# Little girl pitches perfect game!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [May 19, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594 "2005-05-19T16:05:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/1 "2005-05-19T16:05:08Z")
Is this cool or what?
> [@](#):
>
> As the only girl in her upstate Little League, 11-year-old Katie Brownell had already made her mark. An all-star since she was 9, Katie plays hardball better than almost any boy her age in Oakfield, Alabama, Elba and Pembroke, her home turf of farm towns between Rochester and Buffalo.
>
> But nobody expected what happened on Saturday. Katie pitched a perfect game.
> **[Shy Smile. Mean Fastball. (Published 2005)](https://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/19/nyregion/shy-smile-mean-fastball.html)**
>
> As the only girl in her upstate Little League, 11-year-old Katie Brownell had already made her mark. An all-star since she was 9, Katie plays hardball better than almost any boy her age in Oakfield, Alabama, Elba and Pembroke, her home turf of farm...
Is that cool or what?
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### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/2 "2005-05-19T16:07:08Z")
Very cool indeed. Too bad that the breaking the gender barrier in baseball will probably be harder than breaking the colour barrier.
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### Author:  [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/3 "2005-05-19T16:10:52Z")
I hear the Cubs are already considering her for a bullpen spot.
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### Author:  [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/4 "2005-05-19T16:41:33Z")
> [@Neurotik](#):
>
> I hear the Cubs are already considering her for a bullpen spot.
Why would you wish a destroyed elbow on a little girl?
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### Author:  [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/5 "2005-05-19T16:51:19Z")
> [@Mullinator](#):
>
> Why would you wish a destroyed elbow on a little girl?
I wouldn’t worry. She’s way under 35 years old, so Dusty Baker won’t use her anyway.
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### Author:  [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/6 "2005-05-19T17:04:11Z")
Apparently it was not only a perfect game, but she struck out everyone she faced. Didn’t even let anyone get to a full count.
On the other hand, she’s 5’8’’ (the tallest player on her team), so “little” girl might be a bit of a stretch. Still very cool, though.
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### Author:  [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/7 "2005-05-19T17:05:05Z")
> [@Mullinator](#):
>
> Why would you wish a destroyed elbow on a little girl?
Thats why he suggested a bullpen role. Baker’s too busy tallying 130+ pitch counts by the starters for her to worry about overuse in the pen.
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### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/8 "2005-05-19T17:45:03Z")
> [@adam yax](#):
>
> Very cool indeed. Too bad that the breaking the gender barrier in baseball will probably be harder than breaking the colour barrier.
Huh? Believe me, any woman with the skills to make it in professional baseball would get a contract in the blink of an eye. It’s not sexism that’s keeping women out of the top level of professional sports. There is no comparison.
Haj
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### Author:  [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/9 "2005-05-19T17:57:04Z")
> [@Omniscient](#):
>
> Thats why he suggested a bullpen role. Baker’s too busy tallying 130+ pitch counts by the starters for her to worry about overuse in the pen.
I think it’s funny that we’re so easily able to segue to the Cubs from a discussion about little girls playing baseball.
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### Author:  [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/10 "2005-05-19T17:57:31Z")
> [@tim314](#):
>
> Apparently it was not only a perfect game, but she struck out everyone she faced. Didn’t even let anyone get to a full count.
>
> On the other hand, she’s 5’8’’ (the tallest player on her team), so “little” girl might be a bit of a stretch. Still very cool, though.
A 5’8" tall \*\*11 \*\*year old girl? :eek: :eek: That’s taller than I, a 21 year old male, am! What the hell are they putting in the water up there? 😉
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### Author:  [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/11 "2005-05-19T17:58:57Z")
> [@hajario](#):
>
> Huh? Believe me, any woman with the skills to make it in professional baseball would get a contract in the blink of an eye. It’s not sexism that’s keeping women out of the top level of professional sports. There is no comparison.
>
> Haj
I’m sure sexism as well as available skillsets both play a role in this. But I think there’s another factor.
In my opinion, there will never be a woman in Major League Baseball until everyone is ready to see one take a 100 MPH fastball to the head or a screaming liner to the face. Are you ready for that? I’m not.
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### Author:  [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/12 "2005-05-19T18:27:49Z")
> [@Neurotik](#):
>
> I think it’s funny that we’re so easily able to segue to the Cubs from a discussion about little girls playing baseball.
Well, the Cubs do have Neifi Perez under contract.
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### Author:  [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/13 "2005-05-19T18:38:04Z")
Jays call first dibs!
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### Author:  [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/14 "2005-05-19T18:45:43Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#):
>
> I’m sure sexism as well as available skillsets both play a role in this. But I think there’s another factor.
>
> In my opinion, there will never be a woman in Major League Baseball until everyone is ready to see one take a 100 MPH fastball to the head or a screaming liner to the face. Are you ready for that? I’m not.
A hijack to the hijack… why is that any different for women? I don’t want to see _anyone_ take a line drive to the head (nasty mental image of Mike Mussina STILL lurks in my head…) It’s a terrible thing to see, man or woman. But why is it worse for women? If a woman has game, let 'em play.
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### Author:  [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/15 "2005-05-19T19:29:58Z")
> [@if6was9](#):
>
> A hijack to the hijack… why is that any different for women? I don’t want to see _anyone_ take a line drive to the head (nasty mental image of Mike Mussina STILL lurks in my head…) It’s a terrible thing to see, man or woman. But why is it worse for women? If a woman has game, let 'em play.
I’m kind of confused about that as well, but I suspect it’s some kind of sweet-but-misguided chivalry idea or something. However, if it gets in the way of any qualified woman being unable to pursue a career in a professional sport, I have no use or tolerance for it.
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### Author:  [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/16 "2005-05-19T19:36:29Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#):
>
> In my opinion, there will never be a woman in Major League Baseball until everyone is ready to see one take a 100 MPH fastball to the head or a screaming liner to the face. Are you ready for that? I’m not.
I’m ready. Why not? They’ll do it with 70+ MPH softballs.
Haj
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### Author:  [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/17 "2005-05-19T23:58:34Z")
Sigh.
Why is it so “unexpected” and shocking that a GIRL can throw a baseball and do it well??
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2005, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/18 "2005-05-20T00:15:45Z")
> [@Rufus Xavier](#):
>
> I’m sure sexism as well as available skillsets both play a role in this. But I think there’s another factor.
>
> In my opinion, there will never be a woman in Major League Baseball until everyone is ready to see one take a 100 MPH fastball to the head or a screaming liner to the face. Are you ready for that? I’m not.
I really have no idea what this means.
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### Author:  [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/19 "2005-05-20T01:02:54Z")
> [@HelloKitty](#):
>
> Why is it so “unexpected” and shocking that a GIRL can throw a baseball and do it well??
Because, quite frankly, girls aren’t as good at sports as guys when competing at the same level. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have men’s and women’s seperate events.
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### Author:  [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2005, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-girl-pitches-perfect-game/304594/20 "2005-05-20T01:39:11Z")
> [@HelloKitty](#):
>
> … Why is it so “unexpected” and shocking that a GIRL can throw a baseball and do it well??
Well, for one thing it’s unexpected for ANYONE to throw a perfect game. It’s just the rarest of the rare baseball accomplishments. Secondly, there are not a lot of girls playing at the Little League level. So when one of them accomplishes something that is incredibly difficult to do, that’s news. Also, she didn’t just pitch a perfect game – she struck out EVERY BATTER. That is absolutely amazing.
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