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128th Boston Marathon: Naples resident Larry Rawson set to broadcast his 50th race in Boston

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128th Boston Marathon: Naples resident Larry Rawson set to broadcast his 50th race in Boston


It all started in 1974 as a serendipitous ‘fact-checking’ moment at the finish line of the Boston Marathon during the infancy of its broadcast days. Yet 50 years later broadcaster Larry Rawson – The Voice of the Boston Marathon – will reach an extraordinary milestone today.

But when you’ve grown up in the shadows of the famous Newton Hills and attended Boston College, where else would you spend Patriots Day, also known as Marathon Monday, as the eyes, ears, and voice of the 128-year-old event?

For Rawson, a longtime Naples resident, the lead-up to his 50th year broadcasting the Boston Marathon is a “true pinch me” moment.

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2024 Boston Marathon: Using various paths, Southwest Florida runners ready to tackle 128th Boston Marathon

“I’m excited because it’s 50. I really am” Rawson said. “I admit it’s a big number and it’s a privilege to have been so deeply involved in such an iconic event for so long.

“I mean, in our country, to be perfectly honest with you, it’s hard to last a long time in broadcasting, especially television, and I’m grateful that the audiences, ESPN, and my fellow commentators have stuck with me and have continued to want to listen to me and to work with me and to the work I put in.”

As he’s done for most of the previous 49 broadcasts, initially for radio and various television networks including ESPN since 1976, he arrived in Boston five days before the race.

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Although Larry is a fixture of the Boston Marathon, he says the focus should always be on the 30,000 runners, officials, volunteers, civic officials, and spectators who will always be the heart and soul of the event.

“It’s not about me – it’s never been about me, as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “I’ve always said, ‘I’m like the doctor trying to deliver a healthy baby on the day of the event.’ The passion for the marathon, Boston and sharing athletes’ stories is still there, the hunger to share stories on air and to bring insights is still there. It’s always been this way – it’s just the way I am.

“As for being able to recall stats and facts and find a few ‘wow’ moments, that’s not something I ‘train for’ as such. I certainly prepare and do a lot of research and homework before any event that I broadcast, but I’ve always been a math guy. Stuff just sticks in my brain.”

A former star miler at Boston College, he became an accidental broadcaster in 1974 when he felt compelled to correct factual errors being broadcast about Irish-born race leader Neil Cusack. The hapless engineer turned rookie commentator at the finish line and suddenly had a microphone thrust under his nose and could competently fill a 45-minute radio slot with local knowledge and general distance running and training insights.

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That led to becoming a ‘real broadcaster’ in 1975 when he found himself in the back seat of a Rolls Royce between the media truck and the lead pack, calling the race for radio as a little-known local runner named Bill Rodgers burst from obscurity for his first of four Boston victories.

“Larry has always been one of the most informed broadcasters of marathon coverage in the US,” Rodgers said. “In the early days of Boston broadcasting, the locals didn’t know much about marathons, especially those involved in the TV coverage. Thank God we had Larry Rawson to reach the public in an intelligent and insightful way.”

While many things have changed about how and where he does his commentary, there seems to be one constant for the man himself: a wonder and admiration in everything that is Boston Marathon and more broadly, athletics. For Rawson, it appears almost as if he’s like a young child seeing the event for the first time. It keeps him energized.

Whether it’s the Boston, New York, or Chicago marathons (he’s called a total of 113 World Marathon Majors), the summer Olympics (of which he’s called seven) or 50 years of NCAA meets, Larry still seems to keep his mind and eyes fresh and fascinating, which he hopes is reflected in his commentary of every event. 

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“Larry is excellent at what he does and has been great for keeping our sport available, accessible, and relevant to our ‘fringe fans and spectators’, those who might not know the history and backgrounds to current athletes, especially the Kenyans and Ethiopians,” said 1976 Boston Marathon winner Jack Fultz. “We always catch up for a chat at Boston every year and I’m looking forward to doing that again in 2024.”

Ian Eckersley is a runner/writer from Australia. Ian is a long-time Boston Marathon aficionado, two-time Boston Marathon finisher, and former television sports broadcaster.



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Boston, MA

Opening statements expected in trial of Irish firefighter charged with raping woman at Boston hotel – The Boston Globe

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Opening statements expected in trial of Irish firefighter charged with raping woman at Boston hotel – The Boston Globe


Superior Court Judge Sarah W. Ellis is presiding.

Seven jurors were chosen on Friday, and on Monday, several more were seated for a total of 15. Opening statements are set to follow later Monday, officials said.

