On March 28, 1931, 17-year-old Jackie Mitchell signed a contract to play for the Chattanooga Lookouts, a Class AA minor league team. On April 2, 1931, Jackie stepped on the mound. In front of 4,000 fans, she struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

Before I could write The Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth, I had to gather the facts.

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!

My research also uncovered many opinions about Jackie's strikeouts. Some people believe that Babe Ruth struck out on purpose. Others believe that Jackie surprised the Babe with the quality of her pitching.

What do you think about Jackie Mitchell and Babe Ruth?

Please e-mail me with your ideas.