For more than a century, MLB has been a stage for unforgettable plays and evolving traditions. The game has seen rule changes, new technology, and shifting strategies. But one aspect of the sport has remained frozen in time. In all its long and storied history, stretching back over 100 years, no regular-season MLB game was ever officiated by a woman.

But that changed on Saturday afternoon during Game 1 of the Marlins–Braves series. The crowd may not have fully realized the magnitude of the moment at first. But at first base stood Jen Pawol, mask in hand and ready to call the game. As she crouched into position, she wrote a chapter of the sport’s history.

As Pawol was officiating the game, no one seemed happier than the veteran umpire Chris Guccione, who expressed his emotions in the post-game presser! “This is one of the proudest moments I’ve been a part of in all my career,” he said, before further adding, “I’ve been blessed with working playoffs, I’ve worked two World Series, All-Star Games, and this one is right up there. It gives me chills just thinking about it and the magnitude… I was just sitting here going, it just kind of hit me, the magnitude of this whole thing and how hard she’s worked…”

Well, Guccione knew exactly how big this day was. Not just for Pawol, but for umpires everywhere. While Guccione officiated some of the biggest MLB events since 2000, he admitted that the introduction of the first female umpire gave him the chills! “I have a daughter, and she was so excited to meet Jen. This is just a great role model for girls and women out there, and I’m so proud of her,” Guccione remarked.

Jen Pawol, now 48, has been working as a professional umpire for 10 seasons, starting out in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League back in 2016. In 2023, she became the first woman to umpire a Triple-A championship. In 2024, she made more history, becoming the first woman since 2007 to umpire a Spring Training game. Later that year, she earned a spot on MLB’s Umpire Call-Up list.

Quite a journey, isn’t it?

Jen Pawol savored every bit of the special occasion

Pawol took the field as a base umpire for the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader between the Marlins and the Braves. And notably, she made her first official MLB out call, ruling Marlins hitter Liam Hicks out on a grounder. But what truly struck her was the atmosphere in the stadium. The buzz of the crowd and the energy pulsing through reminded her exactly why she fell in love with the game in the first place.

“Just incredible,” she said. “The dream actually came true today, and I’m still living in it.” Well, Pawol savored every second of the occasion. She was surrounded by a sea of support. More than 30 personal guests were in the stands for Saturday’s game alone. A mix of friends, family, and colleagues who had watched her journey unfold. That group included current MLB players, managers, fellow umpires, and an inspiring lineup of women from both inside the game and beyond it.

And then there was the pregame moment. How many games have you seen the MLB crowd rise to its feet, delivering a standing ovation to welcome a debutant umpire? But then again, Jen Pawol isn’t just any umpire. She’s blazing her own trail.