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‘There’s nothing else like it’: Molly McGrath anchors 'SportsCenter' from a bustling Veterans Field
CHATHAM, Mass. — Molly McGrath shielded the sun with her left hand, giving herself a better view of the pageantry in and around Veterans Field long before first pitch.
Players taking batting practice with nothing but blue skies above them. Children frolicking in a nearby playground, with some peering through the fence to see the action. Blankets and chairs flooding the outfield grass — fans arrived more than four hours early to claim their seat.
The ESPN broadcaster and sideline reporter is used to covering college football — a sport marred by lust and greed — so McGrath’s office Tuesday was a welcome change of pace.
“You walk in right past a volunteer. You don’t pay a dime and you’re just there among all these other people who are volunteers. And they’re here because they love baseball. It’s truly a ‘love for the game’ type romance,” McGrath said of Veterans Field. “That’s what I love about the purity of Cape League ball; it's such a throwback to simpler times.
“I hope it stays that way.”
A palpable buzz flowed on July 22 throughout Veterans Field, where McGrath anchored a live “SportsCenter” show on ESPN from 6 to 7:30 p.m. as part of its 50 States in 50 Days tour. Chatham was chosen to represent the state of Massachusetts; the Anglers’ historic ballpark got chosen as the backdrop. As a gargantuan crowd of 5,000-plus piled into Veterans Field, McGrath’s “SportsCenter” hits featured a pit stop for a burger at the Red Nun Bar & Grill, an on-field interview with Anglers manager Dennis Cook and a cameo on Chatham’s TV broadcast.
More than anything, though, McGrath’s time in Chatham allowed the 36-year-old broadcaster to experience a full-circle moment. She lived out her childhood goals in the same state where her career took off.
“I went to Boston College, I started my career in Boston with the Celtics, and I dreamed of someday doing something like this, working for ESPN, being on ‘SportsCenter,’” McGrath said. “Never in my wildest dreams could I have believed that I would be here.”
McGrath, who’s been with ESPN since 2016, recently moved to the Greater Boston area with her husband, Max, and her two children, Ray and Pierce. Her family had planned to fly from California to Massachusetts to visit them this week, so McGrath and her husband rented a house on the Cape.
It made McGrath’s ensuing call from an ESPN producer much more convenient.
“Do you think you could represent the state of Massachusetts for our 50 States in 50 Days (tour)? It’s going to be on the Cape,” the producer inquired.
“Well, I’m already going to be there,” McGrath answered.
ESPN broadcaster/sideline reporter Molly McGrath anchors "SportsCenter" on July 22 from Veterans Field. McGrath and her family recently moved to Massachusetts, which she said made her hosting experience in Chatham all the more special. Photograph by Ella Tovey
She’s currently staying beachside in Falmouth, an area she calls “gorgeous.” While McGrath isn’t intimately familiar with Cape Cod, she’s acquainting herself with the area from a vacationer’s perspective. Of course, McGrath is blown away by the Cape’s serene ocean views and beachfront settings. But she also loves the litany of dive bars that randomly serve the best burger or slice of pizza you’ve ever had.
She continued to bask in the Cape’s riches on Monday by attending Chatham’s road game in Cotuit. Taking her two kids with her, McGrath saw them sprint after foul balls and compete with the gobs of other children doing the exact same thing — the epitome of a CCBL gameday.
“It was just such an amazing experience where this is truly such a unique place,” McGrath said of watching Cape League baseball. “There’s nothing else like it.”
Immersing herself on the Cape was just half of the battle for McGrath. After all, she’s still getting used to hosting “SportsCenter.” McGrath made her SC anchor debut last week. Tuesday in Chatham was her second-ever gig.
McGrath’s been training for this her entire life, though. When she’d watch “SportsCenter” growing up, she would carefully listen to what the hosts were saying before regurgitating their segments back. She emulated live shows, and pretended to give her own live TV hits while washing her hair in the shower.
It’s all she thought about, she said, because she was all or nothing.
