Sean McDonough: The Voice of Sports
Imagine a voice that can make the most mundane play sound like a moment in history. That’s Sean McDonough for you. Born on May 13, 1962, in Boston, Sean has been the voice of many major sports events, from the World Series to Monday Night Football. His journey is nothing short of inspiring, and his career spans across all four major professional sports leagues in the US and Canada (NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL).
Early Life: A Family Legacy
Sean’s path was set early on. As a son of Boston Globe sportswriter Will McDonough, he grew up surrounded by the world of sports journalism. He graduated from S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1984 with a degree in broadcast journalism, setting the stage for his future career.
The Early Days: From Syracuse to Boston
Sean’s broadcasting journey began in 1982 when he started as a play-by-play announcer for the Syracuse Chiefs. From there, he moved on to announce Ivy League football games and worked as a sideline reporter from 1984 to 1985. His first big break came in 1988 when he began announcing Boston Red Sox games with Bob Montgomery.
CBS Sports: A Golden Era
Sean’s career took off at CBS Sports, where he became a household name. BEGIN INSERT HTML HERE>He started working for CBS in 1990 and quickly rose to become the lead baseball announcer on CBS, teaming with Tim McCarver. At just 30 years old, he announced the national broadcast of the World Series, a moment that will forever be etched in sports history.
Safe at the plate! The Braves go to the World Series! Francisco Cabrera singled through the left side, scoring Sid Bream from second base with the winning run. Bream beat Mike LaValliere’s tag and Atlanta pulled out Game 7 with three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Final score: Braves 3, Pirates 2.
He also called the final play of the subsequent 1992 World Series, where the Toronto Blue Jays became the first non-American based team to win the Major League Baseball’s world championship. Nixon bunted; Timlin threw 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, McDonough called Joe Carter’s dramatic 1993 World Series ending home run off Mitch Williams of the Philadelphia Phillies: 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!
Three years later, while calling the College World Series for CBS alongside Steve Garvey, McDonough called another series-clinching home run. This time, it was Warren Morris, who hit a two out, 9th inning walk-off home run that won the 1996 College World Series for the Louisiana State University Fighting Tigers against Miami.
Now Warren Morris… hits a deep drive down the right-field line, that ball is… GONE! LSU wins the College World Series on a home run by Morris!
ESPN and Beyond: A Versatile Career
Sean’s versatility as a broadcaster has taken him to ESPN, where he has announced various sports events including baseball, college basketball, football, golf, NBA, NHL, and NCAA hockey. He has also covered U.S. Open and British Open golf tournaments, called the 2010 Men’s Lacrosse Championship Final Four, and broadcast games on ESPN.
On March 12, 2009, McDonough called a record-breaking game between UConn and Syracuse that went into six overtimes. On September 28, 2011, he called Baltimore’s walk-off single against Boston in a baseball game. Reimold comes to the plate! He scores! And the Baltimore Orioles stun the Boston Red Sox!
McDonough was behind the mic for the fumbled punt in the final seconds of the Michigan State-Michigan football game on October 17, 2015, that resulted in the game-winning touchdown for the Spartans.
The NFL and NHL: A New Chapter
Sean’s journey with ESPN has been nothing short of remarkable. In 2013, he started play-by-play work for the NFL on ESPN Radio. He became the lead play-by-play announcer for Monday Night Football in 2016 and left the role in 2018 to return to college football games.
Since 2021, McDonough has been the lead play-by-play voice for NHL coverage on ESPN, teaming with Ray Ferraro and Emily Kaplan. He called his first Game 7 involving the Bruins against Toronto in May 2024.
Awards and Recognition
Sean’s contributions to sports broadcasting have not gone unnoticed. In 2014, he was named to the WAER Hall of Fame, and in 2016, he received the Marty Glickman Award from S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
A Final Thought
Sean McDonough’s career is a testament to hard work, dedication, and passion for sports broadcasting. From his early days in Syracuse to his current role with ESPN, he has been the voice of many unforgettable moments in sports history. His journey is one that continues to inspire future generations of broadcasters.
As we look back on his career, it’s clear that Sean McDonough has left an indelible mark on the world of sports broadcasting. His voice will continue to resonate through countless games and broadcasts, making him a true legend in the field.
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This page is based on the article Sean McDonough published in Wikipedia (retrieved on February 16, 2025) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
