Gwen Goldman has wanted to be a bat girl for the New York Yankees since she was ten years old. It was one of the things she desired most in life as a child, and she worked hard to make it a reality. When she wrote to then-general manager Roy Hamey about her goal of being a bat girl, he replied that she would probably feel out of place in the dugout. Gwen was effectively turned down because she was a woman, and because of the prevalent and widely accepted gender stereotyping and discrimination in the 1960s. “While we believe that females are as talented as boys and would undoubtedly be an appealing addition to the playing field, I am sure you can appreciate that it is a game dominated by men, and a young woman such as yourself would feel out of place in a dugout,” Hamey informed the optimistic 10-year-old. Gwen Goldman’s life was about to change after more than 60 years of waiting.
If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a bat boy is a younger child who works for a baseball team by carrying bats on and off the field and assisting with other minor jobs during a game. Gwen would have been the first and only bat girl in Major League Baseball if her request had been granted in 1961.
Since the tiny 10-year-old girl first tried out for the New York Yankees squad, times have changed dramatically. The current general manager of the Yankees, Brian Cashman, learned of Gwen’s initial letter and decided to invite her to the stadium. “Although your long-gone correspondence took place 60 years ago (six years before I was born), I feel driven to resuscitate your original request and do all I can to bring your boyhood dream to life,” he wrote to her.
He also mentioned that the Yankees now have a more current approach on gender restrictions. “At the Yankees, we have advocated for breaking down gender boundaries in our business. It is a long-term commitment based on the conviction that a woman belongs everywhere a man does, even the dugout.”
Gwen’s daughter is one of the reasons her desire was granted. Her daughter Abby told Cashman her mother’s poignant story, hoping that the tides had swung in favor of development and equality. Fortunately, her instincts were correct. “It is not too late to honor and acknowledge the ambition you shown as a 10-year-old girl in penning that letter to us,” Cashman wrote.
Gwen made a step onto the field two days following their contact, finally fulfilling her lifelong ambition of becoming a bat girl for the New York Yankees. The crew welcomed her and brought out the red carpet for their newest member.
Gwen was overjoyed and overjoyed to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “Amazing, a 60-year-old dream realized.” “Pinch me to make sure I’m not dreaming and that this is all real,” Gwen stated.
