March 12, 2025
Provided Image/Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
South Philly native Mo'ne Davis, who became the first girl to pitch a shutout in the Little League World Series in 2014, has been honored with a sculpture at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory in Kentucky.
Mo'ne Davis rose to stardom in 2014 when she became the first girl to pitch a shutout and earn a win in the Little League World Series. Nearly 11 years later, the South Philly native is making history again with her new sculpture at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.
The baseball bat museum in Louisville, Kentucky, unveiled its statue of Davis on Wednesday. The piece depicts Davis in her signature pitching stance and wearing the uniform she wore at the age of 13 in the Little League World Series alongside her team, South Philly's Taney Dragons. Davis, who's now 23 years old, is the first non-MLB player with a sculpture at the Louisville Slugger Museum, according to a release.
Davis' sculpture joins a lineup that includes Roberto Clemente, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, Ken Griffey Jr., Derek Jeter and Hank Aaron.
"To be in this room with a lot of legends that I looked up to, that I grew up just watching and learning about and to be in here is just fantastic," Davis said Wednesday during a ceremony to unveil her sculpture. "I hope all the young kids in here never stop playing sports, never stop doing what you want to do, because ultimately me just following my dreams, me being a kid, me enjoying playing baseball has led me to be in this phenomenal museum."
During the 2014 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Davis pitched a 70 mph fastball, which would be equivalent to a 93 mph fastball in an MLB game, according to the Louisville Slugger Museum. Her dominant run on the mound led to her being awarded the ESPY for best breakthrough athlete in 2015. She also was on the cover of Time magazine in 2017 as one of the "women who are changing the world."
Mo'ne Davis, who pitched a shutout for South Philly's Taney Dragons in the 2014 Little League World Series, spoke about being honored with a sculpture in the Louisville Slugger Museum during a ceremony Wednesday.
After her run with the Dragons, Davis played softball, basketball and soccer at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. She went on to attend Hampton University in Virginia, where she played softball. Davis has said she'd like to pursue broadcasting and has appeared on ESPN as an analyst for Little League World Series games. In 2023, Davis began a master’s program in sports management at Columbia University in New York. She told MLB.com last year that she dreams of owning a professional women's sports team one day in Philadelphia.
"Mo'ne's story resonates deeply with so many of our guests, especially the young kids who visit our museum with dreams of making an impact in sports," Bailey Mazik, curator and exhibits director at the Louisville Slugger Museum, said in a release. "Her achievements remind us that greatness in the game is not limited by age or gender."
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