Melanie Newman
Baltimore Orioles
Broadcaster
Born: Melanie Lynn Newman
(1991-05-27) May 27, 1991[1]
Teams
As Broadcaster

Melanie Lynne Newman (born May 27, 1991) is an American radio and television play-by-play broadcaster for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB) and previously did national Friday Night Baseball broadcasts on Apple TV+. She is the first woman to be a play-by-play announcer for the Orioles and one of only four female play-by-play broadcasters active in MLB.

Career

Newman began her broadcasting career while as a student at Troy University,[2] where she majored in broadcast journalism.[3] She was the play-by-play announcer for Troy's volleyball team, as well as calling baseball and softball games as a student.[3] She graduated in 2013.[3]

She called games in Minor League Baseball for several years, including at High-A and Double-A.[4] Newman worked as a sideline reporter for Fox Sports Southwest and served as play-by-play announcer for the Frisco RoughRiders.[5] In 2019, she joined Suzie Cool as part of the first all-female broadcast team in professional baseball when she served as play-by-play broadcaster for the Salem Red Sox.[6]

In 2020, the Orioles announced that Newman had joined their broadcast team.[7] The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the start of the MLB season, and so she made her debut on August 4, 2020, becoming the first woman to ever call a regular-season Orioles game when she was part of the radio broadcast team.[8] Newman also served as a sideline reporter and a studio host for Orioles' television broadcasts.[9] On July 20, 2021, Newman was the play-by-play announcer as part of the first all-female broadcast team, who called the Baltimore Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays game for YouTube.[10]

On September 29, 2021, Newman teamed with Jessica Mendoza to call a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres for ESPN.[11] It marked the first time that an all-female broadcast team called a nationally televised Major League Baseball game.

For the 2022 MLB season, Newman was a play-by-play announcer for Apple TV+ Friday Night Baseball.[12]

In 2023, Newman was one of three commentators for the BBC's coverage of MLB's London Series. [13]

Personal life

Newman grew up in Woodstock, Georgia.[14]

References

  1. ↑ @melanielynnen (27 May 2021). "A sincere thank you to everyone who reached out to wish me a happy birthday. Saying goodbye to my 20s has been a tough one for me to come to terms with but I also cannot overlook all I have done, all I plan to do and the absolute village that helps keep me going. All my love!" – via Instagram.
  2. ↑ "Salem Red Sox Announce Melanie Newman as the New Broadcaster for 2019 Season". 8News. 2019-02-28. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  3. 1 2 3 "Newman makes history as a part of first all-female broadcast team for Major League Baseball game". Troy Today. 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-09-10.
  4. ↑ "Paving a Path, Women in Baseball: Melanie Newman - Minnesota Twins - Articles - Homepage". Twins Daily. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  5. ↑ "Melanie Newman makes history in debut as Orioles play-by-play announcer". sports.yahoo.com. 5 August 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  6. ↑ Ghiroli, Brittany. "Melanie Newman and Suzie Cool made history; now comes the hard part". The Athletic. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  7. ↑ "Melanie Newman added to the Baltimore Orioles broadcast team". WFXRtv. 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  8. ↑ Ruiz, Nathan (7 August 2020). "Melanie Newman's historic feat a highlight as Orioles' new broadcasters settle into unique season". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  9. ↑ "Melanie Newman makes O's radio history". MLB.com. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
  10. ↑ "All-Women Broadcast Crew Makes History as They Call MLB Game: 'Representation Is Important'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2021-08-14.
  11. ↑ Lucia, Joe (September 21, 2021). "ESPN will air all-female MLB broadcast on September 29th". Awful Announcing.
  12. ↑ "Apple and Major League Baseball to offer "Friday Night Baseball"".
  13. ↑ Walker, Brett (2023-06-26). "The London Series: the BBC's coverage review". Bat Flips and Nerds. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  14. ↑ "Salem Red Sox Announce Melanie Newman as the New Broadcaster for 2019 Season". 8News. 2019-02-28. Retrieved 2020-08-09.
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