A little bit of joy in the middle of all this madness – what a gorgeous photo....

[Playinghardball]

This week’s SI cover features Little League sensation Mo’ne Davis

Found on the Obama Diary

[pintobean]

1. She's awesome. K&R

[Stardust]

15. For once, "awesome" is NOT hyperbole!

http://www.people.com/article/mone-davis-little-league-philadelphia-taney-dragons


"Throwing 70 miles an hour – that's throwing like a girl," the star of the Philadelphia Taney Dragons told CBS News of her famed fastballs. On Friday, the South Philly native became the first girl to throw a shutout in Little League World Series history, allowing only two hits, striking out eight batters and walking none against Tennessee.

[upaloopa]

2. Many eons ago we use to say "throws like a girl".

Once while playing first base I got my thumb bent backward while tagging out a runner. It hurt too much to play I thought but the team wanted me to stay in the game.
I wanted someone to throw a ball to me to see how bad it felt to catch. I saw a girl standing by the dugout and asked her to throw a ball to me. I thought she would throw like a girl and it would not hurt to catch the ball. She burned a fast ball at me overhand and just about took my glove hand off. It hurt so bad tears came to my eyes. I never said "throws like a girl" again until now.

[hfojvt]

5. perhaps 40 years ago I remember playing catch with a cousin

every time she missed the ball (and had to chase it) she would in turn then wing the ball way over my head. That got old, but no question she had an arm on her.

Then there was another older cousin or something. Showed up at one of our cousin softball games. I was pitching - slow pitch. I had no glove, because we did not take such things camping, and even though there were many extra gloves there were none for a lefty like me. Anyway this lady blasted a line drive up the center and I, unthinkingly tried to catch it, with my bare hand.

Not a good idea, although I did not break any bones, it was quite painful.

Another girl at the German club picnic, when I was a freshman, back in 1977 was pitching softball when a line drive smacked her right in the thigh. She just stretched a little and kept right on pitching.

[panader0]

8. Both of my daughters pitched for their softball team.

I was a coach. I used to catch for them, and I can guarantee that they threw hard. I used to sit on a bucket and catch for practice.
I had many black and blue bruises on my shins. (We went 14 and 1 on the last season, years ago)

[redqueen]

10. People still say that. nt

[underpants]

28. You know damn well I am going to post it and take the abuse

Well deserved but still it was funny. Let's just hope no one breaks a heel.

Give me a minute. That's all I have ever asked

[happyslug]

17. The term "Throws like a girl" generally implies someone did not learn to throw before age six.

Now, if you go to google, you get a lot of cites saying girls do throw different from boys, but then if you read those articles they indicate boys can throw with more power and longer range, which reflects the greater muscle mass of men, but the basic style of throwing was the same for both sexes.

First is the how much practice did players of both sexes have had? The more practice you have throwing, the less you "throw like a girl" and the more you throw "like a man". Notice the style is the issue, throwing like a girl is the throwing of someone just beginning to throw. As you throw (and it is faster to do this at younger ages then older ages), your body and mind adjusts to do a better job of throwing. Practice make perfect. No practice, even a male will throw like a girl.

This is most noticeable among young ball players. If you learn to throw before age six, i.e. parents start to throw with their Children. such children quickly learn to throw more and more correctly. If you do NOT throw a ball with other people you end up "Throwing like a girl" for you did NOT learn how to throw correctly. This is true of both males AND females.

This was more common with women then with men, thus the term "Throw like a girl" came from the fact many women did NOT throw balls when they were young and thus did NOT learn how to do so when it was the best time to learn. Less practice, less ability to throw.

Throwing like an old washer woman was a variation of the statement of throwing like a girl. Such a statement was mostly aimed at those few men who can not throw a ball correctly. Both statements show that such people do exist in our society for you do NOT make statements like that except if there is some basis behind that statement.

