Discovering Jackie Mitchell

The true story behind the creation of

The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth
 

Growing up with Baseball  |  Uncovering Jackie's Story  |  Writing Jackie's Story

By Jean L.S. Patrick
Author of The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth
 

Growing up with Baseball

When I was a girl, I loved summer. 

Almost every afternoon, my brothers and I would watch the Chicago Cubs game on television.  We'd yell and scream and jump on the couch, cheering for our favorite players: Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Ron Santo. 

My dream was to play second base for the Cubs.  Maybe I could help them win a World Series.

But there was a problem . . . .

Even though I could play ball as well as any of the boys in my neighborhood, I was not allowed to play Little League baseball.  Why?  In those days, Little League was only for boys.

I thought about disguising myself as a boy.  Unfortunately, my parents were hopelessly honest.  No way could I get away with a lie.  However, I began to get involved in other sports, such as track, cross-country, and tennis.

I also liked to read.  My favorite place to read was on our front porch.  I'd collapse on my favorite ugly brown chair and read books by Beverly Cleary and Matt Christopher.  I also liked to read on our back porch with one arm around my dog, Luci. 

When I finished high school, I earned degrees in English literature from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas.  Although I read Shakespeare and all those famous writers, I still liked children's books best.

Now I'm an author. And you know what? I'm still reading children's books and cheering for the Cubs.   

Uncovering Jackie's Story

Many people wonder how I found out about Jackie Mitchell.

Several years ago, I found the book Winning Ways, a children's book by Sue Macy. The book was full of amazing information about women and the history of sports.

On one of the pages, I saw a photograph of a girl on a pitcher's mound. The caption said that on April 2, 1931, 17-year-old Jackie Mitchell struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.  I had never heard about this!

 A couple months later, I attended a conference that was sponsored by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.  I told an editor from Lerner Publishing about Jackie Mitchell.  Almost immediately, she asked if I would like to write a book about Jackie's story. 

Researching Jackie's Story

Before I could begin writing, I had to do an enormous amount of research.

I studied old newspapers from 1931.  I talked to historians and sports writers from Chattanooga, Tennessee.  I even called the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

As I researched, I felt like a detective.  What actually happened?  Did 17-year-old Jackie Mitchell really strike out Babe Ruth?

The answer, of course, was "yes."  On a tape of an old newsreel, I watched Jackie pitch to the Babe.  After he struck out, he wasn't very happy.  In fact, he slammed down his bat and yelled at the umpire.

 

Writing Jackie's Story

Next, I had to figure out how to write the story.  How would I make the book interesting? Would I begin the book with Jackie on the mound? 

And how would I include the different opinions about Jackie's strikeouts? Some people believed that Babe Ruth struck out on purpose.  Others believed that Jackie surprised him with the quality of her pitching.

It took me about four months to write the first draft.  My editor said she loved it.  But she asked me to make several revisions.  So I went back to my research.  I added exciting facts. I subtracted boring details. 

I even decided to change the beginning.  Instead of starting the book on the morning of the game, I decided to begin the story on March 28, 1931 -- the day Jackie signed the contract with the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Revision is a normal part of the writing process.  By the time The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth was published, more than three years had passed.

Even though the book required enormous amounts of work, I enjoyed learning about the girl who had the talent and courage to become a great baseball player.    

top