NEWSLETTER
As part of the agreement to bring on Boog Sciambi as the Cubs’ new play-by-play man on Marquee, all understood that he would periodically be absent to do some of his national broadcasting work on ESPN. We knew that would mean some fill-in work for other play-by-play folks, and today, Marquee announced a trio of broadcasters who will carry that load: ESPN’s Beth Mowins, FOX’s Chris Myers, and legendary Cubs radio play-by-play man, Pat Hughes.
It doesn’t figure to be a ton of games for each of the three fill-in broadcasters, but it’ll still be fun to periodically have a different voice in there, particularly Hughes, whose work on Cubs radio broadcasts has been beloved for a long, long time.
The full release:
Marquee Sports Network today released its 2021 Chicago Cubs broadcast schedule and announced that Chris Myers, Pat Hughes and Beth Mowins will serve as play-by-play broadcasters for select games this season, filling in for Jon “Boog” Sciambi. Sciambi, entering his first season with Marquee Sports Network, will serve as play-by-play announcer for the vast majority of games, working alongside color analyst, Jim Deshaies.
Excluding national broadcasts, Marquee Sports Network will air every regular season game, including the regular season opener April 1 vs. Pittsburgh, and all Spring Training home games at Sloan Park, beginning March 2 vs. Kansas City.
“We are thrilled with these additions to the broadcast booth,” said Marquee Sports Network General Manager, Mike McCarthy. “We’re looking forward to our first season with ‘Boog’ on the call, and are thrilled to have Chris Myers, Pat Hughes and Beth Mowins as play-by-play broadcasters for select games. Chris, who has been with us since the launch, was scheduled to call games with us last season, but due to our precautionary approach to the pandemic, we were unable to make that happen. Pat is a legendary voice in Chicago who we are thrilled to bring to the TV viewers, and Beth is a groundbreaking announcer known to audiences for her NFL and collegiate work on ESPN. We are confident that all three will bring a tremendous energy to the broadcast booth this season.”
Chris Myers is an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and regular play-by-play commentator on Fox NFL Sundays, holding more than 30 years of experience at the highest levels of sport, including the World Series and Super Bowl for Fox Sports. He also contributes to NASCAR on Fox coverage, hosting weekly live coverage from the track. He contributes to Marquee Sports Network as the host of Chris & Tell presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, a monthly interview show featuring in-depth conversations with sports stars.
“Calling baseball games is a bonus for any broadcaster, but calling Cubs games stirs a rich history and the true fan in all of us,” Myers said. “Over the years as a spectator and announcer my experiences at Wrigley Field and with the Cubs have always been special, which is why it’s an honor to be even more closely involved in bringing the game to fans of one of the most iconic franchises in sports.”
Pat Hughes is the Chicago Cubs radio play-by-play voice for 670 The Score, entering his 26th season calling Cubs games. He is a nine-time recipient of the Illinois Sportscaster of the Year Award and in 2017 was the recipient of the Ring Lardner Award for Excellence in Sports Journalism in the broadcast category. Prior to joining the Cubs, he spent 12 seasons on the Milwaukee Brewers radio network from 1984-95. In 1983, he served as the TV voice of the Minnesota Twins.
“Cubs television play-by-play has always been a special position, going back to the days of Jack Brickhouse and Harry Caray, both Hall of Famers,” said Hughes. “I’m very much looking forward to it.”
Beth Mowins, who will become the first woman to serve as play-by-play announcer in Chicago Cubs history, has been a broadcaster for ESPN since 1994, calling primarily men’s and women’s college sports, and in 2017 she became the first woman in 30 years to call a National Football League game. She has been the voice of the Women’s Softball College World Series for more than 20 years. She earned her master’s in communications from Syracuse University and was inducted into the Greater Syracuse Hall of Fame in 2009.
“It’s an honor and a privilege to work with such a beloved and historic franchise as the Chicago Cubs,” Mowins said. “I am thrilled to be a part of the team at Marquee Sports Network and am looking forward to working alongside some of the best in the business this season.”
“We are looking forward to another great season broadcasting Cubs games,” said Marquee Sports Network SVP Programming and Production, Michael Santini. “We are excited to be welcoming in these new voices, including ‘Boog’, and are eager to get the season underway.”
