The Amazing Life of Mamie ‘Peanut’ Johnson

By Walter J. O’Neill, Jr.

A STRONG RIGHT ARM: THE STORY OF MAMIE “PEANUT” JOHNSON, written by Michelle Y. Green.

As we close out Black History Month, I wanted to highlight Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, who was a graduate of Long Branch High School 1949, but many have no idea what this amazing woman accomplished.

She was born on September 27, 1935 to Della Belton Havelow and Gentry Harrison in Ridgeway, South Carolina. Just after her birth, her parents separated, both moving out of state. Her mom, went to Washington, D.C. to work and Mamie stayed with her grandmother. While growing up in South Carolina, Mamie said she would throw rocks at birds, which developed arm speed and accuracy in her throws.

Her grandmother passed away when Mamie was eight years old, then she moved to Long Branch, and lived with her aunt and uncle. While living in New Jersey, Mamie found that baseball was very natural to her and she had the opportunity to play with young women and men. Her athletic career in baseball took off after she joined the Police Athletic League and was allowed to play organized baseball with boys.

After she graduated from Long Branch High School, she attended New York University. She also continued her baseball career playing with the St. Cyprian recreation team in Washington D.C. When she was 17 years old, she went to try out for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Unfortunately, she was denied a tryout despite her amazing skills, all because she was not white.

Her skill level didn’t go unnoticed, as she was offered a try out with the Indianapolis Clowns. They were the very first professional baseball team to hire female players to long-term contracts. Hank Aaron had his start with the Clowns.

In 1954 the Clowns signed Mamie “Peanut” Johnson to pitch. She had a professional record of 33-8 as a Clown and was hitting between .262 to .284. Mamie earned the nickname “Peanut” as she was only 5’3” tall and weighed 98 pounds. But her size was deceptive as she had a tremendous fastball, and threw a slider, circle changeup, curveball and screwball. The famous Satchel Page taught her his techniques for throwing the curveball.

It was said that Hank Baylis of the Kanas City Monarchs gave Mamie the nickname. During a game she threw a hard strike at Baylis. He stepped out of the batter’s box, looked to the pitchers mound seeing Mamie and said; “Why, that little girl’s no bigger than a peanut. I ain’t afraid of her.” Mamie then struck him out.

Mamie only played professional baseball for two years. At the young age of 19, she left the game to earn a nursing degree from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. She had a 30-year career in nursing working at Sibley Hospital in Washington, D.C.  when she retired from nursing, Mamie worked as the manager of the gift shop at the Negro Leagues gift shop in Maryland.

Two books were written about Mamie, “A Strong Right Arm” and “Mamie on the Mound” both geared for children.

In 1999, Mamie was a guest of President Clinton at the White House. She was also recognized by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kanas City.

June 5, 2008, Mamie and several other players from the Negro League era were symbolically drafted by the Major League Baseball. Mamie was selected by the Washington Nationals. In 2015, a Little League was formed in Washington, D.C., and named after her.

Mamie passed away on December 18, 2017 in Washington, D.C., of a heart attack. Her hometown of Ridgeway named a street after her.