I gain a good deal of satisfaction teaching this to my freshman classes by starting off with an example that unsettles the male students and sparks interest in the females. I say, âImagine a tall, athletic female walks up to George Steinbrenner during spring training and says, âI want to pitch for the Yankees.ââ
âMr. Steinbrenner replies, âYeah, you and everyone else.â
ââWell,â the female says, pounding a baseball into her glove again and again, âsay I can strike out three of your best hitters in a row. Will you give me a job?â
âOne of Steinbrennerâs people overhears this and senses it will be good for a laugh. Steinbrenner agrees and soon the female finds herself on the mound with Derek Jeter at the plate and Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield waiting in the wings. Jeter steps up to the plate and swings wildly at three fastballs. He walks away shaking his head. The guy with the radar gun tells Steinbrenner, âEvery pitch was one hundred miles per hour.â
âSteinbrenner nods and points to Rodriguez, who steps up to the plate and is promptly fanned by the female. Steinbrenner watches intensely as Rodriguez walks away and Sheffield steps up. Three pitches later, Sheffield has struck out and walks back toward the dugout.
âEveryone is focused on the young female pitcher as she walks back toward Mr. Steinbrenner. She tosses the ball to him and he catches it. âWell, Mr. S., do I have a job?ââ
The story stops there because then I throw it out to the class for discussion. My question is âWill Steinbrenner hire her or not?â Over the years the majority of the males in my class (years ago I used to say Jeter, Williams, and Martinez by the way) have become enraged at times as they discuss this story. One particularly stands out in my memory. He said, âNot that this would ever happen in a million years because a woman could never do that, but even if she did, thereâs no way a woman could ever pitch in the majors. Just no way.â
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Al Barger
Yeah, what's this "throw's like a girl" crap? EVERYONE AGREES that boys and girls are exactly neutral and have the exact same abilities and aptitudes. Anyone got a problem with that may be asking for a trip to the Death Camp of Tolerance. We'll have no acknowledgement of this "reality" crap intruding on our perfect Candyland. Everyone knows that girls throw just exactly as good as boys. Capice?
2 - Victor Lana
Al,
I've seen some great female ball players (in many sports) that would beat most guys easily. I wouldn't want to step on the court with Venus Williams. Would you?
3 - Lisa McKay
I think that Victor's larger point, Al, is that we use the term 'girl' as a pejorative, when it shouldn't be. Be that as it may, the fact is that males and females both have an extraordinary range of abilities and aptitudes, and neither sex should be pigeonholed because society has preconceived notions of who should be good at what.
4 - DJRadiohead
One thing I find interesting is that there is such a focus to promote diversity in schools and workplaces under the belief that diversity makes "us" (whichever population might be in play at the moment) stronger, better, etc.
At the same time there is a focus on trying to "knock down the barriers" that separate us and prove that "men" can do anything "women" can do and "women" can do anything that "men" can do (or again whichever populations are at the center of the conversation).
I know I am speaking in some generalities and the subtleties of Victor's point are not lost on me. I do think a mixed message is often sent, though. Embrace diversity as long as everyone is the same.
I think there is a mistake in thinking equality is achieved in proving men can "knit" (or some other random behavior stereotypically associated with women) and women can "hit a major league curveball" (or some other random behavior stereotypically associated with men).
Maybe I haven't explained this well or I am all the wrong in the world.
5 - Andy Marsh
I heard Jenny Finch struck out Piazza and a couple of other major leaguers...she throws like a girl!!! and she's incredibly hot too!!!
6 - Lisa McKay
DJ, diversity and equality are really different concepts to me. Equality doesn't mean we're all the same - it means that we are all afforded the same opportunities, which we may avail ourselves of according to our abilities, whether we are male or female. While it's true that most women won't qualify to pitch for the majors, neither will most men -- but the idea that a woman who could qualify would be automatically denied the opportunity because of gender is what I find offensive.
