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First female umpire debuts in Major League Baseball, inspires coach's daughter

She’ll umpire games between Miami and Atlanta.

major league baseball, women's history, sports history, milestones, inspiration

Jen Pawol is making MLB history.

Photo credit: Canva/Wikimedia Commons
Erik Barnes
By Erik BarnesAug 08, 2025
Erik Barnes
See Full Bio

Jen Pawol’s first experience as an umpire came in the early 1990s when she umpired her school’s softball games for $15 per game. This marked the beginning of a long career for Pawol, who transitioned from an NCAA softball umpire from 2010 through 2016. It was then that Major League Baseball umpire Ted Barrett took her under his wing, encouraging her to attend an MLB tryout camp for umpires. Now, after calling 12,000 minor league games, Pawol makes history in 2025 by being the first woman umpire in Major League Baseball.

"I was overcome with emotion," Pawol told ESPN before her doubleheader in Atlanta. "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."

- YouTube youtu.be

"The hopes of this are that it inspires," Barrett said of his protégé. "Who knows, there'll be a young lady watching the game on TV and says, 'Hey, I'd like to try that.'"

Pawol’s inclusion into MLB’s “boy’s club” is a welcome one. For example, according to Pawol, Astros bullpen coach Javier Bracamonte told her that he has a daughter who plays sports and that it’d be good for her to see Pawol out there calling balls and strikes on a large national stage. Many other coaches and players sent out their congratulations and support.

“Baseball’s done a great job of being completely inclusive,” said Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “I’ll be watching. It’s good for the game.”

“I think if she is a good enough umpire, obviously she deserves to be here,” said Toronto pitcher Kevin Gausman.

“I love seeing the opportunity for her, and I’m happy for her,” said Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner. “I talked to her a little bit in spring training, and she seems like a great person, and I wish her all the best.”

This breakthrough caught the attention of the foundation of another MLB trailblazer, Jackie Robinson. The Jackie Robinson Foundation posted on social media, “The Jackie Robinson Museum offers a heartfelt congratulations to Jen Pawol, who will become the first woman to umpire a major league game this weekend. The trailblazing legacies of Jackie and Rachel Robinson live on through those who continue the fight for equality in today’s game.”

Pawol’s name is listed among several other women professionals who participated in men’s professional sports leagues. In 1992, Manon Rheaume was the first woman to play in the NHL for the Tampa Bay Lightning at 20 years old, and now has a son following in her footsteps as a professional player. In 1997, Violet Palmer was the first woman to referee an NBA game in a bout between the Dallas Mavericks and the Vancouver Grizzlies. In 2016, the Buffalo Bills hired Kathryn Smith as their special teams quality control coach, making her the first female full-time coach in the NFL. In 2020, Becky Hammon was the first woman to serve as head coach of an NBA team, leading the San Antonio Spurs when head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected in the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers.

@yahoosports

Jen Pawol will become the first woman to umpire in #MLB when she works this weekend's Marlins-Braves series. #baseball #umpire #women #majorleaguebaseball

Pawol may be the first female MLB umpire, but based on the league’s and the fans’ reactions, there are likely many more to come.

emotional momentfemale umpire debutfirst womanjackie robinsonjen pawolncaa softballtrailblazingumpiremlb historymlbmajor league baseball

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