Some journeys aren't planned.
They're called.
Some stories aren't just meant to be lived.
They're meant to be told.
Before the history, before the recognition, before the milestones, there was a moment. A pull that couldn't be ignored. A path that didn't come with instructions, only purpose.
In this powerful and deeply personal memoir, Natola D. Hawthorne takes readers beyond the lines of the baseball field and into the heart of a journey defined by faith, resilience, and becoming.
As the first and only woman of color to umpire Division I baseball, Natola shares what it truly takes to step into spaces where you weren't expected and to remain there with confidence, conviction, and grace.
From early uncertainty to defining moments on some of the game's biggest stages, she invites you behind the scenes of a world few get to see. Through quiet reflections, on-field challenges, and life-changing opportunities, this story reveals not just what she's done-but who she had to become along the way.
But this isn't just a story about baseball.
It's about identity.
About learning to stand in rooms where you once felt the need to shrink.
About embracing visibility, even when it feels uncomfortable.
About understanding that the journey isn't just for you; it's for those watching, waiting for proof that they belong too.
Because what happens when the door finally opens...
and the spotlight finds you?
With honesty, heart, and unwavering faith, Natola reminds us that breaking barriers was never the destination.
It was the beginning.
Because when God calls you-
and life brings you to a full count-
the only answer that matters... is yes.
