As much as I absolutely hate to admit it, the sports industry is primarily a “man’s world”. But does that mean women shouldn’t be allowed to be a part of it? We have every right to be a part of it, right? The answer is definitely a yes. Working in the sports industry is hard. First, it’s hard to get in, and once you are in, it’s hard to stay in, especially for women. We really have to stand up for ourselves and take a lot of crap. And from what I have experienced in the past four years, it can be especially tough in the baseball industry. But what I want to know is why a lot of men think women shouldn’t work in sports. Do they think we are all “cleat chasers”? If women get this title, what are middle-aged men called who are trying to get the autograph of a 19-year-old kid? And who came up with the name “cleat chaser” anyway? It’s dumb.
After working three seasons in baseball and one in hockey, working in baseball is by far the most demanding job I have ever had. We work long hours…very long hours. Sometimes I think I should have a bed in my office from April thru September. I am here more than I am at my own apartment. Why would someone, man or woman, want to work such crazy hours for any other reason then they love their job? Do guys really think we work in baseball just to stare at minor league athletes in tight pants? Is it really that surprising that women really do like baseball? Hey guys, guess what? I do!
I take a lot of pride in my job. A lot of work goes in to preparing for a six month long baseball season. Most people I talk to don’t realize that I still work here in the off-season, too. What I love most about working in baseball is the behind-the-scenes aspect of it. Like I just mentioned, there is a lot that goes in to preparing for a game and fans don’t see all of that. They walk thru the gates ready to watch some baseball without realizing all that was done in order for those gates to open.
Did I mention how much work it is? Yep, I think I did. And not just sitting-at-my-desk work. It’s literally getting-my-hands-dirty work. I pull tarp in the rain with the guys. I pick up hundreds of fireworks with the guys. None of us like to do it, including the guys, but hey, it’s part of the gig. Just because I wear dresses and high heels and get my nails done doesn’t mean I won’t get dirty. But at the end of the day my job is FUN. How many people can say that? I bet Mr. Bank Man doesn’t have as much fun at his job.
Working with the players though is a whole other story. I had an interesting experience the other day that I found very amusing but annoying at the same time. I was sitting outside watching our guys take batting practice, minding my own business and drawing absolutely no attention to myself. A guy from the visiting team, for whatever reason, thought it would be cool to start blowing kisses at me as he walked in to the dugout. I was so overtaken by desire that I jumped out of my seat, ran down to him, threw my arms around him and we lived happily ever after. Wrong! Dude, what was going thru your head when you decided to do that? What did you think was going to happen? Absolutely nothing. You just slightly annoyed me and provoked me to make fun of you behind your back with my coworkers.
Here is where this subject gets a little tricky for me. I absolutely, without a doubt in my mind, believe women have every right to work in sports right alongside the guys. I think I’ve made this very clear by now. But should there be any boundaries? At my previous baseball job I was working in public relations. This meant that I had to make frequent trips in to the clubhouse. At first, it was a little awkward, and the guys would make sure they made it as awkward as possible. It got to the point, though, where I was able to ignore their, well, inappropriateness. Would they act like that if a male staff member went in to the clubhouse? Yeah, I don’t think so. Like Mr. Kissy Pants I talked about above, just because you try to get my attention in a weird, obnoxious way, doesn’t mean I am going to pay any attention to you, come on now.
I had the opportunity to observe a post-game interview in a major league clubhouse a few years ago. One of the coolest experiences of my baseball career thus far, but also one of the most intimidating. Was it the fact that they were all major league guys standing around in towels that intimidated me? I don’t know. If you know me at all, or have seen me make a fool of myself at any Ports game, you know I am by no means a shy, timid person. Why then did I let this moment leave me hovering off to the side hoping no one noticed me? How would a male feel in this situation? I definitely think that random Joe- off-the-street baseball fan might react the exact same way as I did. Us average folks aren’t used to hanging out in a major league clubhouse. I know a lot of guys who are obsessed with baseball…collect-every-baseball-card-on-the-planet obsessed. How do you think Mr. Super Fan would react if he walked in to a major league clubhouse and his baseball idol was standing five feet in front of him? Awkward and slightly uncomfortable? I think so. But hey, what do I know?
I could go on and on about this topic so, I am going to come to the conclusion that all guys on the outside looking in are just jealous of my job. I have a pretty sweet job, I know. I get to watch baseball for a living and they don’t. So take that, boys!