Now that we have a woman Speaker of the House and the potential for a woman presidential nominee, it’s amazing that there is only one woman official/referree/umpire working at the top level of any professional U.S. sport. (That’d be NBA referee Violet Palmer.)

In the late 80’s, Baseball Commissioner Paul Giamatti gave umpire Pam Postema a near-chance to cross baseball’s gender barrier. As with the breaking of the color barrier in 1947, his efforts to give her a shot might have panned out with a little resolve from the top, even though she always had to deal with antagonistic players, managers, and fans. But Giamatti died in 1989, and Postema’s AAA contract was cancelled that same year.

Ria Cortesio has now risen to the same level that Postema had previoiusly achieved. And the mood around baseball has definitely matured. It’s heartening to hear a giant slugger like Derrick Lee say:

It’s awesome. I think it’s about time. Female eyes are as good as male eyes. Why can’t they be umpires?

Or pitcher Scott Eyre saying:

If she can call a game, she can call a game.

It remains to be seen if Cortesia will continue to advance through the minor league umpire ranks and someday end up in the Show. I hope she does, and I hope she’s followed by others.