42.9709° N, 82.4249° W
Port Huron, Michigan
On the opening day of Tiger Baseball, this seems an appropriate post: Last week, I spoke to a leadership class at a local high school. Our discussion led to whether or not men and women should be allowed to play on the same professional sports teams. The high school boys were VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED to it…in any sport.
After I gave them a little Patti Beat-Down, they countered with, “Well, if a woman was really good enough, they would absolutely make the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB, etc. And since there aren’t women on those teams, that means women aren’t as good as men.”
I countered that it was much more complicated than pure talent. Read below about Jackie Mitchell, who in 1931 whooped the bejeezus out of a couple of the most famous baseball players of their time.
She got kicked out not for a lack of talent (her talent was obvious!) but due to a whole lot of other factors.
Just think: if they had let her play ball, it could be an entirely different — and I’d say better — game…and world. 80+ years later and women STILL don’t have the same opportunities in sports that men have. #hearmeroar
Jackie Mitchell strikes out the mighty Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig