Back to the Top News Newsfeed

Black History Month: Toni Stone Made Baseball History as the Sport’s First Professional Female Player

This February, Sports Illustrated is celebrating Black History Month by spotlighting a different iconic athlete or group of athletes every day. Today, SI looks back on the legacy of Toni Stone.

Toni Stone made baseball history by being the first female professional baseball player in history, but it was undoubtedly a difficult journey.

Not only was she generally mistreated by a Jim Crow America that denied her basic human rights, but also by her own athletic peers.

Stone wasn't allowed to change in the men's locker room and was routinely disrespected by her teammates on a day-to-day basis.