She Just Made Baseball History

After working in Major League Baseball for more than 30 years—what she called "decades of determination"—Kim Ng has reached the general manager's office. The Miami Marlins announced Friday that Ng is their new general manager, the first woman and first East Asian American to hold that title anywhere in Major League Baseball, NBC reports. "When I got into this business, it seemed unlikely a woman would lead a Major League team," she said in a statement, "but I am dogged in the pursuit of my goals." Ng, 51, began with the Marlins in 1990 as an intern. She's been an assistant general manager for other teams. "We look forward to Kim bringing a wealth of knowledge and championship-level experience to the Miami Marlins," said Derek Jeter, the Marlins' chief executive.

Ng persevered through a series of attempts to win the job at other organizations, interviewing with the Philadelphia Phillies, the San Diego Padres, the New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, and at least two other teams, per USA Today. Joe Torre, a Hall of Famer and experienced baseball executive, has called Ng "a very bright and very brave woman who knows baseball." She's spent the past nine years as MLB's senior vice president of baseball operations. Her hiring "sets a significant example for the millions of women and girls who love baseball and softball," Commissioner Rob Manfred said. "Kim Ng is overly qualified for this job," tweeted Molly Knight, a columnist for the Athletic. "She had to be." (The Giants this year hired the first female coach in MLB history.)