Crosbie is accused of raping a woman while she slept in March 2024, when he was in Boston to participate in St. Patrick’s Day parade with fellow members of the Dublin Fire Brigade.

Crosbie was originally scheduled to leave the United States after the parade on March 19, officials have said. But after Crosbie spoke with police on March 15, he went to Logan International Airport for a 10:10 p.m. flight bound for Ireland, officials said.

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He boarded an earlier flight at 7 p.m., but was pulled off the airplane by State Police and arrested, officials said.

Prosecutors allege that Crosbie raped a “female stranger” at the Omni Parker House hotel in downtown Boston on March 14, 2024.

The woman, 28, had gone to dinner with coworkers at The Black Rose, a pub near Faneuil Hall, and met a man, Liam O’Brien, along with his fellow Irish firefighters, according to prosecutors and court records.

The woman told police on March 15 that she agreed to return to O’Brien’s room, which he was sharing with Crosbie, at the Omni Parker House.

Video shows that around 11:30 p.m., the woman left a restaurant with O’Brien and returned to the room, prosecutors said.

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The pair had a consensual encounter in the room, according to prosecutors. O’Brien then fell asleep on one of two beds in the hotel room, and the woman went to sleep on the other bed, prosecutors said.

Crosbie left the hotel at 11:55 p.m., according to hotel security video, and swiped his key card back into the room at 1:55 a.m., prosecutors said. At some point in the night, the woman woke up as Crosbie was allegedly raping her, according to a police report.

The woman “tried to push the male off” and she said “What are you doing? Stop!” the report said. Crosbie said “this guy is sleeping, I know you want this. He fell asleep,” the woman told police.

The woman left at 2:15 a.m., 20 minutes after Crosbie entered the room, prosecutors said. She messaged a friend to say she had been assaulted and went to a hospital, where she spoke with police.

At a hearing in August, prosecutors requested a DNA swab from Crosbie for “comparative testing” A genital swab from the woman revealed male DNA, prosecutors said in court documents.

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“In this case, a known DNA sample from the defendant will produce evidence relevant to the question of his guilt,” Assistant District Attorney Erin Murphy, chief of the domestic violence and sexual assault unit, wrote in court papers.

Crosbie objected to providing a sample on grounds of unreasonable searches and seizures, court filings show.

“My client is not concerned about what the DNA is going to return or say,” Reilly said at the time. “He is adamant that he had no physical contact with her.”

The status of the DNA testing wasn’t immediately clear on Monday.

Material from previous Globe articles was used in this report.

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Ava Berger can be reached at ava.berger@globe.com. Follow her @Ava_Berger_.





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Matt Stuart gem lifts Chelmsford past Wellesley in 1-0 thriller

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Matt Stuart gem lifts Chelmsford past Wellesley in 1-0 thriller


WELLESLEY — In the very back of Chelmsford ace Matt Stuart’s mind is that each of the program’s last three state tournament runs have ended in games he started.

Yet another gem from the senior Gardner-Webb University-commit on Sunday instead has the Lions reaching a new height.

With a complete-game shutout, in which the four-year starter allowed just three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts, Stuart won a true pitchers duel to lift 14th-seeded Chelmsford (17-8) over No. 11 Wellesley, 1-0, in the Div. 1 state quarterfinals to secure the program’s first trip to the Final Four.

Chelmsford players jump and celebrate after clinching a thrilling 1-0 over host Wellesley during a Div. 1 state quarterfinal Sunday. (Libby O’Neill/Boston Herald)

Evan Kobrenski’s RBI double in the fifth inning proved the game-winner, getting just enough against Raiders sophomore Max Boehm (complete game, one run, four hits, four strikeouts) in a 74-pitch gem.

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“It’s amazing, it’s what we’ve been working for all year,” Stuart said. “Every year so far, we’ve been knocked out when I’ve been pitching. I was 0-for-3 coming into this (tournament). So that first game (in the first round) was a big step for me, and to win this one is just amazing.”

“We’re crazy excited,” added Chelmsford head coach Lou DiStasi. “This team has been building for several years. We challenged ourselves with a really tough schedule because we knew that we wanted to compete for the state title. … To get this, into the Final Four, I think it means so much to the town and to the community.”

Batters had trouble all game producing much of any real opportunities against either pitcher, both of whom each set down seven straight batters at one point. And when chances with runners in scoring position came up, the two combined to force a 1-for-7 mark at the plate.

