The Miami Marlins announced the hiring of General Manager Kim Ng earlier this week, making her the first woman and second Asian American in Major League Baseball history to be named General Manager of an organization. The Marlins cited Ng’s 30 years of baseball experience as the basis for their historic hiring.  Ng replaces previous executive of baseball operations Michael Hill, who has served as GM since the end of the 2013 regular season. According to MLB.com, Ng is now the only female General Manager of a men’s professional sports team in North America.  

 Ng’s extensive career in Major League Baseball initially began with an internship with the Chicago White Sox. Ng was subsequently promoted to a front office position with the organization. Following her work with the White Sox, Ng served as assistant GM for both the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. Additionally Ng, held a leadership position with the American League. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations for the MLB. 

“I entered Major League Baseball as an intern and, after decades of determination, it is the honor of my career to lead the Miami Marlins as their next general manager,” Ng said in a statement. “We are building for the long term in South Florida, developing a forward-thinking, collaborative, creative baseball operation made up of incredibly talented and dedicated staff who have, over the last few years, laid a great foundation for success.” 

 The historic hiring signifies yet another recent step in the long march towards gender equality in professional sports. In recent years, more women have been steadily hired into leadership roles in professional sports. Just a few months prior to Ng’s hiring, in the National Football League (NFL), a game between the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Football Team marked the first time a female coach was on each sideline along with a female referee on the field during the same game. Additionally, the National Basketball Association (NBA) now boasts 10 female assistant coaches. 

Ng arrives in Miami after the Marlins exceeded expectations during the shortened 2020 season, finishing second in the National League East. After a taste of some success, fans in South Florida are eager for more.  It seems Ng is well aware of the pressure to produce, noting in her statement. 

“My goal is now to bring championship baseball to Miami.”

For now, however, people across the country are recognizing the history that has been made – including Ng herself. 

 “I thought it would be a big deal, but this is beyond my expectations and I think many people’s expectations. It’s a testament to where we are.  People are looking for hope and looking for inspiration.  I’m happy this is a part of it.” said Ng.