Emma Charlesworth-Seiler, a Minnesota native and Hamline University graduate, became only the second woman hired to umpire professional baseball since 2007 after signing a minor league contract last week.
Charlesworth-Seiler will be assigned to the Gulf Coast League in Florida, a rookie level where the Twins have a minor league team. She will be only the second woman to umpire in the league since 1978.
Charlesworth-Seiler earned the opportunity after standing out at the Minor League Baseball Umpire Training Academy in Vero Beach, Fla., at Historic Dodgertown in January. She was the only woman among more than 80 men enrolled at the academy for aspiring professional umpires.
Only seven other women have umpired in an affiliated league. Pam Postema advanced to umpire in Class AAA (1977-89) and was the first woman to umpire a big-league spring training game.
JASON GONZALEZ
