She may not be in the MLB, but Kelsie Whitmore just made baseball history. The 23-year-old pitcher and outfielder made her professional baseball starting debut on Sunday, May 1, when she played left field for the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic Professional League. She is the first woman to start in an Atlantic League game and among the first women to play in an MLB-connected professional league.
Born in San Diego, California, Whitmore played in college for Cal State Fullerton before signing with the Staten Island FerryHawks and moving to New York.
Whitmore batted ninth in the game and went 0-2. He struck out, flew out and reached base once after taking a pitch to the arm. Defensively, he played perfectly in left field. The bottom line is that she did it: Kelsie Whitmore is a professional baseball player.
Kelsie Whitmore is a role model for future female baseball stars.
MLB Network’s “MLB Tonight” show featured Whitmore in an exclusive interview about her milestone. When she was asked about her debut, Whitmore said that she was anything but nervous.
“I wasn’t nervous,” she said. “I was excited. She felt like just another day, another day of baseball. She had been mentally visualizing everything; visualizing myself on the field, in the box, on the mound, all those different things. So I felt like I had been there before and was ready for it.”
“‘It’s an honor to be recognized by those younger girls as someone they can look up to.’ Kelsie Whitmore became the first woman to start an Atlantic League game on Sunday, and she stopped by #MLBTonight to talk about her debut! – @ MLB Network
Whitmore was then asked by the interviewer what it was like to be the first female baseball player in the Atlantic League. “You are innovative. Do you understand how important this has been? she asked.
“Yes,” she said. “It’s an honor to be able to be recognized by those younger girls as someone they can look up to.”
“As much as they tell me I inspire them, they inspire me more.”
“Kelsie Whitmore became the first woman to start an Atlantic League game” – @Baseball Bros
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Whitmore is not just a thought leader; she is also humble. She has shown women around the world that they, too, can be professional baseball players if they put their minds to it. She is a powerful social statement and could change the world of baseball forever.
Edited by Jodi Whisenhunt
