A new chapter in baseball history is being written this weekend, and it has a distinct New Jersey accent. Jen Pawol, a native of West Milford, is set to become the first woman to umpire a Major League Baseball game. This monumental achievement is a testament to her dedication and a powerful symbol of progress in professional sports.
Pawol, a 48-year-old from the Garden State, has been meticulously working her way up the ranks for nearly a decade. Her journey has included years in the minor leagues and two seasons umpiring spring training games, where she earned a reputation for her skill and professionalism. This weekend’s series between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves will be her official debut, a moment that will undoubtedly be celebrated by baseball fans and aspiring female officials everywhere.
Jen Pawol’s historic debut places her among a small but growing group of female trailblazers who have shattered officiating barriers in men’s professional sports. Her success is built on the foundation laid by others who dared to step into roles traditionally held by men.
- NFL: The National Football League saw its first female official, Shannon Eastin, take the field in 2012. The league later hired Sarah Thomas as its first full-season female official in 2015. Thomas went on to make history again in 2021 as the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl.
- NBA: In 1997, the National Basketball Association hired Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner, who became the first female referees in the league. Palmer’s debut was on October 31, 1997, a night that opened the door for many who would follow.
- World Cup Soccer: On a global stage, French referee Stéphanie Frappart became the first woman to be in charge of a men’s World Cup match in 2022. She was part of an all-female officiating crew that worked the match between Germany and Costa Rica.
- NCAA: The world of college basketball also saw a historic first when Melanie Davis officiated a Division I men’s tournament game in 2002.
While some leagues, like the NHL, are still working toward having a female on-ice official in a regular-season game, the progress is undeniable. The stories of these pioneering women, including our own Jen Pawol, are a powerful reminder that with talent, hard work, and determination, any barrier can be broken.