7 - Mark Saleski
dj's just sore because he throws like a girl and he knows it.
on the other hand, i watch shows on hgtv.
ps. interesting article.
pps. i agreee with lisa m.
8 - Nancy
Interesting that Al exactly displays the knee-jerk psychological anger & denial of a male facing a threat just in response to the story. Fear, thy name is Male.
9 - Andy Marsh
Look at the PGA. They've attempted to let the best women golfers compete with the men and they just can't keep up...
I mean, even Laura Davies, who's a big burly woman and can drive the ball a ton can't keep up with even mediocre players on the mens tour.
And there have been players on the tour that have come up with that attitude...Vijay Sing pulled out of a tourney in VA, I think it was last year, that Annika Sorenstam was playing in...said he wouldn't play with a woman...probably afraid she'd embarrass him!
10 - DJRadiohead
Correction, Sir Saleski: I throw like a fat, approaching middle-age man who never got out of T-ball. I'm also not really sore at all but more under the affects of allergy medicine and an absence of caffeine, which is why I might be denser than normal.
Lisa, you raise a good point and it's one I will take some time to consider. I don't think I meant to suggest diversity and equality were the same thing, per se. I think there are connective tissues between the two but they are distinct. Re-reading my comment I can see how I might not have phrased things clearly.
I think what I was trying to suggest (and did so inartfully) is there are a lot of people who do not define equality by the opportunity but rather the outcome.
Maybe I should stop typing until I have had my soda or coffee. =)
11 - Mary K. Williams
very interesting topic! For the most part, I don't think anatomy has all that much to do with skill. It's the age old mind set of girls doing the jumprope thing. If they are never encouraged or shown how to pitch a ball, or drive a ball off a tee, well you see the point. Same with boys not learning how to (fill in the 'typical' female skill)
Nothing wrong with boys doing 'boy' things, and vice versa - but given the chance, provided the person has the talent - they should be allowed to move along with the opposite gender in the same sport, career - etc.
12 - Mary K. Williams
But then again --
When I'm in training with other women (karate) it is a weird and difficult thing to strike that woman. I have an easier time striking a male partner. Of course, some of this comes with trust - there are some women I work with more often, that I know they can take certain hits - and again - if I'm working with a guy I dont' know - I'll be hesitant in striking him. Typically it's more rank related though. I don't like to go to hard on a lower rank - regardless of sex.
And when I work with some of the kids - they maybe be brown or black belts - but they are still children - and I feel I should not go as hard with them. Even if I see them take hard hits from our instructor - I have a hard time doint that myself
13 - Sister Ray
Maybe your male students don't like being lectured about sexism. The example of a woman pitching as well as MLB players is far-fetched, as one student pointed out.
14 - Mary K. Williams
The example of a woman pitching as well as MLB players is far-fetched,
Maybe so, but the point is still valid. I think the students could stand a fresh perspective
15 - Victor Lana
I think some people are missing the whole point here. I'll put it succinctly as possible:
As the father of a four year old girl, I don't want her to be limited in any way. She should never be told "You can't do that because you're a girl" (whether it's joining a sports team, a chemistry club, or running for class president).
That's it simply and clearly. If she wants to try out for the baseball team and doesn't make the cut because of lack of talent, that's fine; however, it's not fine if someone says she is restricted by her gender.
16 - Mary K. Williams
I think I got your point Victor - and it was well made - but I just got thinking about the whole gender thing, and had those thoughts rattling around, stuff I"ve noticed in my own training.
17 - Al Barger
Y'all are tying yourselves up in such exquisite knots trying to deny reality. Yup, Venus Williams could six kinds of kick my ass- to which I would happily admit and submit. Yup, there are some girls who are superior athletes to some particular boys. But back in reality land, even a Williams sister would not be competition to a top male tennis player.
