On Tuesday night (October 20) Jessica Mendoza, the retired softball star, made history by becoming the first woman to serve as a World Series analyst on any national broadcast platform. ESPN commentator and Olympic gold medalist, Mendoza, is working as the game analyst for the sports channel's Radio department. The series began on Tuesday and Mendoza was in the broadcast booth alongside commentator Dan Shulman, who is in his tenth consecutive World Series. Game one of the 2020 series kickstarted between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays, for which Mendoza, 39, called the matchup on the radio, CNN reported.
The Sports network, reported Mendoza is a Major League Baseball analyst for ESPN. She was also the first woman to be a game analyst for a nationally televised regular-season game. And then, she created history again by becoming the first woman to serve as an analyst for a nationally televised postseason game.
During her softball days, she garnered the world-decorated outfielder's tag and has appeared for the Olympics twice. She won gold (2004) and silver (2008) medals for the Team USA. She was also inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame in 2019.
Tweeting about her World Series debut, ESPN congratulated Mendoza saying, "Jessica Mendoza is making history as the first woman to serve as a national World Series game analyst on any platform."
Mendoza also commented, "Here we go!!!!" In the past, she said, "I've always prioritized my growth, and these new opportunities will allow me to expand my broadcasting career while challenging me at the same time. From calling MLB games on television and radio, to extensive studio work and features, I'm excited about everything that lies ahead."
Another sports icon Billie Jean King high-fived the analyst saying, "Keep going for it!"
Mendoza became a member of the ESPN family in 2007, and throughout her tenure, she has broken a number of barriers for women in broadcasting. She has served as an analyst on Sunday Night Baseball since August 2015. Earlier this year, Mendoza had signed a multiyear contract expanding her role at ESPN after resigning her job as a baseball operations advisor with the New York Mets. She appears as lead analyst for the Women’s College World Series and will report from the Tokyo Olympics, as per reports. She was also adding to a "robust collection of assignments" apart from her regular shows such as "SportsCenter," "Get Up," "First Take" and "Baseball Tonight," among other programs.
Also Read: Why I Still Swim At This Age? Because Fame Is Addictive: Richa Mishra
Feature Image Credit: Yahoo! Sports
Read More Stories By Ria Das
/shethepeople/media/agency_attachments/iUYfaBbcMozaYLoGnoov.png)
Follow Us/shethepeople/media/post_banners/6Iuui99OjdMC7vtsEEIh.jpg)