By Stanley Ugagbe
The growing list of women making history across the globe has again appreciated as United States’ Baseball team; Miami Marlins have hired Kim Ng to be their next general manager, making her the first female GM in the history of Major League Baseball.
The history maker, Ng in a swift reaction, said “After decades of determination, it is the honor of my career to lead the Miami Marlins”
“When I got into this business, it seemed unlikely a woman would lead a major league team, but I am dogged in the pursuit of my goals. My goal is now to bring championship baseball to Miami.”
The Marlins said the 51-year-old is believed to be the first female general manager for a men’s team in a major professional sport in North America.
Official records have it that she has worked as the senior vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner’s office since 2011, reporting directly to Joe Torre. She previously worked in the front offices of the Los Angeles Dodgers (2002-2011), New York Yankees (1998-2001) and Chicago White Sox (1990-1996).
Records have it that Marlins CEO Derek Jeter played for the Yankees when Ng worked for them. The team won the World Series in three of her four years with the club.
In a statement, Jeter said “We look forward to Kim bringing a wealth of knowledge and championship-level experience to the Miami Marlins”
“Her leadership of our baseball operations team will play a major role on our path toward sustained success.
“Additionally, her extensive work in expanding youth baseball and softball initiatives will enhance our efforts to grow the game among our local youth as we continue to make a positive impact on the south Florida community.”
Reports have it that the history maker started her baseball career as a White Sox intern and rose to become assistant director of baseball operations. She worked for the American League for one year and then joined the Yankees, becoming the youngest assistant general manager in MLB at 29, and only the second woman to attain that position with a major league club. She was the Dodgers’ vice president and assistant general manager.
It was also gathered that with MLB, Ng directed international baseball operations, working with the front offices of the major league clubs and many other baseball leagues and entities around the world. She led a team that set policy for and enforced international signing rules, established MLB’s first system for registering international players for signing, managed protocols for signing international players, and negotiated agreements with international winter leagues.
She graduated from the University of Chicago, where she played softball and earned a degree in public policy.
It should be noted that the Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. Their home park is Marlins Park.
The Marlins have qualified for the postseason only three times, but won the World Series during their first two postseason runs in 1997 and 2003. Their three playoff appearances came as wild card teams, making them one of two MLB franchises (along with the Colorado Rockies) to have never won a division title. The Marlins are also the first team to win the World Series as a wild card and the second-youngest expansion team to win the championship, claiming their first during their fifth year of existence.
