League, making them the first women to play for a Major League Baseball sanctioned league. In 1995 she would break yet another barrier by becoming the first women’s coach of Men’s NCAA baseball. Her baseball glove and photo are on permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Eri Yoshida taught herself to play baseball after watching Major League Baseball on television. She initially signed to Japan’s Kansai Independant League and moved to the pro ranks the following season. In 2009 she reached an agreement to play with the Arizona Winter League, making her the first woman to play baseball professionally for two countries. She would play with the Chico Outlaws and Na Koa Ikaika Maui (North American League) before returning to Japan. Eri still pitches for the Tochigi Golden Braves.
In 1972 the National Organization for Women sued for the right of American girls to play in the Little League. Since then 18 girls have played in the Little League World Series, and Mo’Ne Davis made history as the first girl to pitch both a winning game and a shut-out in post season. At thirteen years old, she threw 70+ MPH, and became the first Little League player to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. From the documentary about her: “If I didn’t get opportunities, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. That’s why I want to give girls opportunities that they don’t have and get more people involved. Because I am a girl and every girl needs a chance to show off their talent.” Its title? Throw like a Girl.
AnnaMaria Jackson-Phelps is a game journalist and writer for several publications. Follow her on facebook. And get all the news about women in Media at Legendary Women by signing up for our monthly newsletter and also our Medium collection. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.
