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Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 09 Aug 2025 16:11 pm
by 11WSChamps
Just curious if someone knows how many women have entered the minor league training program and when they started doing so?
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 09 Aug 2025 17:27 pm
by imetsatchelpaige
11WSChamps wrote: ↑09 Aug 2025 16:11 pm
Just curious if someone knows how many women have entered the minor league training program and when they started doing so?
I did not. I do now:
Major League Baseball's official umpire training programs have seen women participate for some time, with recent examples including Jen Pawol attending an MLB tryout camp in August 2015. She subsequently received an invitation to the Umpire Training Academy at Vero Beach, Florida, before starting her professional career in the Gulf Coast League in 2016.
However, women's aspirations to umpire in professional baseball, including MLB-affiliated systems, predate this. Notably, Pam Postema applied and was accepted into the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in 1976 after initial rejections, and went on to umpire MLB Spring Training games in 1988. Bernice Gera also attended an umpire training school in 1967.
Based on the latest available information, eight women are currently umpiring in Minor League Baseball, according to MLB.com. Minor League Baseball is the primary training ground for umpires hoping to reach Major League Baseball (MLB).
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 09 Aug 2025 17:56 pm
by 11WSChamps
imetsatchelpaige wrote: ↑09 Aug 2025 17:27 pm
11WSChamps wrote: ↑09 Aug 2025 16:11 pm
Just curious if someone knows how many women have entered the minor league training program and when they started doing so?
I did not. I do now:
Major League Baseball's official umpire training programs have seen women participate for some time, with recent examples including Jen Pawol attending an MLB tryout camp in August 2015. She subsequently received an invitation to the Umpire Training Academy at Vero Beach, Florida, before starting her professional career in the Gulf Coast League in 2016.
However, women's aspirations to umpire in professional baseball, including MLB-affiliated systems, predate this. Notably, Pam Postema applied and was accepted into the Harry Wendelstedt Umpire School in 1976 after initial rejections, and went on to umpire MLB Spring Training games in 1988. Bernice Gera also attended an umpire training school in 1967.
Based on the latest available information, eight women are currently umpiring in Minor League Baseball, according to MLB.com. Minor League Baseball is the primary training ground for umpires hoping to reach Major League Baseball (MLB).
I do remember the Postema name and I believe their being a story about that at the time.
Just saw a news story about Pawol and seeing the smile on her face was pretty cool.
It said she did over 1200 minor league games before getting the call up.
That's dedication.
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 09 Aug 2025 18:52 pm
by Absolut
Can she pitch? Asking for a friend.
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 09 Aug 2025 18:57 pm
by desertrat23
Absolut wrote: ↑09 Aug 2025 18:52 pm
Can she pitch? Asking for a friend.
They wanted to put her behind the plate for this game, but since none of the Cardinals’ pitches have made it across the plate before getting hit it wasn’t a good test of her ability.
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 09 Aug 2025 19:00 pm
by DJ Davis
Cool, great step in the right direction.
Now when are we getting the first female players?
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 10 Aug 2025 11:08 am
by imetsatchelpaige
desertrat23 wrote: ↑09 Aug 2025 18:57 pm
Absolut wrote: ↑09 Aug 2025 18:52 pm
Can she pitch? Asking for a friend.
They wanted to put her behind the plate for this game, but since none of the Cardinals’ pitches have made it across the plate before getting hit it wasn’t a good test of her ability.
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 11 Aug 2025 12:01 pm
by Lloyd Braun
The token DEI hire was awful behind the plate.
Missing the first pitch by 8 inches
She ranked 13th out of 15 HP umpires in her first game and was below league average. Pathetic.
Let's celebrate all the progress that was made
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 11 Aug 2025 12:05 pm
by desertrat23
Lloyd Braun wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 12:01 pm
The token DEI hire was awful behind the plate.
Missing the first pitch by 8 inches
She ranked 13th out of 15 HP umpires in her first game and was below league average. Pathetic.
Let's celebrate all the progress that was made
Tell me you have an ex-wife without telling me you have an ex-wife.
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 11 Aug 2025 12:25 pm
by Goldfan
This is like when ESPN had the gal on their Sunday night braodcast…..Why???
She’s there to be an analyst…..her experience is telling how she did things playing SOFTBALL…..Not the same sport
No experience on the baseball diamond and certainly not close to anything MLB
But hey…..Breaking down those walls……
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 11 Aug 2025 12:31 pm
by Bad14
Goldfan wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 12:25 pm
This is like when ESPN had the gal on their Sunday night braodcast…..Why???
She’s there to be an analyst…..her experience is telling how she did things playing SOFTBALL…..Not the same sport
No experience on the baseball diamond and certainly not close to anything MLB
But hey…..Breaking down those walls……
She umpires better than you write.
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 11 Aug 2025 12:35 pm
by Goldfan
Bad14 wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 12:31 pm
Goldfan wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 12:25 pm
This is like when ESPN had the gal on their Sunday night braodcast…..Why???
She’s there to be an analyst…..her experience is telling how she did things playing SOFTBALL…..Not the same sport
No experience on the baseball diamond and certainly not close to anything MLB
But hey…..Breaking down those walls……
She umpires better than you write.
Thats not saying much
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 11 Aug 2025 13:49 pm
by Lloyd Braun
desertrat23 wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 12:05 pm
Lloyd Braun wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 12:01 pm
The token DEI hire was awful behind the plate.
Missing the first pitch by 8 inches
She ranked 13th out of 15 HP umpires in her first game and was below league average. Pathetic.
Let's celebrate all the progress that was made
Tell me you have an ex-wife without telling me you have an ex-wife.
Sorry to disappoint, but not divorced. But I probably have F'd your wife.
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 11 Aug 2025 14:07 pm
by desertrat23
Lloyd Braun wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 13:49 pm
desertrat23 wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 12:05 pm
Lloyd Braun wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 12:01 pm
The token DEI hire was awful behind the plate.
Missing the first pitch by 8 inches
She ranked 13th out of 15 HP umpires in her first game and was below league average. Pathetic.
Let's celebrate all the progress that was made
Tell me you have an ex-wife without telling me you have an ex-wife.
Sorry to disappoint, but not divorced. But I probably have F'd your wife.
She's not that desperate.
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 11 Aug 2025 14:15 pm
by fullswing
Goldfan wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 12:25 pm
This is like when ESPN had the gal on their Sunday night braodcast…..Why???
She’s there to be an analyst…..her experience is telling how she did things playing SOFTBALL…..Not the same sport
No experience on the baseball diamond and certainly not close to anything MLB
But hey…..Breaking down those walls……
She kept calling Gorman “Norman Gorman” and that’s what I’ve been calling him ever since.
Re: First woman umpire debuts
Posted: 11 Aug 2025 14:35 pm
by Ozziesfan41
Goldfan wrote: ↑11 Aug 2025 12:25 pm
This is like when ESPN had the gal on their Sunday night braodcast…..Why???
She’s there to be an analyst…..her experience is telling how she did things playing SOFTBALL…..Not the same sport
No experience on the baseball diamond and certainly not close to anything MLB
But hey…..Breaking down those walls……
They had better fire the male analysts who never played MLB baseball also then