Bianca Smith is continuing to break barriers in the world of baseball. Over the weekend, Smith made history as she was hired by the Boston Red Sox as a position coach. In this role, Smith will become the first Black woman to coach the Major Leagues.
Prior to joining the Boston Red Sox, Smith coached at Case Western Reserve, the University of Dallas and Carroll University. She has also worked as an intern for the Cincinnati Reds and the Texas Rangers. Smith credits her mother for her passion for the sport.
“My mom was a fan, not the extent I am where I watch games every day,” she said.
“Even if my team isn’t playing, I’m watching a game on MLB.tv; my mom would feel like we actually had to go to the games. She didn’t like watching them on TV. But once she introduced the game to me, I fell in love with the strategy. I should have known then that I wanted to coach.”
The Boston Red Sox believe that Smith's experience as a coach along with her passion for the game will add to the team as they look to bounce back from a disappointing campaign in 2020.
“She’s had some really interesting experiences and has been passionate about growing her skillset and development herself,” Boston Red Sox Vice President of Player Development Ben Crockett said.
“It’s a meaningful, meaningful thing for the organization.”
Smith is the latest trailblazer in the sport. Recently, Alyssa Nakken became the first woman to receive a full-time coaching position when she joined the San Francisco Giants. More recently, Kim Ng became the first female general manager when she joined the Miami Marlins.
Smith and company will make their debut on April 1 as the Red Sox take on the Baltimore Orioles in Boston.
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