The Woman Who Struck Out Two of Baseball’s Greatest Players

Apr 5, 2012

As spring fever brings out baseball fans eager for opening day, here’s a bit of Herstory that bears mentioning this month.

It’s the story of a young girl, Virne Beatrice "Jackie" Mitchell, who made the record books as the woman who struck out two of baseball’s greatest players looking…and lost her job because of it.  At 17, Jackie did what few men could dream of doing in an exhibition game against the NY Yankees’ Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. 

This took place almost 20 years to the day that hundreds of thousands of mourners marched in New York City to attend the funeral of 7 unidentified people who died in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire – a historical event that sparked health & safety regulations after a failed union drive.

Who said women can’t - or that women don’t make a difference?  NEVER underestimate the power of a woman.