There are exceptions like the Williams sisters to prove the rule, but girls are in some ways limited physically, and it's not because mean ol' Al is holding them back. It's not really a perjorative against women to accuse a guy of "throwing like a girl." It's not a moral failure that a girl has less physical prowess with a baseball. Girls have their advantages, too.
In short, it's just damned silly to try to repress reality and make us constantly second guess and censor ourselves to avoid some silly PC offense. Even if you send all us neanderthal hillbillies to the Death Camp of Tolerance, girls will stil never, ever be able to throw balls as well as boys. Your little social construct of reality just ain't going to change biology.
Oh, and I just LOVE this comment #8: "Interesting that Al exactly displays the knee-jerk psychological anger & denial of a male facing a threat just in response to the story. Fear, thy name is Male."
Yes, Miss Nancy has me all figured out. I'm SO ANGRY. I deny, I will NOT accept how all them girls can throw balls better than me. I indeed fear and loathe the superior equality of females.
18 - Victor Lana
Equality for men and women really means "equity" for all. The late Shirley Chisolm, the great black female politician from here in New York City, once said that she faced a great deal more oppression and obstacles as a woman than as a black person.
I believe that every child should have the right to aspire to be anything he or she wants. We are avoiding the main issue which is this: women do not get the same opportunities as men simply because of their gender, NOT because of their qualifications. This is, in my humble opinion, simply a disgrace in 2006.
If the female pitcher could actually strike out three Yankees like in the above scenario, what would be the harm of inviting her to spring training? If she could consistently win ball games, why not put her on the 25 (man?) roster?
And as for tennis, have we forgotten Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs? Why not have some huge tournaments with Venus Williams vs. Andre Agassi and Maria Sharapova vs. Andy Roddick?
19 - Al Barger
If a girl actually could pitch competitively to the men, do please make her an MLB pitcher. Who said otherwise? That's a straw man.
I find it unlikely that such a thing would happen, but I'd be a BIG fan of a gal who could seriously run head to head with the guys like that. Such things do happen once in a while.
In the meantime, you seem to be proposing that we all go around pretending that such things are the norm. You seem to insist that it's sexism and prejudice simply to acknowledge REALITY.
20 - Duane
Victor: We owe it to every little girl in our country and the world to prove wrong the sexist agenda that portrays women as incompetent, incapable, and inferior.
I've always thought of women as displaying a bit of superiority when they don't waste their time on sports.
And, of course, there will always be a subset of women who can throw a ball like a man, some that can run like a man, some that can lift weights like a man. Some have facial hair like a man, too. This is supposed to be a good thing? I prefer women who are womanly. Weird, huh?
21 - Steve
This discussion reminds me of the expression -
'The exception proves the rule'.
22 - Victor Lana
Al, you actually hit on something I don't think you intended to (my opinion). What the hell is "womanly" in your estimation? Is it to wear a burqua and use a squat toilet in deference to men who can take a leak anywhere they want? Is it "womanly" to walk a few steps behind a man to show inferiority? What the hell is "womanly" if it is another way to say that a woman is not equally on the level of a man.
Let's take it on another level. What is "manly" to most of us? Having sex with so many women (whom we call sluts) but seeing ourselves as just asserting our "manly" nature?
I think there are too many prerequisites and they are antiquated at best. You know what is "manly" to me? Treating a woman as my complete and total equal. Try it some time; it really is amazingly normal.
23 - MCH
"Yup, Venus Williams could six kinds of kick my ass- to which I would happily admit and submit."
- Al Barger
I finally agree with something Al Barger wrote.
24 - Victor Lana
MCH, what I would like to see is Al in the ring with Ali's daughter. The profound ass-kicking that he would receive would be a delight for male and female alike.
25 - Sister Ray
Duane made the "womanly" comment, not Al.
It's not putting women in a burqua to state that generally, men are bigger and stronger than women.
We have Title IX in schools to give female students opportunity to play sports.
If Laila Ali can knock out some guy in the boxing ring, that's great, but I don't kid myself that since we're both women and she did it, I can do it too.