Boston, MA
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
Boston, MA
What we know about wrong-way driver killed in head-on collision with state trooper in Lynnfield – The Boston Globe
Court records show that Marrero was the father of three children, the oldest of whom is 17. The youngest two children, twins, are 13 years old; Marrero’s death came days before their 14th birthday.
Records in Middlesex Probate and Family Court also suggest that Marrero faced financial difficulties and personal troubles, stemming in part from a work injury that family members said caused a bout of depression and deteriorating behavior in his personal life.
For nearly a decade, Marrero worked at Dewberry, a Boston engineering consulting firm, court records show, obtaining a job as an architectural design apprentice in 2005. He left the company in 2014, according to a company spokesperson.
Throughout that time, he doubled as a bartender on the side, working at Mexican restaurants in Boston and Waltham, court records show.
A knee injury ended Marrero’s career at Dewberry, court records show, and he left the company shortly thereafter.
That injury, according to court documents, was the catalyst for what his wife described as a “major depressive episode,” which she said contributed to the strain in their marriage. The couple, who had been married for more than 20 years, separated in 2022.
Records also show that Marrero struggled with debts to family members and credit card companies. During his divorce proceedings, it was unclear how much money he was taking home in income.
Marrero briefly owned and operated a contracting business, 109 Construction, but the corporation was administratively dissolved in 2024, according to state filings.
Marrero had lived in US since at least 2001, holding legal status. He became a naturalized citizen in March 2021, court records show.
Social media posts suggest he was active in the tight-knit Venezuelan community in Massachusetts. Photos show him cheering on Venezuela at a World Baseball Classic watch party in Brighton earlier this year.
Court records appear to show Marrero’s interest in art and music, owning a Venezuelan guitar, conga drums, and several Venezuelan paintings, as well as homemade winemaking setup.
Marrero’s family could not be reached for comment. A close friend reached by the Globe declined to comment.
Trainor had just completed his shift at about 2 a.m. on Wednesday and was driving home when he responded to a report for a Jeep traveling south in the northbound lanes of Route 1, near the Lynnfield overpass.
Raised in Salem, Trainor began his public safety career as an Essex County correction officer before graduating from the State Police academy in 2023, State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble said.
Trainor’s fiancée, Jessica D. Ostrowski, of Georgetown, posted an emotional message to social media Thursday, describing the late trooper as “my absolute best friend.”
“I am beyond proud for the amount of love you have been given by those who loved and cared about you,” she wrote.
Travis Andersen and Jeremiah Manion of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Material from previous Globe coverage was used.
Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.
Boston, MA
Funding scandal-hit Croft schools in Boston to close this summer after all
Administrators at the Croft School, struggling after allegations of financial fraud, haven’t been able to find a buyer for its Boston locations, which will now close at the end of the school year, parents were told Friday.
Millions of dollars were raised by families and community members to keep the private school open for a few more months while Croft School administrators scrambled to find a buyer. But in Friday’s email, the chief restructuring officer and independent sale advisor said that two parties expressed interest but they ultimately had to pivot toward winding operations down.
“To be clear, the 2025-2026 school year will be completed based on the availability of parent funding. However, without a viable timetable for a transaction, we are faced with this difficult decision,” the email said.
About 350 students had attended the Croft School’s three campuses, two in Boston and one in Providence. Regular tuition starts at $31,000, according to the website.
Millions were raised to keep the private school open for a few more months but the Croft School is looking for a buyer as a long-term fix to its financial problems.
More than 60 families unenrolled from the South End campus over the weekend, the email said.
News of the debt crisis surprised parents in March, when the school’s board revealed in a letter that founding Executive Director Scott Given admitted to fabricating a letter of credit regarding a possible expansion and keeping two sets of books, overstating the school’s revenue while understating its expenses.
The discovery that the school was more than $13 million in debt came after police were alerted to possible fraud. The school has said it’s cooperating with multiple investigations involving Given, who has been suspended.
The private school, with two locations in Boston and one in Providence, requires $5 million to stay open for the rest of the schoolyear.
Given has been sued by at least one Boston parent, accusing him of running a Ponzi scheme. His legal team has said he has no comment.
Parents rallied to save the school, raising enough funds to keep classes going.
The officials in charge of the sale noted “how hard many of you worked to maintain The Croft School as you know it,” but added that the “difficult circumstances, uncertain financials and condensed timeframe made this a trying environment for purchasers to timely make a binding offer for the schools.”
Boston, MA
Where to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox: TV channel, start time, streaming for May 8
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
Baseball is back and finding what channel your favorite team is playing on has become a little bit more confusing since MLB announced plans to produce and distribute broadcasts for nearly a third of the league.
We’re here to help. Here’s everything you need to know Friday as the Tampa Bay Rays visit the Boston Red Sox.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox?
First pitch between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. (ET) on Friday, May 8.
How to watch Tampa Bay Rays vs Boston Red Sox on Friday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Friday, May 8, 2026, at 6:33 a.m.
- Matchup: TB at BOS
- Date: Friday, May 8
- Time: 7:10 p.m. (ET)
- Venue: Fenway Park
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- TV: NESN, Rays.TV and WMOR
- Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for May 8 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
See scores, results for all of today’s games.
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