Rachel Balkovec cheered in debut managing Yankees affiliate

LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) — Rachel Balkovec signed some autographs, drew a nice ovation when she as introduced and posed for a picture at home plate.

Then it was time to get to work. The manager of a New York Yankees minor league team had a game to run.

But on this Friday night, the fact that she'd become the first woman to manage an affiliate of a Major League Baseball team called for even more recognition.

So as she ran from the dugout of Class A Tampa Tarpons to coach first base before the top of the second inning, a chant broke out at Joker Marchant Stadium.

“Let's go, Rachel!”

It came from a group of girls as the Tarpons played the Lakeland Flying Tigers in the Florida State League.

The Detroit Tigers Foundation — the Lakeland club is an affiliate — donated tickets to female athletes in the Polk County Schools, and 1,200 were distributed.

Earlier in the day, the 34-year-old Balkovec spoke at the Yankees' complex at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa about her journey. Her parents were in attendance as she talked to reporters.

“It's been 10 years of just working to this point,” she said. “Things have evolved. I was blatantly discriminated against back then. Some people say not to say that, but it's just part of what has happened, and I think it's important to say because it lets you know how much change has happened.”

“So, blatant discrimination, that was 2010-ish, and now here we are 12 years later and I'm sitting here at a press conference as a manager,” she said.

Balkovec and the Tarpons made the 40-mile bus trip and arrived at the stadium around 90 minutes before game time.

Clad in Yankees' road gray pants and blue Tarpons jersey and hat, Balkovec signed autographs along the right-field line and next to Tampa's third-base...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Rachel-Balkovec-to-manage-first-game-with-Class-A-17067343.php