Mamie on the Mound: A Woman in Negro’s Baseball Leagues

Mamie Johnson began learning baseball from her uncle when she was six and quickly showed talent as a pitcher. As a child, she joined an all-white boys’ team and helped it win two division championships. After high school, segregation kept her from trying out for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. In 1953, the Indianapolis Clowns drafted her, making her one of the few women in the Negro Leagues. Her small build led to the nickname “Peanut.”