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ATLANTA – When Jen Pawol steps onto the field at Truist Park this weekend, she will be making history as the first female umpire to work a regular-season Major League Baseball game. She will handle the bases in Game 1 of the Atlanta Braves-Miami Marlins doubleheader before moving behind the plate for Sunday’s series finale.
Pawol expressed her emotions when she found out about the opportunity, saying, “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 — I feel like a fully charged battery ready to go.”
Her journey to this point was a long one, starting in 2016 when she began umpiring baseball in Rookie ball after years of calling NCAA softball games. She worked her way through various minor league levels before finally reaching Triple-A in 2023. Pawol’s call-up to MLB makes her the third female official in the “Big Four” men’s professional sports leagues, following Violet Palmer’s NBA debut in 1997 and Sarah Thomas’ NFL debut in 2015.
During her debut weekend, Pawol will have about 30 family members and friends in the stands to witness her historic moment. She has received congratulations from fellow umpires who paved the way for her, showing that her achievement is a result of hard work and dedication.
OutKick will be covering Pawol’s first three MLB games at Truist Park, highlighting her remarkable journey to the big leagues.
In a world where symbolism often overshadows merit, Jen Pawol’s story serves as a reminder that perseverance and determination still hold value. She has earned her place in MLB through hard work and dedication, proving that she belongs in the big leagues.
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