Arch McDonald
American radio broadcaster, sportscaster
About Arch McDonald
Lived 1901 – 1960 (aged 59). Arch McDonald was an American sports commentator and sports announcer.
Arch Linn McDonald Sr. (May 23, 1901 – October 16, 1960) was an American radio sportscaster who served as the play-by-play voice of Major League Baseball's Washington Senators from 1934 to 1956, with the exception of 1939, when he broadcast the New York Yankees and New York Giants.
Biography McDonald was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee. —a remarkable achievement, considering that the Lookouts were a Class A team. Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith jumped McDonald straight to broadcasting for the major league team in 1934, and he immediately became a hit.
McDonald was one of the first to use "ducks on the pond" as a term for players on base, McDonald was best known, however, for his studio re-creations of road games, In June that year, he helped broadcast activities at the opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, for CBS. However, his homespun style didn't play well in New York, and he was back in Washington for the 1940 season.
For the most part, McDonald called losing baseball; the Senators only finished higher than fifth four times during his tenure. Despite the team's losing efforts, McDonald was again named outstanding baseball broadcaster in 1942 and 1945. but remained behind the microphone for the Redskins.
Personal life McDonald was the Democratic candidate for Maryland's 6th congressional district in the 1946 House of Representatives election, He was buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery in Suitland, Maryland. In 1999, McDonald was posthumously honored with the Ford C. Frick Award, given annually to one baseball broadcaster.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Arch McDonald's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Arch McDonald?
American radio broadcaster, sportscaster
When was Arch McDonald born?
Arch McDonald was born on 23 May 1901 in Hot Springs.
When did Arch McDonald die?
Arch McDonald died on 16 October 1960.
What was Arch McDonald's occupation?
Arch McDonald was a sports commentator and sports announcer.
What nationality was Arch McDonald?
Arch McDonald was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Arch McDonald. https://biography.guide/arch-mcdonald-sports-commentator/
MLA: "Arch McDonald." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/arch-mcdonald-sports-commentator/.
Chicago: "Arch McDonald." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/arch-mcdonald-sports-commentator/.
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