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Throughout Major League Baseball's history, every single umpire that has ever called a game has been male. Until Saturday afternoon. Jen Pawol made MLB history as the first woman to umpire a game when she helped call the Atlanta Braves' series opener against the Miami Marlins. After the game, Pawol made a donation that will immortalize her in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Pawol and her crew called a clean game as the Braves blew out the Marlins 7-1. While Jurickson Profar made the play of the day for Atlanta, the umpires calling the game were the one who made headlines. Pawol and the rest of the MLB umpires have spoken about how important a game her debut was for a while. Now that history was made, the Baseball Hall of Fame will honor it.
After the game ended, Pawol met with a representative from the Hall of Fame. Upon request, the umpire donated her cap to the Hall of Fame, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi. It joins artifacts from throughout the history of baseball. However, this one carries a special importance. Pawol is the first woman to umpire an MLB game, but she is far from the last.
As Pawol worked her way up to the major leagues, the baseball world applauded her dedication. MLB hopes her success will inspire other women to follow in her footsteps and bring more diversity into the game.
The Marlins and Braves entered the doubleheader with different perspectives on the season. On one hand, Atlanta made moves just before the series began as they try to find their way into the playoff picture. Miami, on the other hand, has all but thrown in the towel. Despite their differing perspectives, players from both sides interacted with Pawol and congratulated her.
Pawol's debut is a big step for MLB. Now, her cap will sit in the Hall of Fame as a memento of the day where umpiring underwent a change for the better.
