Jen Pawol made history as the first woman to umpire a regular-season Major League Baseball (MLB) game.
Pawol was the first base umpire in the opening game of the doubleheader between the Braves and Marlins in Atlanta.
There was a lot of anticipation for his historic debut, with a crowd of photographers gathered waiting for the umpires to enter the field from their entrance ramp near the Marlins dugout.
Pawol was scheduled to work third base in the second game of the doubleheader.
The 48-year-old described being “overwhelmed with emotion” when she was informed by the league of her MLB debut.
“It was super emotional to finally experience that phone call that I had been hoping for and working towards for quite a while, and I felt really fulfilled,” Pawol said.
Jen Pawol was the first base umpire in the opening game of the doubleheader between the Braves and Marlins. (Getty Images: Brett Davis)
Pawol has been working in the minor leagues since being assigned to the Gulf Coast League in 2016.
She participated in the Triple-A championship game in 2023, as well as spring training in 2024 and this year.
Pawol, a New Jersey native, had just a few days to prepare for the doubleheader.
She was a three-time all-conference selection in softball at Hofstra University in New York and worked as a softball umpire in the NCAA from 2010-2016.
Pawol is one of 17 current Triple-A umpires eligible to fill in in MLB games.
Her rise to make MLB history came 28 years after the NBA’s gender barrier for game officials was broken and 10 years after the NFL hired its first full-time female official.
The men’s World Cup hired a female referee for the first time three years ago. The NHL has had no women as on-ice officials.
AP/Reuters
