1. Attitude:
If President Obama is pictured as the epitome of cool, Little League baseball star Mo’ne Davis may have taken a page out of the Commander-in-Chief’s book. Calm, cool and collected, it didn’t seem to really faze Davis that she became the 18th girl to have ever suited up and play in the Little League World Series .
The first thing attached to Mo’ne Davis is attitude and her approach to the game of baseball. Davis wasn’t fazed by all the media attention she was getting and presented the kind poise poise that special athletes tend to exude when under fire.
2. Skills, baby.
Davis guided her Philadelphia Taney Youth Baseball Association Little League squad to the Pennsylvania State Championship and a berth into the Little League World Series with some serious smoke coming from her right hand. The 13-year-old Davis became the talk of the nation, even going as far as gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated, because of what she can do on the mound. A little black girl from Philly throwing heat with the acumen of a major league baseball player is not supposed to happen. Actually, it is unheard of. It helps that you have a 70-mph fastball at your disposal, which Davis has in her pitching arsenal.
3. Girl Power.
Talking about breaking down barriers. Davis did that and more when she graced the cover of Sports Illustrated. Davis became the first Little League player-male or female-to be featured on the widely acclaimed magazine. Davis is not the first girl to play in the Little League World Series. She became the 18th such entry when her Mid-Atlantic Region team claimed the last Little League World Series spot. However, being a black girl, and being a dominant pitcher that tosses strikeouts against her male peers as easily as one would eat a chocolate bar, Davis has entered into rare air in breaking down gender stereotypes.
4. The Mental Game.
It takes a special person to hold it all together when you have a target on your back. Not only are you required to hold it together, but if you’re the center of attention, you’re required to excel. Davis didn’t become the pitching ace she’s been groomed into because she’s cute. Pitchers altogether are a breed apart from the other players. You have to have a certain bravado or edge to them that gives that unbreakable swagger they possess on the mound. Davis has that pitcher’s swagger thanks to the mental approach to the game she’s embraced. To overcome scrutiny of being a girl, a young African American girl at that since blacks are hard to find in the sport of baseball, shows that Davis is mentally one tough cookie.
5. It’s in the Hair.
No, Mo’ne Davis is not your typical baseball player. Your typical baseball player is not female, black and does not possess hair that run past their shoulders. Well, like it or not, that is what you get with Davis. One of the distinctive physical attributes that gives Davis her unique look is that long, black hair embedded in braids flowing from under her baseball cap. Can we say trending cultural icon? Yes, we can.
Dennis has covered and written about politics, crime, race, sports, and entertainment. Dennis currently covers the NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA, and Olympic sports. Dennis is the editor of News4usonline.com and serves as the publisher of the Compton Bulletin newspaper. He earned a journalism degree from Howard University. Email Dennis at dfreeman@news4usonline.com
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