Jenny Cavnar becomes MLB's 1st female play-by-play announcer in 25 years
Jenny Cavnar took to the broadcast booth Monday for the Colorado Rockies as they hosted the division rival San Diego Padres. In the process, she became the first woman since 1993 to do play-by-play for a major-league television broadcast, according to Jessica Kleinschmidt and Thomas Harding of MLB.com.
"I am very excited about tonight," Cavnar said. "I'm really honored on the historical context of it, but I'm more so excited for the team effort. We have such a great team of broadcasters, producers, directors - so it'll be really fun to collaborate with them and do the game tonight."
She didn't have to wait long to call her first - and second - hometown home runs, either. Both Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story blasted two-run dingers in the bottom of the first inning:
107 mph off the bat for Nolan and then Story adds a clean shot to the concourse. 464 feet, the longest of his career. 😳 pic.twitter.com/5EWDWPUiyx
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 24, 2018
"Fire up the fountains," she said as her call, referring to Coors Field's outfield fountains spurting into action when a Rockies hitter goes deep.
We are extremely proud of @jennycavnar who tonight becomes among the first women ever to call play-by-play for a @MLB broadcast. pic.twitter.com/Y8aQhARnnn
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) April 24, 2018
She follows in the footsteps of Gayle Gardner who became the first woman to provide play-by-play back in 1993, also for the Rockies.
Cavnar has also worked as a pregame and postgame host/reporter for the Padres and Rockies, and has done color commentary in the radio booth.