‘Utterly baffled’: the 17-year-old girl who struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig
In a 1931 exhibition, Jackie Mitchell silenced the greats back-to-back. It sparked still-ongoing debates over legitimacy and opportunities for women in baseball
TL;DR
- Jackie Mitchell, a 17-year-old pitcher, struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in a 1931 exhibition game.
- The event sparked ongoing debates about the authenticity of the strikeouts and the opportunities for women in baseball.
- Mitchell's signing and the game itself were likely publicity stunts orchestrated by Lookouts owner Joe Engel.
- The article discusses the historical context of women in baseball, including earlier examples like Lizzie Arlington and Mamie “Peanut” Johnson.
- Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis is believed to have voided Mitchell's contract, stating baseball was too physical for women.
- Mitchell herself believed she could have played in the major leagues if not for Landis's ruling.