Swinging into History

Marcenia “TOMBOY” Stone loved nothing more than baseball. But her parents wanted her to twirl in ice skates, not steal bases in cleats. When their local priest convinced Tomboy’s parents she could play for the church team, she got her chance! Her coaches and teammates made her feel unwelcome because she was Black and a girl. But unstoppable Tomboy ignored their taunts, learned the rule book better than her teammates, and scored runs. When Tomboy grew up, she changed her name to Toni, and her passion for baseball never faded. Because of her grit and determination, Toni made it all the way to the Negro Leagues, replacing Hank Aaron on the Indianapolis Clowns.

In Swinging into History, Karen Swanson’s fast-paced text brings readers right onto the ballfield as Toni Stone knocks it out of the park—the first woman signed to play professional baseball in the big leagues.

“Everything in this book is true to the fact. It beautifully captures my Aunt Toni’s fighting spirit and fierce determination.”—Maria Bartlow, Toni Stone’s niece