One goal. Make it to the Big Leagues.
To one day play in Major League Baseball (MLB) is every Little Leaguer's dream. For Ginny Baker, it wasn't just a dream; it was a challenge. Fox's new television series, "Pitch," is an incredibly inspirational story about the first woman to rise through the ranks and play in Major League Baseball. You can watch the trailer here.
The series opens with Ginny, portrayed by Kylie Bunbury, getting called up to make her first major league appearance with the San Diego Padres. Not only is Ginny berated by the media, but she is also forced to prove herself to her teammates and coaches who only view her as a minor publicity stunt. Characters within the show compare Ginny to Jackie Robinson, for just like Jackie, she is making history by introducing MLB to the possibility of including a new demographic of people. The Padres give Ginny jersey number '43.'
Ginny struggles in her first outing as a professional baseball pitcher, succumbing to the pressures of being in the nation's spotlight and seemingly a representative for her gender. Images of young girls with posters, cheering for Ginny flash across the screen, alluding to Ginny being a newfound role model for the next generation. An old teammate, Blip Sanders (Mo Mcrae), and veteran catcher, Mike Lawson (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) help Ginny find success in her second start. Lawson, a skeptic at first, has a change of heart and gives Ginny a motivational speech on the mound, finishing with, "You can't aim your pitches if you're aiming to please everyone."
Even though the storyline is fictional, the strides that women are making in "all male" sports are all too real. A few years ago, Justine Siegal was welcomed by the Oakland Athletics organization as a guest instructor for their Instructional League Club, becoming the first female coach in professional baseball history. Women have yet to infiltrate Major League Baseball from a playing standpoint; nevertheless, this television series may be foreshadowing what is to come in the future of professional baseball.
Combining a feel-good story with dramatized trials and tribulations, "Pitch" is a must-see this fall season. Check out Fox's new series on Thursdays at 9 p.m.; you will not regret it.
