It was amazing when we took the field,” Pawol said. “It seemed like quite a few people were clapping and calling my name."

Pawol's rise to make MLB history came 28 years after the NBA gender barrier for game officials was broken and 10 years after the NFL hired its first full-time female official. The men's soccer World Cup first hired a female referee three years ago. The NHL has not had any women as on-ice officials.