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Miss Jackie Mitchell, 20-year old blonde girl pitcher—a southpaw at that—will com# to town Friday night to exhibit her talent at Cox Field... This young lady was discovered’’ by Dazzy Vance, former speed ball king of the National League, who just lately was sent back to the St. Louis l ards by the j Cincinnati Reds, presumably because of inffrmities of age Shefirst became interested in baseball when small child and lived nextdoor to Vance Dazzy, who atthat time was pitching for the Memphis Chfcks. ?lt;ok a greet interest in tittle lit k!*' and taught her many things about throwing a baseball... .He told her she would be a great pitcher some day, and I her childish faith fn that remark | kept alive the spark of her dia mond ambitions.... At least, that1 is the story of how her career orig- ( inated, as related by her attractive manager. Miss Maltier Chauncey, who is a school teacher by profession in Chattanooga. Tenn , home town of Jackie.” Having resolved to become a pitcher, ft took the young lady years of constantpractice and perseverance........ , She applied here and there foitrials as a pitcher. . But. of course,her sex wras against her Whoever heard of a girl pitcher?......Three years ago Joe Fngei. president of the Chattanooga Lookouts,decfded to give her a “break.’’----. .. .When the Lookouts played the , New York Yankees in sn exhibition j game. 'Jackie” was selected to hurl j ....With two Yankee runners on , base and one out, Jackie settleddown to business The mightyRabe Ruth was at the plate....He , swung hard and mflsed a third ( strike Lou Gehrig, up next, ai*, j so fanned... .That was the only in- j ning the girl pitcher worked, but I ^ her accomplishment in fanning ] both the Yankee hom** run mer j j chants gained her nation wide if ( not undying fame.... Baseball ob , servers were skeptical. .. .They fig- j ‘ ured the Babe and Lou were being ^ gallant and that both were court j esy strikeouts. But this charge w'as denied by the players, who rallied to Jackie's defense wfth the { contention she had plenty of stuff (on the ball....... Hut the incident (earned for Jackie’’ widespread publicity.. The little girl also be- j came famous as the first and only „ girl to ever sign a regular player's contract in organized baseball. ^It was with the Lookouts of the Southern League, and while she f never pftched a single inning in or- t ganized ball, Jackie packed the jcustomers in the stands Fans jswarmed through the turnstiles just to watch her toss up bails in batting practice. Last summer ‘ JackTe oured with the bewhisk- y ered House of David team.. Miss Mitchell, according to her manager is decidedly feminfne despite h*t occupation... .Like other girls, sheuses powder and lipstick She jsews, cooks, swims, plays tennfs ^ and basketball and is an amateur j flyer..She Is described as a come- _ ly little blonde, very quiet and un-1 assuming and in no way boyish.. (g She fs the daughter of Dr. and j Mrs. Joe Mitchell, of Chsttanooga, and one of her parents is always j her constant companion on ail her j trips.. .Her father, an optometrist r is a baseball fan and always en- f couraged her ambitions.. .“Jackie” receives hundreds of fan letters, and tries to answer them ail by herself.... Miss Chauncey thinks ||| I would be swell if Jackfe could crash the movies... With the unusual publicity she has received, a movie with a baseball background and Jackie” as the featured star j j would be a sure-ffre success, in her s
Newspaper Details
Xenia Evening Gazette
Xenia, Ohio, US
Wed, Jun 27, 1934
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Michael W.
NA, 27 Jul 2023
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