July 31, 1935, was a historic day
for women’s rights. In the 6th
inning of a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals, a
woman named Kitty Burke came to bat, the only time a woman has come to bat in a
major league baseball game. A rabid Reds fan, the beautiful
nightclub blues singer had been mercilessly heckling Ducky Medwick when the Cardinals
star finally yelled at her, “You couldn’t hit a pitch swinging an elephant.” That’s when Kitty grabbed a bat and went up
to the plate and challenged pitcher Paul Dean. “Hey, you hick, throw me a
pitch!” He obliged with an underhand
toss, and she hit it back to the mound.
Kitty Burke’s plate appearance didn’t
count, of course, but when I read about it the other day I thought it could happen
again for real. There are many good female ballplayers today; we only have to
watch a televised women’s softball tournament to see them display their skills.
They would have to compete with men to be signed to a professional baseball
contract, but I can’t imagine they would be prevented from doing so in this age
of discrimination protests. Now I have
to wonder: If a transgender woman (with male equipment) signed such a contract,
could she claim to be the first female professional ballplayer?
Why would I even ask myself such a
silly question? But that’s what this whole transgender business has become. Silly.
I really don’t care who comes to bat. I must admit, though, that I wish I could
have been there to see Kitty Burke step up to the plate in a dress and high
heels. I would have cheered for women’s rights like everybody else that day.
Here's another related tidbit: The Kitty Burke is a drink invented by a Cincinnati mixologist who said it is for bad-ass women who think they can play better than the men they're watching on TV. Must be a favorite in many American bars.
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