In mid-November, an ESPN podcast recalled a racist incident in the sports industry from 2003. Kim Ng, recently appointed general manager for the Miami Marlins, was the victim of a racist attack by Bill Singer. On a drunken rage, Singer had aggressively questioned Ng about her Chinese heritage and mocked her while using a fake, offensive accent. This took place in a hotel bar, where a meeting for general managers was taking place. Although Singer apologized and was stripped away his title as executive for the New York Mets, he continued to secure jobs in the industry. This incident highlights Ng’s struggle in the industry.
Ng recently made history as Major League Baseball’s first female as well as first East Asian-American general manager. She has been in the baseball industry for 30 years, starting off as an intern for the Chicago White Sox. When Ng was 29, she became the youngest ever assistant general manager for the New York Yankees. Since then, she has climbed up the career ladder, but her journey has taken much longer because she is a woman of color. Ng’s experience and qualifications indicate that she could have reached leadership positions much earlier. Nevertheless, her milestones have been lauded by other leaders in the industry and she is seen as an inspirational figure for girls and women who are passionate in contributing to the management and operation of professional sports.