Jen Pawol breaks MLB's gender barrier as 1st female umpire to work a regular-season game
Pawol's much-anticipated debut came as the first base umpire for Saturday's first game of a split doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins.
She enjoyed a quiet first inning, watching as Braves right-hander Hurston Waldrep struck out the first two batters before Agustin Ramirez lined out to third baseman Nacho Alvarez.
The Braves also were set down in order by Miami right-hander Ryan Gusto in the bottom of the first inning, with no calls from Pawol needed at first base.
As the first base umpire, Pawol's responsibility was to check Waldrep's hands for foreign substances following the inning. During that brief encounter she also appeared to receive a warm greeting from Braves catcher Sean Murphy on his way to the dugout.
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FILE: Umpire Jen Pawol participates in the lineup card exchange before the start of a spring training baseball game between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Jeff Roberson/ The Associated Press
Pawol's first real test came in the third inning when she called Braves catcher Sean Murphy safe on a close play. Replays indicated Murphy may have been out, but Marlins manager Clayton McCullough did not challenge the call.
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Pawol also showed she will make animated calls. When Miami's Xavier Edwards grounded into a double play, Pawol pumped her fist and lifted her leg when she called Edwards out in the third inning.
Pawol couldn't help but notice her debut was being watched closely. Fans responded with a warm ovation when the video board focused on the umpire between innings, forcing her to take a quick glance at her image.
Pawol will work third base in Saturday night's second game of the doubleheader. She will be in the spotlight when she calls pitches behind the plate in Sunday's final game of the series.
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There was much anticipation for her historic debut on Saturday. A crowd of photographers gathered while waiting for the umpires to walk onto the field from their entry ramp near the Marlins dugout.
McCullough and Braves bench coach Walt Weiss greeted Pawol when lineups were exchanged at home plate before the game. Pawol then jogged down the first base line. She shook hands with Marlins first base coach Tyler Smarslok before taking her position on the right field line for the first pitch.
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FILE – Umpire Jen Pawol, front right, works with students during MLB baseball umpire camp at The Diamond in Richmond, Va., June 25, 2022. Eva Russo/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP, File
Pawol said Thursday she was 'overcome with emotion' when notified she would make her Major League Baseball debut this weekend.
'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,' Pawol said.
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Pawol, 48, has been working in the minor leagues since she was assigned to the Gulf Coast League in 2016. She was assigned the Triple-A championship game in 2023 and worked spring training games in 2024 and again this year.
Pawol, who is from New Jersey, had only a few days to prepare for Saturday's doubleheader. She said she was told of her long-awaited promotion during a Wednesday conference call with director of umpire development Rich Rieker and vice president of umpire operations Matt McKendry.
Pawol was a three-time all-conference softball selection pick at Hofstra. She worked as an NCAA softball umpire from 2010-16.
Pawol's rise to make MLB history came 28 years after the NBA gender barrier for game officials was broken and 10 years after the NFL hired its first full-time female official.
The men's soccer World Cup first hired a female referee three years ago. The NHL has not had any women as on-ice officials.
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