Jen Paul experienced a life-changing moment while staying in a Nashville, Tennessee hotel room—she received the call she had awaited for a decade. This weekend marked her major league debut, making her the first female umpire in 150 years.
Paul described being overwhelmed with emotion just days before she broke the gender barrier by officiating a doubleheader for Miami in Atlanta on Thursday. She shared how deeply moving it was to finally receive the call she had been anticipating and working toward, feeling energized and ready.
During a Wednesday conference call with umpire director Rich Leaker and the VP of umpire operations, Paul’s voice wavered as she recalled her long journey. Back in the early 1990s, while at West Milford High School in New Jersey, she had a summer conversation with a teammate, Lauren Srismeyer, who invited her to umpire.
Paul recalled thinking she would follow Lauren’s lead into umpiring. She started with a modest $15 per game, learning the ropes in a single-umpire system despite her initial uncertainty. Graduating from West Milford in 1995 and later inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022, Paul earned three All-Conference Softball selections at Hofstra.
After umpiring NCAA softball from 2010 to 2016, she caught the attention of MLB umpire Barrett at a 2015 referee camp. Barrett was impressed by her physical capability and eagerness to learn, even calling her a “sponge” for soaking up knowledge.
Following Barrett’s invitation to a clinic and the MLB Triout Camp, Paul was warned about the tough road ahead, expecting about ten years in the minor leagues before major league opportunities arose. Starting her professional umpiring career in the Gulf Coast League in 2016, Paul steadily climbed through leagues—including the New York/Penn, Midwest, South Atlantic, High-A Midwest, Triple-A International, and Pacific Coast Leagues.
Her dedication spanned over 1,200 minor league games, countless video reviews, and a deep love for baseball that began during her playing days as a catcher. Among eight female umpires in the minors, Paul now works alongside Chris Guccione’s crew in Atlanta, where she was joined by about 30 family members and friends. She officiated bases on Saturday and called balls and strikes on Sunday, recently serving on third base during a Jacksonville victory over Nashville.
Barrett encouraged her, noting their shared experience at all levels of the game, and Paul expressed gratitude to her predecessors like Christine Wren, Pam Postema, and Ria Cortesio, who supported her journey. After meeting Postema following her Triple-A promotion, she proudly declared, “I did it!”
Barrett, attending a Northwest League game in Oregon, expressed hope that Paul’s breakthrough would inspire young women watching to pursue umpiring themselves.
Fan Take: Jen Paul’s historic debut is a landmark moment for baseball, breaking a century and a half-long gender barrier in the sport. Her journey not only inspires future generations of women in baseball but also signifies a growing inclusivity that can enrich and diversify the game.
