How a Teenage Chattanooga GIRL Struck Out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig
Jackie Mitchell: The Amazing Teen Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig
(Commonplace Fun Facts) – When talking about the legends of baseball, you can’t say much without mentioning Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. They sit at the top thrones in the halls of baseball royalty. But how many of you have heard about Jackie Mitchell — the pitcher who struck out both of baseball’s top titans in a single game? This fact alone should make Mitchell’s name famous. Add to it that the pitcher was only 17 years old when it happened.
And she happened to be a girl.
The Early Days: A Pitcher Is Born
Virne Beatrice “Jackie” Mitchell entered this world on August 29, 1913, in the bustling town of Chattanooga, Tennessee. From the get-go, it was clear she wasn’t destined for a life of needlepoint and tea parties. Her father, perhaps sensing her potential, introduced her to the grand old game of baseball. But it was her neighbor, none other than future Hall of Famer Dazzy Vance, who taught her the art of the “drop ball,” a pitch that would later leave even the mightiest swinging at air.
Joining the Ranks: The Chattanooga Lookouts
At 17, while most of us were fumbling through adolescence, Jackie was sharpening her pitching skills with the Engelettes, a local women’s team. Her talent didn’t go unnoticed. Enter Joe Engel, the P.T. Barnum of baseball and owner of the…
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