Pitch: Changing the Game of Television

By: Kelsey Juntwait

Girls are placed into a box on television. A box dictated by stronger male characters. A box with limited success and a box that is clichéd, irritating and old news. I, for one, am sick of it. It’s causing doubt and making us question what our purpose is. It’s allowing men to disregard our strength, our power and our passion. This year so far has proved that show after show played into incessant tropes, female protagonists were overshadowed by males and originality lacked. Business as usual, it seemed. That was until “Pitch” came along as a new FOX drama telling the story of Ginny Baker (Kylie Bunbury), the first woman to play professional ball in the MLB. Its premiere gained steady attention from the media and just as viewers began losing hope in the promise of strong narratives and diverse characters, they received a show years overdue. Like Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over” and “Pitch” is proving that by bringing life back to TV.

Pitch Series Premiere Steps Up to the Plate With A Huge Hit

Pitch Premiere Recap: A Decent First At-Bat

FOX Hits a Home Run With New Baseball Drama

These are just a few article titles found online after its September 22nd premiere. Everywhere you look, it’s clear this show hit it out of the park. Baseball puns aside though, “Pitch” isn’t just good – it’s necessary. It’s sending girls a message: we are strong, we are athletic, we are resilient and we are worthy. It’s redefining female character arcs, throwing a curve ball to an audience exhausted of monotony.

While most feedback about the show was good, some people wouldn’t accept it. The belief that a female will never make it the MLB is still proving to be prevalent as the Twitter account for Major League Baseball on Fox (@MLBONFOX) took a bit of backlash while live tweeting the premiere. “This will never happen and probably is not a good show. I am not watching,” one user said and @MLBONFOX responded with “You should give it a try.” Other users were just responding “stop” and “delete your account” to tweets centered on Ginny Baker’s fearless journey. @MLBONFOX had a simple and supportive answer for those critical comments – “No.”

Here’s the thing. I grew up with baseball. My earliest memory is of my dad standing in front of the television yelling at an umpire who made a bad call. I played on an all boys t-ball team. I moved up to slow pitch softball, which turned into fast pitch softball. I was chosen for an All-Star league, playing with girls much older than my middle school aged self. I loved it. I was good at it. I wasn’t Ginny Baker good, but I was good. Something changed, though. The summer going into high school I moved. I was switching schools at the awkward and vulnerable age of fourteen. I had every intention to try out for the softball team. I was excited and ready to immerse myself in something familiar – something I knew. Standing on that pitchers mound, bases loaded, gripping the thread on that softball. The week of tryouts, a rumor started going around my new school that the softball team was made up of “a bunch of dykes.” That was eleven years ago and I still remember hearing those words like they are now engraved in my skin, burned in my brain. So, that’s where my softball career ended – by the simple words of an all too powerful voice.

Looking back, I highly regret that. I let thoughtless, insignificant and ignorant opinions ruin something I loved. But those were the opinions I heard on a daily basis. Those were the opinions most people had and were etched into our minds from characters we looked up to on television such as Brooke Davis on “One Tree Hill” and Marissa Cooper on “The OC.” Female characters were ditzy cheerleaders, slutty partiers or boy obsessed. Where were the female characters telling me that it’s okay to be strong, resilient and athletic? Where were the female characters telling me to ignore the comments of the others? Maybe this is why I need “Pitch” to be there for that awkward fourteen year old who wants to follow their dream, but who needs someone to inspire them.

Ginny Baker is that someone. The show follows her story of struggle, hard work and triumph at becoming the first woman to play for the majors. It’s a coming of age story, yes, but in a way that’s never been done before. Dan Fogelman, executive producer, told reporters “It’s not just about baseball, it’s a show that takes place in the world of baseball,” allowing any viewer to relate to this story. Fogelman’s wife, after watching the pilot, joked “Holy shit! You actually made me care about baseball.” The idea was to create a show that’s not overpowering to an assorted audience.

“Pitch” is a story about possibility – what once was impossible is not anymore. Without giving away any spoilers, the show’s main focus seems to be Ginny’s growth and acceptance in a field crowded with men. It also features her relationships with her father (Michael Beach) and her teammates which takes center stage and gives a solid foundation for a highly anticipated season. We’re going to see the blood, sweat and tears that shape success. We’re going to see struggle and defeat, but from that breeds growth. We’re going to see strength, resilience and power and we’re going to watch Ginny Baker change history and achieve greatness.

“Pitch” knocked it out of the park…for now. We’re ahead, but it’s only the first inning. There’s an entire game ahead of us. There’s an entire season to win. I want “Pitch” to change the way writers and producers think. I want them to enter the game with talent in the dugout and tricks up their sleeve. Every show should have a “screwball” ready to shock an audience. With shows like “Pitch” mixing up television norms with progressive and diverse stories, I hope other shows follow and realize its importance. I hope, one day, I’m not even writing about things like this. I hope a female professional ball player isn’t news at all. I hope when I quote Berra’s, “The future ain’t what it used to be,” it’s because the future is full of brave, persistent, athletic women who recognize their worth.