This Woman Just Made Sports Broadcast History

Seeing women make their way into a male-dominated field like sports announcing is a pretty cool thing. What’s not so cool is when these women are the subject of backlash from men who feel threatened by their success. Tuesday night, Olympic gold medalist softball player Jessica Mendoza became the first woman to ever announce a Major League Baseball playoff game.

Her sports career began as a young child, when she served as bat girl for the local college baseball team her father coached.

“I thought I was a part of the team at like 5 years old—to the point where I would take bubblegum and pretend it was chewing tobacco,” she said in an interview with Think Progress over the summer. She went on to become a four-time All American college softball player at Stanford University, as well as a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

In light of some (sexist) doubts surrounding the network’s decision to hire Mendoza, ESPN producer Phil Orlins has said: “There’s certainly no additional scrutiny from us. As is the case with all of our commentators, we prepare every individual based on their unique skillset and ability. “Jessica is as accomplished and knowledgeable as any analyst out there.”

Mendoza has stated that the response she has received has been “overwhelmingly positive,” and seems very happy and eager to prove herself in her new role. Social media users have expressed their support:

But of course, no major step forward for womankind would be complete without a little online backlash from some ignorant misogynists:

…Well, that part is discouraging, but Mendoza doesn’t let it get to her.

“My mom got mad because some guy said, ‘you belong in the kitchen’ and that made me laugh,” she told Think Progress. She has also said that she no longer checks Twitter. “People were so mean about, like, the way I look, finding really particular things,” she said. “My husband, who was with me, said, ‘never do that again,’ and I won’t.”

We’d love to see a day where trailblazing women like Jessica Mendoza can safely check Twitter without feeling harassed. But for now, it’s exciting to see a woman not only excel in a male-dominated field, but keep a positive and professional attitude about it in the face of challenges.    

• mlb
• sexism
• Women In Sports