“That fueled my drive and my hunger to ‘make it,’ because I didn’t want to do anything else,” McGrath said of wanting to be a sportscaster. “I didn’t have a backup plan.”
The Boston College (‘11) graduate eventually did “make it,” which brought her on a journey from working as a “SportsCenter” production assistant to being the Celtics’ in-arena host to being one of the lead sideline reporters for ESPN’s/ABC’s Saturday college football broadcasts.
McGrath credits her success in the sports media industry to her ability to overcome “uncomfortable” situations. And anchoring “SportsCenter” gives her plenty of those. During her debut hosting show last week, she said reading golf highlights for the first time was the hardest part of the experience. Even her husband admitted she wasn’t perfect. But she learned from it.
At Veterans Field Tuesday, McGrath got thrust into her latest uncomfortable scenario.
The night before McGrath was set to anchor “SportsCenter,” she got a call from her producer with shocking news: she’d help call a Chatham Anglers game less than 24 hours later.
McGrath was set to join the A’s home broadcast amid the first inning of Tuesday’s game between Chatham and Wareham. She just hoped she wouldn’t need to watch any Vin Scully tape in preparation.
“Don’t expect me to call balls and strikes and break down the swing mechanics,” McGrath said before her anchor spot began. “I think I’m just gonna have fun with it and embrace the discomfort.”
Sitting between Chatham play-by-play broadcasters Jake Klein and Hudson Ridley, McGrath simultaneously appeared on ESPN as well as the Anglers’ TV feed. She had “SportsCenter” producers in one ear and the Chatham broadcast in the other, challenging her to focus on both at once.
McGrath said her goal was to not mess up the broadcast. But she soon found herself taking in the modest yet beautiful scene of baseball at Veterans Field, chopping it up with her newfound colleagues as if they’d prepared together beforehand.
McGrath (for a brief moment) became the latest in a long lineage of Anglers’ broadcasters — her signature on the Chatham press box’s wooden plank-stripped ceiling made it official.
“It’s really cool being up in the booth, because I’m usually down on the sideline,” McGrath said afterward. “That was definitely a surreal experience and something I’ve never done before.”
Players taking batting practice with nothing but blue skies above them. Children frolicking in a nearby playground, with some peering through the fence to see the action. Blankets and chairs flooding the outfield grass — fans arrived more than four hours early to claim their seat.
The ESPN broadcaster and sideline reporter is used to covering college football — a sport marred by lust and greed — so McGrath’s office Tuesday was a welcome change of pace.
“You walk in right past a volunteer. You don’t pay a dime and you’re just there among all these other people who are volunteers. And they’re here because they love baseball. It’s truly a ‘love for the game’ type romance,” McGrath said of Veterans Field. “That’s what I love about the purity of Cape League ball; it's such a throwback to simpler times.
“I hope it stays that way.”
A palpable buzz flowed on July 22 throughout Veterans Field, where McGrath anchored a live “SportsCenter” show on ESPN from 6 to 7:30 p.m. as part of its 50 States in 50 Days tour. Chatham was chosen to represent the state of Massachusetts; the Anglers’ historic ballpark got chosen as the backdrop. As a gargantuan crowd of 5,000-plus piled into Veterans Field, McGrath’s “SportsCenter” hits featured a pit stop for a burger at the Red Nun Bar & Grill, an on-field interview with Anglers manager Dennis Cook and a cameo on Chatham’s TV broadcast.
More than anything, though, McGrath’s time in Chatham allowed the 36-year-old broadcaster to experience a full-circle moment. She lived out her childhood goals in the same state where her career took off.
“I went to Boston College, I started my career in Boston with the Celtics, and I dreamed of someday doing something like this, working for ESPN, being on ‘SportsCenter,’” McGrath said. “Never in my wildest dreams could I have believed that I would be here.”
McGrath, who’s been with ESPN since 2016, recently moved to the Greater Boston area with her husband, Max, and her two children, Ray and Pierce. Her family had planned to fly from California to Massachusetts to visit them this week, so McGrath and her husband rented a house on the Cape.
