| Melanie Newman | |
|---|---|
| Baltimore Orioles | |
| Broadcaster | |
| Born: Melanie Lynne Newman May 27, 1991 [1] | |
| Teams | |
As Broadcaster
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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.
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]
On September 8,2024,Newman was half of the ROKU Sunday Leadoff baseball broadcast booth between the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles. [14]
Newman grew up in Woodstock,Georgia. [15]