Airdate: TBD - FSN
Jackie Mitchell was a talented lefty pitcher in 1931. This wouldn’t be that much of a story, except for the fact that Jackie was a 17-year old teenage girl. Growing up, her neighbor was Hall of Famer pitcher Dazzy Vance. With Jackie’s determination and Dazzy’s pointers, she drew the attention of an eccentric baseball promoter. Joe Engel, a promoter for the AA Chattanooga Lookouts, had already gained a reputation as the most eccentric promoter in baseball. One year, Engel had his players parade into the ballpark on elephants for Opening Day. He traded a shortstop for a turkey, roasted it and served it to local sportswriters who had been "giving him the bird." He raffled off houses and automobiles, and had canaries singing in the grandstands. In 1931, the Great Depression had hurt ticket sales. Engel’s solution was to sign a talented, 17-year-old pitcher…Jackie Mitchell.
In April of 1931, the New York Yankees stopped in Chattanooga for an exhibition game on their way back from Spring Training. The combination of Murder’s Row and Jackie Mitchell created a buzz in the otherwise sleepy town. It was a huge event with over 4,000 fans turning out along with scores of newspaper reporters and photographers. The Yankees smirked when Jackie stepped onto the mound. She prepared to meet the first batter of her baseball career: none other than the legendary Babe Ruth.
Jackie Mitchell, a 17-year old girl, proceeded to strike out the best home run hitter ever. The “Sultan of Swat” threw his bat and stomped back into the Yankees' dugout. It didn’t get any easier for Jackie. Next up: "The Iron Horse" Lou Gehrig. But Jackie struck him out too. Jackie had faced two of baseball’s all-time greats and struck them both out.
Yet Jackie’s fame was short-lived. Days later women were banned from signing minor or major league contracts. And by age 23, Jackie retired from baseball, a woman before her time.