It made McGrath’s ensuing call from an ESPN producer much more convenient.
“Do you think you could represent the state of Massachusetts for our 50 States in 50 Days (tour)? It’s going to be on the Cape,” the producer inquired.
“Well, I’m already going to be there,” McGrath answered.
ESPN broadcaster/sideline reporter Molly McGrath anchors "SportsCenter" on July 22 from Veterans Field. McGrath and her family recently moved to Massachusetts, which she said made her hosting experience in Chatham all the more special. Photograph by Ella Tovey
She’s currently staying beachside in Falmouth, an area she calls “gorgeous.” While McGrath isn’t intimately familiar with Cape Cod, she’s acquainting herself with the area from a vacationer’s perspective. Of course, McGrath is blown away by the Cape’s serene ocean views and beachfront settings. But she also loves the litany of dive bars that randomly serve the best burger or slice of pizza you’ve ever had.
She continued to bask in the Cape’s riches on Monday by attending Chatham’s road game in Cotuit. Taking her two kids with her, McGrath saw them sprint after foul balls and compete with the gobs of other children doing the exact same thing — the epitome of a CCBL gameday.
“It was just such an amazing experience where this is truly such a unique place,” McGrath said of watching Cape League baseball. “There’s nothing else like it.”
Immersing herself on the Cape was just half of the battle for McGrath. After all, she’s still getting used to hosting “SportsCenter.” McGrath made her SC anchor debut last week. Tuesday in Chatham was her second-ever gig.
McGrath’s been training for this her entire life, though. When she’d watch “SportsCenter” growing up, she would carefully listen to what the hosts were saying before regurgitating their segments back. She emulated live shows, and pretended to give her own live TV hits while washing her hair in the shower.
It’s all she thought about, she said, because she was all or nothing.
“That fueled my drive and my hunger to ‘make it,’ because I didn’t want to do anything else,” McGrath said of wanting to be a sportscaster. “I didn’t have a backup plan.”
The Boston College (‘11) graduate eventually did “make it,” which brought her on a journey from working as a “SportsCenter” production assistant to being the Celtics’ in-arena host to being one of the lead sideline reporters for ESPN’s/ABC’s Saturday college football broadcasts.
McGrath credits her success in the sports media industry to her ability to overcome “uncomfortable” situations. And anchoring “SportsCenter” gives her plenty of those. During her debut hosting show last week, she said reading golf highlights for the first time was the hardest part of the experience. Even her husband admitted she wasn’t perfect. But she learned from it.
At Veterans Field Tuesday, McGrath got thrust into her latest uncomfortable scenario.
The night before McGrath was set to anchor “SportsCenter,” she got a call from her producer with shocking news: she’d help call a Chatham Anglers game less than 24 hours later.
McGrath was set to join the A’s home broadcast amid the first inning of Tuesday’s game between Chatham and Wareham. She just hoped she wouldn’t need to watch any Vin Scully tape in preparation.
“Don’t expect me to call balls and strikes and break down the swing mechanics,” McGrath said before her anchor spot began. “I think I’m just gonna have fun with it and embrace the discomfort.”
Sitting between Chatham play-by-play broadcasters Jake Klein and Hudson Ridley, McGrath simultaneously appeared on ESPN as well as the Anglers’ TV feed. She had “SportsCenter” producers in one ear and the Chatham broadcast in the other, challenging her to focus on both at once.
McGrath said her goal was to not mess up the broadcast. But she soon found herself taking in the modest yet beautiful scene of baseball at Veterans Field, chopping it up with her newfound colleagues as if they’d prepared together beforehand.
McGrath (for a brief moment) became the latest in a long lineage of Anglers’ broadcasters — her signature on the Chatham press box’s wooden plank-stripped ceiling made it official.
“It’s really cool being up in the booth, because I’m usually down on the sideline,” McGrath said afterward. “That was definitely a surreal experience and something I’ve never done before.”
