Two years ago, Kim Ng became the first female General Manager of any sports league and the first Asian-American General Manager of Major League Baseball. I used that moment to write about my fandom of Ng, but also about the dangers of exceptionalism:
Progress has to start somewhere, and this is definitely something to celebrate. However, all too often, people point to barriers like these being broken and think that the work is done. The work is not done. If we live in a world where only exceptional folks like Ng get opportunities, then we will have failed.
A truly equitable world would be one where all professional sports leagues were full of mediocre GMs of all genders and races.
I ended my piece by saying:
I hope Ng succeeds, but in a weird way, I’ll be just as happy if she’s mediocre.
Well, Ng has once again proven that she is not mediocre. Three years after assuming her post, she has led the Miami Marlins to the playoffs for the first time in a full-length season since 2003. Good for you, Kim!