Notice the main reason for "throwing like a girl" is NOT that the thrower in male or female, but has NOT had the opportunity to spend the time to learn to throw correctly. It is harder to learn to throw correctly as you age, thus a lot of women who did not throw was children end up throwing like "a girl". The worse part is that women who throw like "Old Washer Women" often taught their sons and daughter to throw, by just playing catch with their sons and daughters. Yes, the old "Washer Women" threw like "Old Washer Women", but because their sons and daughters started to learn to throw quite young, learn how to throw correctly. Thus you can see sons and daughters learning to throw while playing with adults and the young one throwing correctly, while below age six where THROWING like "a Girl". That reflected it is easier for the young to learn something, then the old to learn something.

Some articles on throwing the male vs female learning to throw:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/throw-like-a-girl-with-some-practice-you-can-do-better/2012/09/10/9ffc8bc8-dc09-11e1-9974-5c975ae4810f_story.html

virtually all novice throwers ‘throw like girls,

http://neuroanthropology.net/2009/02/01/throwing-like-a-girls-brain/

[nomorenomore08]

35. Regardless, there's still a certain amount of gender stereotyping implied in the phrase.

[happyslug]

41. I agree, but I heard it aimed at men and boys when I was growing up, not girls and women

n/t

[redqueen]

50. It is insulting males by comparing them to girls.

I can't believe this shit still has to be spelled out here.

Oh no wait I totally can.

[happyslug]

52. I did not make the comment, just reporting that I heard it when I was young.

It was a common comment about men and boys who had, for various reasons, limited experience in throwing a ball. Like many girls who had limited experience, they threw like a person with limited experience. In the days of my youth, before girls were permitted into Little League, it was more common for girls to throw like someone who had NOT done it often, as opposed to boys, thus the comment.

In my youth the more common phase was "throwing like an old washer woman" as opposed to "Throwing like a girl", but the point was the same, it was aimed at a person with limited throwing experience who needed my experience in throwing,

[Eleanors38]

20. Yep. After making a successful billiards run I was "accused"

of shooting like a girl. I looked, said "thank you," and continued on.

[calimary]

23. Yep. And now it means something COMPLETELY different!

[underpants]

29. 10 years ago on DU - quite a day on this one

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1627230

[csziggy]

34. Here was Lawrence O'Donnell's story about that

Rewriting the concept of throwing like a girl
http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word-with-lawrence-odonnell/watch/rewriting-the-concept-of-throwing-like-a-girl-317644355931

The full video he was referencing:

[upaloopa]

48. That was very good. Glad I stopped saying that 30 someyears ago

[cyberswede]

3. Great cover!

Good for her!

[longship]

4. I always thought that MLB would be first to allow women.

It still has not happened. But when I see (and read) things like this my black (figurative) feminist heart warms.

I recently watched 42, the flick about Jackie Robinson, and can see a future baseball biopic entitled Mo'ne.

[rurallib]

6. but they did have a 'League of their Own' promoted by MLB owners

back in the WWII era. They were way ahead of their times in that regard.

[cwydro]

7. Whoa!

Recced!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. she's awesome. heard an excerpt from an interview given by her

such poise for her age. it was pretty remarkable

[VA_Jill]

11. My daughter

is a former soccer player and the mother of sons. She is totally raving about this girl.

[me b zola]

12. Throw like a girl!

She may be the one who breaks into MLB. Its passed time.

Mo'ne, we're pulling for you!

[erpowers]

13. Puts A Smile on Your Face

It is a great cover connected to a great story. I hope everything goes great for her in the future.

[AtomicKitten]

14. She's really got some skills! Turns "throws like a girl" on it's head.

[nirvana555]

16. Thanks for posting. I feel so sad today . N/T

[AtomicKitten]

18. As I am learning to do myself,

the best advice I can give you is to balance soul-crushing news or circumstance with something that makes you laugh.

