Jen Pawol made groundbreaking history as the first woman to serve as an umpire in a Major League Baseball regular-season game. This milestone occurred during Saturday’s game between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.
At 48 years old, Pawol took on the role of first-base umpire in the first game of a doubleheader, necessitated by a makeup game due to an earlier postponement. She is set to work third base in the second game and will be behind the plate for the series finale on Sunday. Pawol has been a minor league umpire since 2016 and has officiated spring training games in both 2024 and 2025.
Her emotional MLB debut came after the league officially notified her of her new role just days prior. “It was super emotional to finally be living that phone call that I’d been hoping for and working towards for quite a while, and I just felt super full,” Pawol shared. This expression of overwhelming joy highlights the significance of her achievement not only for herself but also for women in sports, paving the way for increased representation in umpiring roles.
Pawol is one of 17 current Triple-A call-up umpires eligible to fill in for MLB games, indicating a growing recognition of female officials in professional sports.
This historical event aligns with a broader trend observed in various sports, including swimming, where technical officials like Trisa Cheer-Dunn have also broken barriers, being selected to officiate at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. These advancements are instrumental in promoting diversity and inclusivity within the officiating world, encouraging more women to pursue careers in sports administration and officiating.
Both Pawol’s and Cheer-Dunn’s achievements not only inspire the next generation of female officials but also contribute to the vital discourse surrounding gender equality in sports, showcasing how diligent efforts can yield substantial changes within traditionally male-dominated fields.
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