Thursday, 07 May 2026

    Arch McDonald

    • Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Commentators 2026
    • Columbia Broadcasting System. Arch McDonald, Warren Sweeney, and helpers at ball park, 4-19-38 LCCN2016873421
      Harris & Ewing, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
    • Sport(s): Baseball & Football
    • Statistics & Accolades: Ford C. Frick Award
    • As radio dominated the social scene in the United States, the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., was treated to the Arkansas-bred stylings of Arch McDonald, the voice of the Washington Senators for over two decades.

      Save for a year (1939) when he was calling games for the New York Yankees, McDonald was the highlight of very poor Senators teams from 1934 to 1956. Using his down-home charm, McDonald delighted listeners with phrases like “Duks on the pond” (referring to runners on base), “Right down Broadway” (referring to a strike over home plate), and “There she goes, Mrs. Murphy” (for a home run). He matched this with a slow and clear delivery that made McDonald one of the smoothest listens in baseball.

      McDonald also had a special talent as he called road games using telegraph reports and sound effects. He was dubbed “the Rembrandt of Recreation,” and despite being miles away from the diamond, his oratory skills place you in the park.

      He also called numerous football games for the Washington Redskins and the University of Maryland.

      We are proud to nominate Arch McDonald for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.
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