Boehm efficiently forced a slew of routine plays for his defense by pounding the strike zone, while Stuart’s mix of pitches did the same and produced at least one strikeout in every inning but the third.

Chelmsford's Evan Kobrenski slides safely into second base as Wellesley's Will Goggin fields the throw during a close play in Sunday's baseball state quarterfinal. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)
Chelmsford’s Evan Kobrenski slides safely into second base as Wellesley’s Will Goggin fields the throw during a close play in Sunday’s baseball state quarterfinal. (Libby O’Neill/Boston Herald)

“I knew coming in he was a good pitcher,” Stuart said. “But I knew if we got one, I knew I wasn’t going to let up a run. So just get that run, and it was over.”

It wasn’t until the fifth inning that a run was scored, in which Boehm nearly got out of the jam prior. John Latham’s leadoff double was advanced to third on a Keegan Briere (2-for-2) sacrifice bunt. Boehm answered by taking away a squeeze opportunity with a lineout.

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On the next pitch, Kobrenski tucked a grounder just inside the first-base line for a two-out double and the 1-0 lead.

“That’s been our team all year,” DiStasi said. “(Kobrenski) has been unbelievable for two consecutive years. … To get that double for us to win, couldn’t have gone to a better kid.”

That’s the only damage Boehm allowed, but Stuart held up his promise.

Chelmsford's Evan Kobrenski celebrates after being called safe at second base as Wellesley's Will Goggin looks on during Sunday's Div. 1 clash at Sprague Fields. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)
Chelmsford’s Evan Kobrenski celebrates after being called safe at second base as Wellesley’s Will Goggin looks on during Sunday’s Div. 1 clash at Sprague Fields. (Libby O’Neill/Boston Herald)

Will Goggin (2-for-2) and Cole DeFina hit two-out singles to put runners on first and third in the fifth, only for Stuart to force a lineout to shortstop to end the threat. Only one runner reached in the sixth and seventh innings, and it came on a dropped routine fly in the outfield.

Stuart, whopitched well in those three previous state tournament losses, closed the door in the program’s biggest win to date.

“It was like he always does,” said DiStasi. “He pitches every single one of the big games that we ever get. … It’s the way he’s been his entire career. We expect him to do something like that, even though every time he does it, you just smile and say, ‘Wow, you’re an amazement.’ He’s the biggest competitor I’ve ever coached.”

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There’s quite a history with this Chelmsford group, as many of the players were on the Cal Ripken 11-year-old team for DiStasi back in 2019, which qualified for the 2020 World Series as 12-year-old representatives.

COVID cancelled it, and they never had the chance for that glory.

“Our 12-year-old team that was destined to go to the World Series … never had the chance to do it,” DiStasi said. “This might be a nice little alternative, so we’ll take it.”

Wellesley's Will Goggin makes it safely to first base on a close play as Chelmsford's Finn Ramseyer holds the ball. (Libby O'Neill/Boston Herald)
Wellesley’s Will Goggin makes it safely to first base on a close play as Chelmsford’s Finn Ramseyer holds the ball. (Libby O’Neill/Boston Herald)

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Alex Cora gives Boston Red Sox injury updates on Tanner Houck, others

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Alex Cora gives Boston Red Sox injury updates on Tanner Houck, others


NEW YORK — Injured Red Sox starter Tanner Houck still has not thrown off a mound more than three weeks after landing on the IL.

The 28-year-old righty was placed on the 15-day injured list May 14 with a right flexor pronator strain.

“Playing catch but not on the mound yet,” manager Alex Cora said Saturday before Boston’s game against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

Houck has struggled this season with an 8.04 ERA (43 ⅔ innings, 39 earned runs) in nine starts.

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Is his progression going slower than initially expected?

“Not really,” Cora said. “When you go on the IL, you never know.

“I’m not saying this is the case but when they (trainers) start working on you, they feel like it’s more time than in the beginning or less time,” Cora said. “So I leave it up to them to see where we’re at but we just gotta be patient.”

Other Red Sox injury updates:

~ Setup man Justin Slaten, who the Red Sox placed on the 15-day injured list June 1 with right shoulder inflammation, has not begun throwing again.

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~ Third baseman Alex Bregman (right quad strain) “feels good” after beginning his running progression Thursday, Cora said. “The progression is going well. Let’s see how he feels tomorrow and then we’ll go from there. Obviously we’re still far away from starting the baseball progression,” Cora said.

~ Starter Kutter Crawford (wrist pain) was supposed to throw a bullpen session this weekend. But Cora said it’s now going “to be the end of the (this coming) week.”



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