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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Mamie 'Peanut' Johnson
Aired May 25, 2003 - 10:27 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Many women have made their mark in endeavors pursued mainly by men. Annika Sorenstam was the latest to break the gender barrier in sports. She didn't make the cut at the Banc of America Colonial, but she proved she could hang tough with the big boys.
And 50 years ago Mamie "Peanut" Johnson became the only woman ever to play against men in a professional baseball league. She is one of just about three at about that time. For two years, Johnson was a pitcher for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro League, and she is with us now from Washington.
Good to see you, Miss Johnson.
MAMIE "PEANUT" JOHNSON, PLAYED PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL: Good morning. Thank you for having me.
WHITFIELD: Well, you know from first-hand experience the kinds of pressures and the kind of obstacles that Annika Sorenstam experienced this past week by being in the golf tournament in Fort Worth.
But it was nothing compared to what you were up against, given the fact that you really had to prove your point, to jump up and down and scream in order to get a fair shot, didn't you? Tell me about how you can identify with that struggle.
JOHNSON: Well, actually, identifying with that struggle, it really wasn't a struggle for me because it was something that I had been doing all my life.
And to break into the major leagues, I would say the black major leagues was a wonderful thing for me, because it was something they really wanted to do, and it really wasn't hard because playing with the fellows was my thing. And I'd been doing it since I was a young lady and the more I played the better I got. The better I got, the more I wanted to play. So, you know, that was my thing at that particular time.
WHITFIELD: And is it true that at the time that you got a shot at playing, you know, in the Negro leagues, that actually you were recruited as opposed to you actually having to pursue them to be onboard. But they wanted you to play because they wanted to try and increase their fan base. But little did they know that you were a serious pitcher.
JOHNSON: Yes. That's half-way true. But...
WHITFIELD: What's the whole truth?
JOHNSON: The whole truth is that myself, Tony and Connie, we were ballplayers and my recruitment was done by a gentleman by the name of Mr. Bish Tyson, who was an old Negro League ballplayer that used to watch me when I was playing semi-pro ball.
And it was a good thing and I was really happy about that. And doing this, it enlightened me into being who I really wanted to be. So it was a good thing for me.
WHITFIELD: So it really helped for you that you had this man, you know, who was in your corner, an advocate for you, whereas in the case of Annika, initially there was a lot of criticism publicly and even privately and that was kind of one of the barriers that didn't stop her.
But in what way did you see that that kind of obstacle is really more fuel for the fight than it is, really defeat?
JOHNSON: It's really not an obstacle. It's what you want to do. And if you are able to pursue anything in life, sports or whatever it might be, pursue it.
May you know -- because you're a lady it doesn't -- or it shouldn't stop you from doing what you want to do. If you want to play sports and the only way for you to do this is to play with the fellows, I don't see anything wrong with it. And it's very bad to be rejected because you are a lady if you are able to do these things. You should be able to pursue these.
WHITFIELD: And you did it. So Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, thanks for being the trailblazer that you are and we appreciate that you joined us today. And we'll be looking for that documentary of your life story.
JOHNSON: Thank you so much for having me.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 25, 2003 - 10:27 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Many women have made their mark in endeavors pursued mainly by men. Annika Sorenstam was the latest to break the gender barrier in sports. She didn't make the cut at the Banc of America Colonial, but she proved she could hang tough with the big boys.
And 50 years ago Mamie "Peanut" Johnson became the only woman ever to play against men in a professional baseball league. She is one of just about three at about that time. For two years, Johnson was a pitcher for the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro League, and she is with us now from Washington.
Good to see you, Miss Johnson.
MAMIE "PEANUT" JOHNSON, PLAYED PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL: Good morning. Thank you for having me.
WHITFIELD: Well, you know from first-hand experience the kinds of pressures and the kind of obstacles that Annika Sorenstam experienced this past week by being in the golf tournament in Fort Worth.
But it was nothing compared to what you were up against, given the fact that you really had to prove your point, to jump up and down and scream in order to get a fair shot, didn't you? Tell me about how you can identify with that struggle.
JOHNSON: Well, actually, identifying with that struggle, it really wasn't a struggle for me because it was something that I had been doing all my life.
And to break into the major leagues, I would say the black major leagues was a wonderful thing for me, because it was something they really wanted to do, and it really wasn't hard because playing with the fellows was my thing. And I'd been doing it since I was a young lady and the more I played the better I got. The better I got, the more I wanted to play. So, you know, that was my thing at that particular time.
WHITFIELD: And is it true that at the time that you got a shot at playing, you know, in the Negro leagues, that actually you were recruited as opposed to you actually having to pursue them to be onboard. But they wanted you to play because they wanted to try and increase their fan base. But little did they know that you were a serious pitcher.
JOHNSON: Yes. That's half-way true. But...
WHITFIELD: What's the whole truth?
JOHNSON: The whole truth is that myself, Tony and Connie, we were ballplayers and my recruitment was done by a gentleman by the name of Mr. Bish Tyson, who was an old Negro League ballplayer that used to watch me when I was playing semi-pro ball.
And it was a good thing and I was really happy about that. And doing this, it enlightened me into being who I really wanted to be. So it was a good thing for me.
WHITFIELD: So it really helped for you that you had this man, you know, who was in your corner, an advocate for you, whereas in the case of Annika, initially there was a lot of criticism publicly and even privately and that was kind of one of the barriers that didn't stop her.
But in what way did you see that that kind of obstacle is really more fuel for the fight than it is, really defeat?
JOHNSON: It's really not an obstacle. It's what you want to do. And if you are able to pursue anything in life, sports or whatever it might be, pursue it.
May you know -- because you're a lady it doesn't -- or it shouldn't stop you from doing what you want to do. If you want to play sports and the only way for you to do this is to play with the fellows, I don't see anything wrong with it. And it's very bad to be rejected because you are a lady if you are able to do these things. You should be able to pursue these.
WHITFIELD: And you did it. So Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, thanks for being the trailblazer that you are and we appreciate that you joined us today. And we'll be looking for that documentary of your life story.
JOHNSON: Thank you so much for having me.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
