by Nathan Coleman

There are gifted athletes and gifted prodigies, and then there’s Chelsea Baker.  Baker is a 12 year old pitcher who could give Little League star pitcher Danny Almonte a serious run for his money.  With two perfect games under her belt and a season batting average of .568,  Baker dominates her Little League team in Plant City, Florida.

However a high batting average and two perfect games are not all this wonder girl can do.  She can throw a staggering 70 mph fastball and a knuckle ball that can dance almost as well as Kate Goslin.  The late great Joe Niekro played an integral part in her life and was the wizard behind teaching her the nasty knuckle ball.

“I bugged him to teach me because I could never hit that knuckle ball when he would throw it to me in batting practice,” said Baker.  “He always said it was a secret, but he finally taught me, and we worked on it a lot.”

When asked how they would like to have a girl pitching on the Danville baseball team, several players commented. Pitcher, Mitch Renz said, “Baseball is a boy’s sport.  It is only meant to be played by boys, or men and softball is for the women.”

“I would be afraid of her,” added junior Zach Russell, pitcher and first baseman.

“I would have to see it,” said skeptical pitcher Nick Loeb.  “It’s very impressive though.”

Even though Joe Neikro passed away from an aneurysm, his legacy lives on through Chelsea Baker,  the young girl who knows his secret.