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

by Leah Henderson, George Doutsiopoulos (Illustrator)

Overview

Mamie "Peanut" Johnson had one dream: to play professional baseball. She was a talented player, but she wasn't welcome in the segregated All-American Girls Pro Baseball League due to the color of her skin. However, a greater opportunity came her way in 1953 when Johnson signed to play ball for the Negro Leagues' Indianapolis Clowns, becoming the first female pitcher to play on a men's professional team. During the three years she pitched for the Clowns, her record was an impressive 33-8. But more importantly, she broke ground for other female athletes and for women everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684467990
Publisher:	Capstone Editions
Publication date:	01/01/2023
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	491,185
Product dimensions:	7.90(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Leah Henderson was one of only two girls on a highly competitive "all-boys" traveling soccer team when she was young, so Mamie’s desire to play ball echoed her own. Leah writes for young readers of all ages, and her books include Children’s Africana Book Awards notable and Bank Street Best Books of 2017, One Shadow on the Wall. She is a mentor, and avid traveler, and her volunteer work has roots in West Africa. Leah holds an MFA in Writing and is on faculty in Spalding University’s MFA program. When she is not traveling or off playing soccer with her dog at midnight, you can find her at home in Washington, D.C.

George Doutsiopoulos graduated from the School of Economics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece in 2005, but he decided to pursue a career in illustration, his true passion. In 2006, he won a prestigious comic competition and received a three-year, full scholarship to AKTO Applied Arts College in Athens, Greece. He has created illustrations for publishing houses like Scholastic and Heinemann, gaming companies, and other companies in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He specializes in illustrations for books, children's books, board games, online games and advertising. In addition, George teaches drawing, sketching and illustration to both children and adults

Interviews

Little known story that celebrates both female athletes and trailblazing black athletes; Mamie Johnson overcame the prejudice and segregation of the 1950s to fulfill her dream of playing professional baseball; Fans of today's rising star Mo'ne Davis will love learning about a woman who preceded her; Perfect for spring promotion

Editorial Reviews

Thanks to the Ellen Klages middle grade novel Out of Left Field, I already had a rudimentary knowledge of the lives of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, Toni Stone, and Connie Morgan. Even so, this picture book focuses its attention squarely on Johnson alone from childhood to an Afterword that talks about the many honors she received late in life. Leah Henderson is having quite the year herself! Between this and The Magic in Changing Your Stars, she’s cranking out some high quality fiction and nonfiction alike. There were a number of things I liked about this book, including the ways in which Henderson eschews faux dialogue and has this extensive list of Source Notes with direct quotes, as well as a Select Bibliography for consideration. The illustrator, George Doutsiopoulos, is Greek and insofar as I can tell this may be his first book published here in the States. He better keep at it, because there’s a twinkle in Mamie’s eyes in this book that’s difficult to capture in illustration. This isn’t the first picture book bio of a Black woman in baseball, but it’s certainly one of the best you’ll find. In a league of its own.

A Fuse 8 Production, 31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 American History Titles for Kids - Elizabeth Bird

11/18/2019

In this biography of Mamie “Peanut” Johnson (1935–2017), “the first female pitcher in professional baseball,” Henderson focuses on Johnson’s determination and passion for the sport. “Swinging a tree limb for a bat, she knocked homemade balls of stone wrapped with twine and masking tape.” Playing professionally was unlikely (“She already had two strikes against her./ She was a girl./ She was black”), but barred from trying out for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League—even after Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers—she eventually landed an opportunity to pitch for the Negro League’s Indianapolis Clowns, where she earned a 33–8 record. Johnson’s grit appeals: “She would say, ‘Don’t emphasize the hardness of it,’ because she and the other players were doing what they wanted to do—playing the game they loved.” Smoothly exaggerated realism gives Doutsiopoulos’s illustrations an engaging cartoon flair. Ages 8–12. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

African American Mamie Johnson was just six years old when her uncle started to teach her about baseball and she soon proved to be a natural pitcher. Her talents were so remarkable that, as a child, she won a spot on the roster of an all-white boys’ team, helping them win two division championships. Though she was able to break the color and gender barrier as a child, Mamie was not even allowed to try out for the segregated All American Girls Professional Baseball League when she graduated from high school, despite her talent. In 1953 she was drafted by the Indianapolis Clowns, making her one of the few women to play in the Negro Leagues, and her small stature earned her the nickname “Peanut.” This well researched picture-book biography brings to life a little-known athlete who deserves much more attention and fame. (Ages 6-10)

Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

01/01/2020

PreS-Gr 4—Mamie Johnson grew up loving baseball, but she knew she wanted to do more than just watch men have all the fun. Johnson, motivated by the loving encouragement of her family, learned about the game and played alongside local boys on her family's farm in South Carolina. After moving to New Jersey, she earned her place on an all-white, all-boys Police Athletic League Team. Johnson led her team to two division championships. As she grew older, her skills and love of the game grew. After being effectively shunned at the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League tryouts, Johnson finally became a pro for the Indianapolis Clowns, a traveling Negro League team. The colorful, expressive artwork highlights Johnson's joy while also showing the oppressive racism faced by the ball player and her teammates. The afterword explains how Johnson's contributions to the sport have resonated through the years, earning recognition from Presidents Clinton and Obama. VERDICT Readers who are unfamiliar with Johnson will walk away from Henderson's thoughtfully written picture book biography as fans of this resilient, über-talented ballplayer. An important purchase for most collections.—Abby Bussen, Muskego Public Library, WI

School Library Journal

2019-10-09
Mamie "Peanut" Johnson broke gender barriers playing in the Negro League in the 1950s.

Through informative prose and muscular illustrations, Mamie emerges as both small in stature and larger than life. Standing 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighing in at 120 pounds, Mamie was frequently underestimated due to her small size and gender but consistently proved skeptics wrong with her strong right arm. She even joined the all-white, all-boys Long Branch Police Athletic League in New Jersey while still a preteen, overcoming her teammates' snickers and helping them win two championships. She was unable to prove her worth for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which denied black women the opportunity to play. On the urging of a former Negro League player, Mamie won a spot on the Indianapolis Clowns at 19, eventually pitching her way to a 33-8 record in her three-season career. The artwork deftly works with the text to provide a memorable reading experience, Mamie's enthusiasm and determination shining from every page. Images of Mamie facing down white and/or male hostility alternate with scenes of prowess and accomplishment. This compelling story of breaking barriers and perseverance is timely and essential; it will pair well with She Loved Baseball, by Audrey Vernick and illustrated by Don Tate (2010).

An incredible tribute to an African American woman who dismantled racial and gender obstacles amid the civil rights movement. (afterword, notes, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews