Sean McDonough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sean McDonough
|
|
|---|---|
McDonough talking to press ahead of the 2025 CFP National Championship.
|
|
| Born | May 13, 1962 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | Syracuse University |
| Occupation | Sportscaster |
| Employer | ABC, ESPN, Boston Red Sox |
Sean McDonough (born May 13, 1962) is a well-known American sportscaster. He works for ESPN and the WEEI Boston Red Sox Radio Network. Sean is famous for calling games in all four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. These include the NFL (football), NBA (basketball), MLB (baseball), and NHL (hockey).
Contents
Sean McDonough's Early Life and Education
Sean McDonough grew up with sports in his family. His father, Will McDonough, was a famous sportswriter for the Boston Globe newspaper. Sean went to Syracuse University and graduated in 1984. He studied broadcast journalism, which is about reporting news and sports on TV or radio.
While at Syracuse, Sean joined the sports department at the university's radio station, WAER-FM. He started calling play-by-play for Syracuse Chiefs baseball games. He also worked for the Syracuse football team's coach, Dick MacPherson, during his college years.
Sean McDonough's Broadcasting Career
Starting Out in Sports Broadcasting
Sean McDonough began his broadcasting journey in 1982. He was the play-by-play announcer for the Syracuse Chiefs, a minor league baseball team. He also called Ivy League football games for PBS. From 1984 to 1985, he was a sideline reporter. Then, from 1986 to 1987, he became a play-by-play announcer for those games.
Calling Games for Boston Teams
In 1988, Sean started broadcasting Boston Red Sox baseball games on TV. He worked with former Red Sox players like Bob Montgomery and Jerry Remy. He also hosted some Boston Bruins hockey games. One special game he called was the last game played at the old Boston Garden arena in 1995.
Sean continued to announce Red Sox games until 2004. He worked with Jerry Remy for nine seasons. Later, he became a part-time announcer for the Red Sox radio network in 2019. He now shares announcing duties with Joe Castiglione, Will Flemming, and Lou Merloni.
Working for CBS Sports
Sean McDonough joined CBS Sports in 1990. He covered many different sports there. He announced college basketball games, including 10 NCAA tournaments. He also called college football games, the College World Series, and NFL games. Sean even covered US Open tennis, Winter Olympics events, and golf tournaments like the Masters Tournament.
In 1999, Sean's contract with CBS was not renewed. This happened when another famous announcer, Dick Enberg, became available.
Major League Baseball on CBS
Many people remember Sean best for being CBS's main baseball announcer. He worked with Tim McCarver. In 1992, at just 30 years old, he became the youngest person to announce the entire 1992 World Series. This record was later broken by Joe Buck in 1996.
Sean made some very famous calls during his time at CBS. One of the most emotional was in Game 7 of the 1992 National League Championship Series. The Atlanta Braves won with a dramatic hit by Francisco Cabrera:
Line-drive and a base-hit! Justice has scored the tying run, Bream to the plate...and he is SAFE! Safe at the plate! The Braves go to the World Series! The unlikeliest of heroes wins the National League Championship Series for the Atlanta Braves. Francisco Cabrera, who had only ten at-bats in the major leagues during the regular season, singled through the left side, scoring Sid Bream from second base with the winning run. Bream, who's had five knee operations in his lifetime, just beat the tag from his ex-mate Mike LaValliere and Atlanta pulls out Game 7 with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. This place is bedlam. There will be no second nightmare for Bobby Cox. Final score in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series: the Braves 3 and the Pirates 2.
He also called the end of the 1992 World Series. The Toronto Blue Jays became the first team from outside the U.S. to win the championship:
Nixon bunts! Timlin on it! Throws to first . . . For the first time in history, the world championship banner will fly north of the border! The Toronto Blue Jays are baseball's best in 1992!
A year later, Sean called Joe Carter's game-winning home run in the 1993 World Series. This hit won the series for the Toronto Blue Jays:
Well-hit down the left-field line! Way back and GONE! Joe Carter with a three-run homer! The winners and still world champions, the Toronto Blue Jays!
NCAA Basketball on CBS
Sean also covered the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament for CBS. He often worked with Bill Raftery. They were known for their fun and lively broadcasts. In 1998, Sean called a famous last-second shot in the NCAA Tournament. Richard Hamilton scored for Connecticut to beat Washington:
Spreading the court for El-Amin. Ten seconds remaining. El-Amin, off to Voskuhl. He was pushed, the shot wouldn't drop...Hamilton, no! Another tip, no! Hamilton, at the buzzer, yes! Yes! Connecticut wins!
Moving to ABC and ESPN
Since 2000, Sean McDonough has been a voice for ESPN and ABC. He announces baseball, college basketball, college football, and NBA games. He also covers NHL and NCAA hockey.
On March 12, 2009, Sean called an amazing college basketball game. It was between UConn and Syracuse. The game went into six overtimes! It lasted 3 hours and 46 minutes. Syracuse won 127–117.
In 2011, Sean called a dramatic baseball game. The Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox with a walk-off single. This hit by Robert Andino happened just minutes before another game ended. That other game's result helped the Tampa Bay Rays win a playoff spot.
Calling Football and Hockey
Sean was also the announcer for a famous play in a college football game. On October 17, 2015, he called the fumbled punt that won the game for Michigan State against Michigan:
Whoa, he (Michigan punter Blake O'Neill) has trouble with the snap…and the ball is free! It's picked up by Michigan State's Jalen Watts-Jackson…and he scores! On the last play of the game! Unbelievable! (pauses while the team celebrates) Michigan State is still the big boy on the block in the state of Michigan. A shocking ending to this rivalry game.
From 2016 to 2017, Sean was the main play-by-play announcer for Monday Night Football on ESPN. This is a very important role in football broadcasting. After that, he returned to calling college football games.
In 2021, ESPN announced Sean would be their main play-by-play announcer for NHL games. He works with former NHL player Ray Ferraro. On May 4, 2024, he called his first Game 7 for his favorite team, the Boston Bruins. He was praised for predicting how the winning goal would be scored in overtime.
Sean McDonough's Health
In 2012, Sean McDonough had surgery for a condition called superior canal dehiscence syndrome. This health issue kept him from working for several months while he recovered.
Awards and Recognition
Sean McDonough has received several honors for his work. In 2014, he was added to the WAER Hall of Fame. This is the radio station where he started broadcasting in college. In 2016, he received the Marty Glickman Award from his university. In 2007, he was given an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Career Timeline
- 1982–1984: Syracuse Chiefs Radio Play-by-Play
- 1988–2004: Boston Red Sox TV Play-by-Play
- 1990–1999: College Basketball on CBS Play-by-Play
- 1991–1993: NFL on CBS Play-by-Play
- 1992–1993: MLB on CBS Lead Play-by-Play
- 1992–1994: Bobsled and Luge in Winter Olympics Play-by-Play
- 1993–1994, 1999–2000, 2002–2004: NHL on ESPN Play-by-Play
- 1995–1999: College World Series Play-by-Play
- 1996–1999: College Football on CBS Lead Play-by-Play
- 1996–1999: Masters Tournament Hole Announcer
- 1998: Ice Hockey 1998 Winter Olympics Play-by-Play
- 2000–2003, 2009–2015, 2018–present: College Football on ABC Play-by-Play
- 2000–present: College Basketball on ESPN Play-by-Play
- 2004–2015, 2018–present: College Football on ESPN Play-by-Play
- 2010–2011: NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship Play-by-Play
- 2010–2014: U.S. Open Hole Announcer
- 2010–2015: British Open Hole Announcer
- 2011–2012: ESPN Monday Night Baseball Play-by-Play
- 2013–2015: NFL on ESPN Radio Play-by-Play
- 2016–2017: MNF on ESPN Play-by-Play
- 2019–present: Boston Red Sox Radio Play-by-Play
- 2021–present: NHL on ESPN/NHL on ABC Lead Play-by-play
