Mone Davis, the female pitching sensation from the drama-filled, inspiring and barrier-busting 2014 Little League World Series – an unprecedented and historical showcase of Little League Baseballs young Black Knights – is not done with the sport.
Tuesday starts the baseball portion of the 2017 RBI World Series. Sixteen teams from across the United States, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic will compete for the international championship of the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program.
The most popular Little League pitcher on earth, the 16-year-old pitching icon, will hurled off a Major League mound for The Phillies RBI squad against Chicago White Sox RBI earlier today.
ESPN Stats & Info on Twitter
Mo’ne Davis’ amazing LLWS ends with the loss to Illinois. Here’s a look at her accomplishments.
Davis stepped to the hill at Great American Ball Park against a Chicago team that features several members who played on the Jackie Robinson West team that won the U.S. Title at the 2014 Little League World Series and became the centerpiece of controversy, eventually being stripped of their championship over zoning technicalities.
If you thought Davis love and talent for the sport was a brief aberration, then you thought wrong. She is still getting it in on the diamond, refusing to put down her bat and glove.
Now shes gone from balling with the boys to competing with young men. For one glorious summer, Davis was a mega celebrity, attending the most prestigious awards shows and being the focus of every sports feature. Her presence in a male-dominated sport inspired movies and an increased participation in baseball by girls all across the globe.
Mo’Ne Davis Pitches 2 Hit Shutout with 8 K’s in LLWS
Another great performance from this baseball player
It was a magical journey and when she told everyone her end game was running point for Geno Auriemma’s dynasty UConn Huskies, most assumed shed be finished with the diamond-mining at this point and focused on the pill and the hardwood. She’s already won an ESPY. How do you top that?
The Philadelphia Phillies RBI junior division team clinched their Mid-Atlantic Regional last week, thanks to a familiar golden-armed girl with unforgettable eyes and a killer pitching repertoire. Davis continues playing the game of baseball with many of her previous Tanny Dragon (Pa.) teammates now on this Phillies RBI squad.
RBI is the youth initiative administered by Major League Baseball to provide affordable playing opportunities to young people from underserved communities. Since the inception of the RBI program in 1989, MLB clubs have drafted more than 200 RBI participants, including 13 players selected overall in 2014.
Mo’Ne Davis on Twitter
wow! Dream to come true… thank you to my team, the city of Philly and Sports Illustrated @SInow for this #Thecover
Nomar Mazara, outfielder for the Texas Rangers, was a member of the Junior Division Championship team out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in the 2010 RBI World Series.
Two-way assassin Hunter Greene, who was selected 2nd overall by the Cincinnati Reds in June, is the highest drafted alumni of the RBI World Series. The highest drafted alumni of the overall RBI program is still Detroit Tigers outfielder Justin Upton, who was selected numero uno overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2005.
Greene was a member of the 2013 RBI World Series Junior Division Championship Team out of Venice Boys & Girls Club RBI.
Four alumni of the RBI World Series were drafted in the 2017 MLB Draft. In addition to Greene and Barnes, Donivan Williams (Chicago White Sox RBI 2015 RBI World Series) and Gio Arriera (Miami Marlins RBI 2014 & 2015 RBI World Series) were also selected.
The Cincinnati Reds are hosting the RBI World Series for the second and final year. The club is continuing a very generous and hospitable tradition of allowing each of the 16 baseball teams to play one game at Great American Ball Park.
Hunter Greene on Twitter
Still on cloud 9! So glad I attended the 2017 MLB Draft @MLBNetwork it was so much fun & an experience of a lifetime, thank you @MLB @Reds
Eight games will be played at Great American Ball Park in two days. The Reds have been the only Major League club in the 25 years of the RBI World Series to give every participating team this opportunity. Traditionally, only the championship games of the RBI World Series have been hosted at big league ballparks.
Chicago White Sox RBI are the defending champions of the Junior Baseball Division the first RBI World Series championship for the city of Chicago after 30 total appearances in the championship tournament. The team, which also features a high number of kids from the White Sox ACE program, has some familiar names synonymous with youth baseball in Chicago.
Members of the Jackie Robinson West Little League World Series team from 2014 include Brandon Green, Carlton (Trey) Hondras, Cameron Bufford, Marquis Jackson, Ed Howard, Josh Houston and big bopper Pierce Jones.
Pierce Jones on Twitter
My boy Trey!
Its great to see how these kids have rebounded and become the foundation pieces of various RBI programs. What that Jackie Robinson West team accomplished in 2014 is still legendary and unduplicated.
Davis dominance on the mound totally changed the way people view and accepted girls in baseball. As the cameras and the fleeting, 24-hour social media news craze dissipated, Davis returned to a relatively normal life, continuing to grow as a person and an athlete.
Its a no-brainer for MLB to have Davis be a part of the RBI programs festivities. She is as big a name as there is in youth baseball and she isn’t done writing more chapters in her pioneering life. Her presence at this RBI World Series just adds to her baseball legacy.
Mo’ne Davis Pitches Against Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy bets Mo’ne Davis a Philly cheesesteak if the Little League Baseball star pitcher can strike him out.
The Black Knight lives. The legend lives. MoNe Davis is still playing baseball and shutting cats down like a pitbull on a hot sauce diet. She’s still a girl, and she’s still just one of the boys.
