Every two years, the Olympic games take control of televisions and newspapers everywhere, delivering up-to-the-minute coverage on the winners and losers in some sports most people have never even heard of. Among that pack of muscle-bound athletes arise a few women who not only stand out in their respected sport, but also as sexy beauties. Team USA Softball pitching sensation, Jennie Finch, is at the top of the pack. Aside from a nasty, 70-mph rise ball that has burned most MLB all-stars – Seattle Mariner Mike Cameron declared that “there’s no way a girl could hit this” – Jennie also has a rocking body and a set of full, Angelina Jolie-like lips that would make any man strike out against her.
Born in La Mirada, California in 1980, Jennie played a wide range of sports before finally settling on softball. Always a pitching machine to be reckoned with, Jennie began playing at the national level by age 12; but the again, she was also throwing 59-mph softballs across the plate. In 1992, her team, the California Cruisers, only finished fourth in the ASA 12-and-under National Championship, but came back in 1993 and 1995 to win in their under-14 category. While attending high school in the mid-90’s, Jennie proved her athletic prowess by earning multiple school letters in three sports (volleyball, basketball and, of course, softball), taking her softball team to the league championships all four years and winning MVP in her final two seasons. After joining the University of Arizona softball team in 1998, Jennie earned a number of awards aside from the NCAA championship title, including two Honda Awards for the Nation’s Best Softball Player, a 2001 ESPY nomination for Best Female Collegiate Athlete and a 2002 World Championship gold medal. Putting her hard-earned Communications degree to good-use, Jennie was signed as the first female correspondent on “This Week in Baseball” with her own segment, “Pitch, Hit and Run with Jennie Finch.” Now a member of the 2004 Olympics Softball Team, a newly-formed fan base will be cheering on the blonde beauty as she fights her way through the world for the gold.
Jennie Finch on the Field
Jennie has been a sensation on the field since she was 12 years old. As a starting pitcher for her high school softball team, Jennie went 50-12, with six perfect games, 13 no-hitters, a 0.15 ERA and 784 strikeouts. Playing in a number of national championships before even reaching high school, Jennie was already one of the top college recruits when she joined the University of Arizona’s Phoenix Storm on their trip to three NCAA Women’s College World Series from 1999-2002. With a record-setting 32 wins in a season, Jennie finished off her college career with another NCAA record for most consecutive wins (60) and soon became a staple player on the USA Softball Team in 2001. As one of the best softball pitchers in the world, Jennie has also quickly risen to fame as a role model for young girls.
Jennie Says
On losing:
“I hate losing. I mean, I love winning, but losing is a much more intense feeling. When I lose, I take it very personally.”
On giving up a game-winning home run in 2000 that followed with a 60-game win streak:
“I told myself I didn’t ever want to feel that way again,” said Finch. “My goal is to never lose. That may not be realistic, but I’m going to try.”
On swearing:
“Never. Not even once. That’s one of those things that once you start, it would be very hard to stop, so I just never started.”