Mo'ne Davis^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]}

First win for a girl

On August 15, 2014, Davis was the first girl in Little League Wold Series history to pitch a winning game and earn the win^[15] and she was also the first girl to pitch a shutout in Little League postseason history.^[16][17] She led her team to a 4-0 victory over Nashville. She pitched six innings, struck out eight batters, and gave up two infield hits. By the fifth inning, the Nashville pitcher had reached the 85-pitch limit in Little League baseball, but Davis had only thrown 44 pitches.^[15] In the sixth inning, she struck out the first two batters and the third batters was at the full count when she struck him out.^[16]

Athletic background

In 2008, Steve Bandura, observed Davis playing football with her older brother. He noticed that "she was throwing this football in perfect spirals, effortless and running these tough kids down and tackling them"^[18] Bandura, who is program director for Marian Anderson Recreation Center in South Philadelphia, asked her if she would like to come to a basketball practice. When she came to practice, Bandura asked her to watch the practice, but she wanted to participate. Bandura told the The Philadelphia Tribune that "Her eyes were just glued on the drill and when it came time for her turn she went through it like she has been doing it a thousand times, I just knew right then."^[18] According to the The Philadelphia Tribune, Davis became Bandura's best basketball player and only girl on the team. She also began playing and excelling at baseball and soccer.^[18]

Bandura together with other sponsors helped Davis transfer to Springside School, which is a private all-girl school.^[18] Her mother, Lakeisha McClean, told the The Philadelphia Tribune that she was unaware that her daughter was so athletic.^[18] In 2011, she was a point guard in basketball, a pitcher, shortstop, and third baseman in baseball, and mid-fielder for soccer.^[18]

References