Cheers

This always does it for me:

[calimary]

24. ROFLMAO!!!!!

GREAT video!!!! OMG!!!!

May I add...

[IMG][/IMG]

For those who need an extra smile at a time like this.

[AtomicKitten]

25. OMG that's hilarious!

An excellent bookend to my "atomic" kitten.

[calimary]

31. I would caption it as - "well, haven't you wondered?"

[Ineeda]

47. OMG thanks for that.

Disproves the 'cats always land on their feet' myth. That one lands on it's face....a lot. (And you go girl, Mo'ne!)

[AtomicKitten]

49. I can almost hear a cartoon soundtrack

... on the order of Wile E. Coyote.

[brer cat]

19. Sensational, Mo'ne.

Thanks for posting, Playinghardball...a welcome break from all the bad news these days.

K&R

[Tikki]

21. Our son started a SI subscription for us recently...This is one issue that goes in the vault.

Well, first in the trophy case for awhile and then into the vault.


Tikki

[mcar]

22. What a great photo!

What a wonderful and promising athlete. As the mother of two nearly grown sons, I have to say I love this generation of women. Strong, smart, ambitious.

[underpants]

26. I hope the SI curse is skipped

She is awesome

[cwydro]

27. kick

[cornball 24]

30. Mo'ne makes us proud. She is the epitome of all that is good in our world.

Watching our Taney St. Dragons and all the kids playing in Williamsport is what it's all about-hope for our future.

[etherealtruth]

32. Great photo of a totally AWESOME kid!

[toby jo]

33. Sports Illustrated getting it right with the girls.

[nomorenomore08]

36. If she's throwing 70+ already, she could be hitting the 90's by the time she's an adult.

Breaking the MLB gender barrier is a real possibility.

[lovemydog]

38. Agree.

I'm also thinking of some folks who were on the cover of SI at a young age. Ali, Woods, Magic Johnson. She's in some good company. I'm gonna watch her pitch tomorrow on tv!

[eridani]

42. Young pitchers have to be careful about overdoing it, though

Wise coaching should help her to keep from trashing her arm.

[JEB]

37. Now that is playing hardball.

Thanks for the post.

[mackerel]

39. Brilliant photo!

[lovemydog]

40. Great video

of last inning of her last game:

Final out at around 5 minute mark. Interview at around 9".

Reminder - she's pitching tomorrow (Wednesday). It should be on espn or at your neighborhood sports bar / restaurant!

[Schmice2]

43. The Sports Illustrated jinx. Too bad.

[Patiod]

53. Which is, of course, explained by odds

You feature ANYONE or ANY team, and the chances are better that they'll lose along the way than the chances that they end up at #1

Which is all my non-math-brain way of saying "Regression to the mean"
http://www.philippahuckle.com/news-and-opinions/blog/the-fallacy-of-the-sports-illustrated-jinx/

[JohnnyRingo]

44. Just caught this story a couple days ago...

What a phenom! She should rightly be proud of herself.

Thanx for posting.

[toddwv]

45. Wow...

Has baseball finally found a way to revive itself?

[Mosby]

51. she wants to play in the wnba

[SunSeeker]

46. K & R

[Patiod]

54. Thanks for posting! Philadelphia believes in Dragons right now! ALL the Dragons.

Mo'Ne is a superstar AND she has a great team behind her, which makes the story even better.

Black and white kids playing together, black and white parents working together against the handicap of crappy fields (no parking, no bathrooms, no drainage - which means mud for days after a storm) crappy practice facilities - non of the suburban comforts. Great dads coaching, great moms there for every game. Upper middle class kids and poor kids (a lot of parents can't afford hotel rooms and transportation for Williamsport), all working together and being coached to be VERY good sports and academic successes.

As someone who entered high school the year Title 9 went into effect, I'm a huge sucker for a Girl sports success story.

But right now, the story we need is the story of the TEAM and the Taney families and how they manage to put aside their differences and succeed.