Jackie Mitchell, the only woman ever to strike out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in a single game, has died at the age of 90. Mitchell passed away on Wednesday at her home in North Little Rock, Arkansas, according to her family.
A Historic 1931 Exhibition
Mitchell achieved her place in baseball lore on April 2, 1931, when she was a 17-year-old pitcher for the Chattanooga Lookouts, a minor league team. In an exhibition game against the New York Yankees, she entered the mound after two walks and proceeded to strike out both Ruth and Gehrig, two of the greatest hitters in baseball history.
The feat made headlines across the country and cemented her status as a trailblazer for women in sports. However, her professional career was short-lived; shortly after the game, baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis voided her contract, arguing that baseball was too strenuous for women.
Legacy and Recognition
Despite the setback, Mitchell continued to play and promote women's baseball for decades. In recent years, she received renewed recognition for her achievement, including a spot in the Women's Sports Foundation Hall of Fame in 1995.
Mitchell's death marks the passing of a true pioneer whose remarkable feat remains unmatched in the annals of the sport.
