Kim Ng in the dugout at Marlins Ballpark in Miami on Feb. 9, 2021.
On the TunneySide of Sports April 5, 2021 #842 Up next… Equal Opportunity in Sports
After further review… With the men’s NCAA basketball March Madness being completed tonight (April 5th) and the NCAA women’s finals now settled, the furor raised by women in terms of equal treatment again became prominent. One item being discussed: Should the NCAA women’s final four also be termed “March Madness.” The response here is “Why not?” Both men’s and women’s NCAA final fours are played during the month of March, although they both seemingly finish the first week in April. Is this a Title lX issue?
“Title lX of the Education Amendments Law of 1972 (yes, it is now one-half century old) is a federal law that states ‘No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” While the law is certainly one of justice, its interpretation has lawyers and courts working overtime. Is an organization or T*E*A*M the same as a person? Is lack of funds available for a sport, discrimination?
Much has been discussed lately that the women’s weight room facilities are not in equal terms with the men’s. Should they be equal in every aspect? It is certainly only fair that every attempt be made to supply the women’s training program with every means possible to assist them in their competitions. Fair, yes, but equal? I have long believed: “There is nothing so unequal as the equal treatment of un-equals.” That doesn’t mean men should get more than women. It means that the women’s program should receive all that is necessary to provide the best possible results for those athletes.
In terms of equal opportunity, it is interesting to note that as of April 1st, the Miami Marlins baseball club under the direction of CEO and part-owner Derek Jeter, hired its first woman as general manager, Kim Ng. She is of Asian-American heritage, but born in Indiana and raised in New York, where she had been trained as Yankees assistant general manager with Jeter, their star shortstop. Jeter has known Ng for 22 years. Joe Torre was general manager. The Yankees won three World Series during that time.
When Ng got the call from Jeter, she called Torre who told Ng, “This isn’t a token call (some certainly are), if he’s (Jeter) asking, you know it’s serious.”
Will you give others, without discrimination, an opportunity to succeed?
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