Friday quickly became a landmark day for women in sports, as longtime baseball executive Kim Ng was named general manager of the Miami Marlins. “When I got into this business, it seemed unlikely a woman would lead a major league team, but I am dogged in the pursuit of my goals,” said Ng, who is also the MLB’s first Asian-American general manager, in a statement.
Ng is the first woman to hold this position or an equivalent one for a professional men’s sports franchise, and the significance of her appointment can’t be overstated. Below, find 5 things you likely didn’t know about the 51-year-old sports icon.
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She has a long and storied career in baseball. Ng started as an intern with the Chicago White Sox, going on to managerial posts with the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers before taking on the position of Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations for Major League Baseball in 2011.
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She’s got some very ardent fans. No less a sports authority than Derek Jeter hired Ng to her current role, saying, “Her leadership of our baseball operations team will play a major role on our path toward sustained success.”
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Her interest in baseball dates back to her childhood in Queens, where she grew up playing stickball and learning about sports from her father.
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Baseball isn’t the only sport she loves. Ng is an avid golfer, although her busy schedule doesn’t allow her much time on the green.
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She’s likely got some good wine on tap to celebrate this moment. Ng’s husband, Tony Markward, is the co-owner of Silas Wines in Oregon.