The lady who showed a generation of girls you don't have to be a tomboy to play softball just played her last international game. Jennie Finch & team U.S.A. beat Japan tonight 5-1 to win the world cup of softball in Oklahoma City.
I had the privilege to watch her play here in Tucson at the University of Arizona for four years. The buzz when she showed up in 1999 was amazing & had less to do with her dropball than her drop dead good looks. At 6'2" with the long blonde ponytail, she looked like a Barbie doll in cleats. She became an instant icon to thousands of girls. As her team U.S.A. teammate Jessica Mendoza put it,
"She set the standard for softball in a new era of being able to be feminine and play this sport," U.S. outfielder Jessica Mendoza said. "Not that you have to be feminine to play this sport, but I see hundreds of thousands of little girls now with glitter headbands, hot pink bats, makeup. I'm not saying that every girl has to do that but when I was growing up, it wasn't like that.
"She has created a new era of softball player, and it's for those softball players -- those little girls out there -- that want to be cutesy with the bows and the glitter and still be that dirty jock. Covered head to toe in dirt but she's got her hair all perfect with a bow."
Jennie pitched a perfect 32-0 season for the Arizona Wildcats in 2001 leading them to the national championship. She also pitched for the 2004 gold medal & 2008 silver medal Olympic teams. She wasn't just a pretty face.
Jennie Finch always had time to talk & sign autographs, especially for the little girls that idolized her here. I've seen her here at Hillenbrand (the UofA softball complex) a few times with her son ace standing out by the right field bullpen talking to old teammates with her son, Ace. I've never seen her big time anyone.
Nice person, beautiful lady, great ballplayer. After she finishes her commitment to the Chicago pro fastpitch team next month, she says she is retiring from playing. She'll be missed.