BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — A woman born in West Virginia is featured on Wednesday’s Google Doodle on Google’s homepage worldwide, paying homage to her trailblazing in baseball.
In honor of Black History Month, Google is celebrating Marcenia “Toni” Stone, who became the first woman in history to play professional baseball as a regular in a men’s major baseball league.
Stone was born in 1921 in Bluefield and later moved to St. Paul, Minnesota in 1931 and became a star on the baseball field growing up.
By the late 1930s, the all-male semi-pro Twin Cities Colored Giants broke gender convention by bringing Stone onto its roster, Google stated. In 1949, she joined the San Francisco Sea Lions, a traveling black baseball team. Stone later joined the New Orleans Creoles from 1949-1952, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum stated.
Stone would eventually get a contract with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues in 1953 to play second base. She replaced Henry Aaron, who was recruited to the Major Leagues, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum stated.
In 1993, Stone was inducted into both the Women’s Sports Hall of Fame and the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame, MLB stated. Stone died in 1996 at the age of 75.
Wednesday’s Doodle is illustrated by San Francisco, CA-based guest artist Monique Wray. Stone was inducted into the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame one year ago on Wednesday.
Batter up! ⚾️
In honor of U.S. #BlackHistoryMonth, today’s #GoogleDoodle celebrates the life & legacy of baseball phenom Marcenia “Toni” Stone—the 1st woman to play as a regular in a major men’s professional baseball league
? Guest artist @moniwray → https://t.co/I2lc4TUEI2 pic.twitter.com/TiUJjM8G4U
— Google Doodles (@GoogleDoodles) February 9, 2022
Did you know that the first woman to play professional baseball full-time was a West Virginian? Toni Stone was born in Bluefield in 1921, and went on to play baseball for the Indianapolis Clowns. Toni is featured today on the home page of @google! #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/xZWPTlqoaY
— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) February 9, 2022