Virne Beatrice "Jackie" Mitchell Gilbert was the first know women to pitch baseball in the MLB (Major League Baseball).
Jackie was more than just the first women to pitch baseball in the MLB. Since she was a relieving pitcher that means when the starting pitcher gets tired, she as to take his place. On April 2, 1931 Jackie’s team Chattanooga Lookouts were planning on playing the New York Yankees in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In the late first inning of the baseball game the starting pitcher was doing terrible and got pulled by the coach, so 17 year old Jackie went in. Jackie’s first pitch was to the baseball great Babe Ruth. The amazing thing was that she struck him out. After Babe got struck out he yelled and complained to the umpire, which got him no where. Next up to bat was another baseball great Lou Gehrig which Jackie also struck out. The stadium roared and the baseball world was shocked to see a women to first, pitch a ball game but to also strike out two baseball greats in a row. The next day Babe went to the paper saying "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." Women were so happy about this great accomplishment, some men were outraged like Babe. Kenesaw Mountain Landis who was the baseball commissioner at that time, voided her contract to the NY Yankees. He also “declared women unfit to play baseball as the game was too strenuous.” Jackie had to step down from baseball in the MLB but continued to play with many other teams.
Jackie’s amazing act of pitching in a MLB game inspired so many females that they could too play baseball and maybe even strike out baseball greats like Babe Ruth or Lou Gehrig. Ladies were frowned upon when playing most sports but when Jackie pitched the game she put confidence it so many other ladies in the world!
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