The owner of the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League signed Toni Stone in 1953. The owner thought it’d be a good idea for Stone to play baseball in a skirt. She refused. She hadn’t become the first woman to play professional Negro League baseball to show her legs; she’d joined to play second base.
The Women’s Sports Hall of Famer had been playing baseball with her brother and his friends since she was 15, so when she made it to the Negro League, the constant taunting from her teammates, and having to use the umpire’s locker room, didn’t bother her.
Marcenia Lyle Stone’s childhood nickname had been Tomboy, so she later changed her name to Toni. But no matter what they called her, they knew that she was destined for greatness.
Why would Black baseball players treat the only woman on their team this way? Maybe they didn’t want a Black woman outplaying them. But she did. In her career, Toni Stone hit 755 home runs and is even reported to have gotten a hit off the legendary pitcher Satchel Paige.
It’s not about how many swings you take, it’s about the pitches you hit. Don’t let anyone try to knock you off your game.