Mo'ne Davis facts for kids
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Davis at the 2014 National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Mo'ne Ikea Davis |
| Nickname(s) | Mo |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | June 24, 2001 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Height | 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 m) (2014) |
| Weight | 111 pounds (50 kg) (2014) |
| Other interests | Basketball, soccer |
| Sport | |
| Country | United States |
| Sport | Baseball, softball |
| Position | Pitcher (baseball) Second baseman (softball) |
| University team | Hampton Lady Pirates |
| League | Little League (baseball) Big South Conference (softball) |
| Club | Anderson Monarchs Taney Youth Baseball Association |
| Updated on March 1, 2020. | |
Mo'ne Ikea Davis (born June 24, 2001) is an American former Little League Baseball pitcher. She also played softball for Hampton University. Mo'ne is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
She became famous for being one of only two girls to play in the 2014 Little League World Series. She was the first girl ever to win a game and throw a shutout in the history of the Little League World Series. She was also the first Little League baseball player to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.
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Mo'ne Davis's Life Story
Mo'ne Davis is the daughter of Lamar Davis and Lakeisha McLean. She has lived with her mother and stepfather, Mark Williams, since she was six years old.
How Mo'ne Started Playing Sports
In 2008, a sports program director named Steve Bandura saw Mo'ne playing football. He asked her to come to a basketball practice. Mo'ne was very focused and quickly learned the drills. She became Bandura's best basketball player and the only girl on the team. She also started playing baseball and soccer, showing great talent in all of them.
Mo'ne's School and Sports Goals
With help from Bandura and others, Mo'ne transferred to Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. Her mother was surprised by how athletic Mo'ne was. By 2011, Mo'ne was a point guard in basketball and played pitcher, shortstop, and third baseman in baseball. She also played mid-fielder in soccer.
Even though she was known for her baseball pitching, Mo'ne considered basketball her main sport. She dreamed of playing in the WNBA. She hoped to play college basketball for the UConn Huskies, following in the footsteps of Maya Moore.
Life After Little League
In 2015, Mo'ne wrote a book called Mo'ne Davis: Remember My Name with Hilary Beard. That same year, she worked with the brand M4D3 to create a line of sneakers for girls. Some of the money from the sales helped the Plan International’s Because I Am a Girl program. This program helps girls in developing countries.
In 2018, Mo'ne decided to play softball at Hampton University in Virginia. She started playing for the Lady Pirates in February 2020. She played well, getting hits and helping her team win. She was a strong infielder for the team. In 2023, Mo'ne began studying at Columbia University.
Mo'ne's Amazing Pitching Skills
When Mo'ne was 13, she could throw a fastball at 70 miles per hour (110 km/h). This was very fast for her age group. For a batter, a 71 miles per hour (114 km/h) pitch from Mo'ne was like facing a 93 miles per hour (150 km/h) pitch on a bigger baseball field! She also had a great curveball that was hard for batters to hit.
Mo'ne's pitching was special because she focused on perfect movements, not just strength. Her arm movements were very precise. Even though her arm was shorter than a professional pitcher's, she could throw the ball over 70 miles per hour (110 km/h). Experts compared her throwing style to that of major league pitcher Jonathan Papelbon.
Mo'ne Davis at the Little League World Series
Girls Playing Little League Baseball
In 1972, Maria Pepe was the first girl to start playing in Little League games. But she was told to stop playing. The National Organization for Women went to court to help Maria. In 1973, a judge ruled that girls should be allowed to play Little League baseball. This ruling made it possible for girls like Mo'ne Davis to play.
Mo'ne was the fourth American girl and the 18th girl overall to play in the Little League World Series. This tournament started in 1947. The 2014 Little League World Series was also special because two girls played in it. Mo'ne was the sixth girl to get a hit in the tournament's history.
On August 10, 2014, Mo'ne pitched a great game. She threw a three-hit shutout, meaning the other team didn't score any runs. This win helped her team get into the Little League World Series.
First Win for a Girl Pitcher
On August 15, 2014, Mo'ne Davis made history. She became the first girl in Little League World Series history to pitch a winning game for her team, the Taney Dragons. She also became the first girl to pitch a shutout in the Little League postseason.
Her team won 4–0 against Nashville. Mo'ne pitched for six innings, striking out eight batters. She only allowed two hits. After the game, Pennsylvania's governor, Tom Corbett, said he believed she would play professional baseball someday.
Mo'ne's Impact on TV Viewers
When Mo'ne played in the semifinals game on August 20, 2014, ESPN's broadcast had a huge audience. It was the most-watched Little League game ever on ESPN at that time.
Mo'ne Davis in the Media Spotlight
After her historic shutout, Mo'ne received many messages from famous athletes like Mike Trout and Kevin Durant. TV hosts like Jimmy Fallon wanted to interview her. Many famous people, including Ellen DeGeneres, Billie Jean King, and Michelle Obama, praised her. Mo'ne told ESPN, "I never thought at the age of 13 I'd be a role model. I always wanted to be a role model, but being a baseball role model is really cool."
She appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine on August 25, 2014. This made her the first Little League baseball player to be on the front cover of a major US sports magazine. Mo'ne said she was "kind of surprised" but thought it was "fun."
In 2014, the Little League World Series announcer, Paul Graziano, said he had never seen so much excitement so early in the tournament. He felt this was partly because of Mo'ne. Crowds cheered loudly every time Mo'ne pitched or batted. She even received standing ovations during her shutout win.
A professor of sports management, Mark Hyman, said in August 2014 that Mo'ne was "the most talked-about baseball player on earth right now." Her presence helped increase TV ratings for ABC and ESPN.
Mo'ne Davis as a Broadcaster
Mo'ne Davis has also worked as a broadcaster for ESPN. She helped announce some Little League World Series games in 2019 and 2021. She has also appeared on baseball and softball shows for the MLB Network. In the summer of 2022, Mo'ne was one of the announcers for the DC Grays.
Interesting Facts About Mo'ne Davis
- In September 2014, Mo'ne donated her jersey to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- In October 2014, Time magazine named Mo'ne one of "The 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014."
- A 16-minute documentary about Mo'ne, called I Throw Like a Girl, was released in October 2014. It was directed by Spike Lee.
- On October 25, 2014, Mo'ne threw out the first pitch of Game 4 of the MLB World Series in San Francisco.
- Mo'ne was named Sports Illustrated Kids' "SportsKid of the Year" for 2014. She was also named one of ESPNW's Impact 25 in 2014.
- Marie Claire magazine featured Mo'ne in its "The 8 Greatest Moments for Women in Sports."
- In July 2015, Mo'ne won the Best Breakthrough Athlete ESPY Award.
- On March 12, 2025, a statue of Mo'ne Davis was shown at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. This made her the first person who wasn't a Major League Baseball player to have a statue there.
Mo'ne Davis Quotes
- "Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone deserves a second chance."
- "If I just keep being myself, then a lot of opportunities will come for me."
