Jennie Finch - Legacy

Legacy

Finch was the most dominant and recognizable softball pitcher of her era. Combined with her pitching skills, Finch's beauty and charm landed her a place in the mainstream to become a pop culture icon. "She set the standard for softball in a new era of being able to be feminine and play this sport," U.S. outfielder Jessica Mendoza said. "Not that you have to be feminine to play this sport, but I see hundreds of thousands of little girls now with glitter headbands, hot pink bats, makeup....when I was growing up, it wasn't like that." According to Mike Candrea, her coach at Arizona and through two Olympics, "Jennie has transformed this sport, touched millions of young kids in many different ways - whether it's fashion, whether it's the way she plays the game - but through it all she's been very humble." A Chicago Tribune editorial commented, "She leaves with a spotless personal reputation, an intent to keep promoting softball, and the knowledge that she has inspired other girls and women who play for the love of the game."