By Julia Beauregard
Hometown Weekly Editor
On Wednesday, the Center at the Heights (CATH) welcomed Red Sox Hall of Famer, former catcher, and sports broadcaster Bob "Monty" Montgomery, along with WCVB sports reporter Mike Dowling. Dowling conducted an interview with Montgomery, retracing various aspects of his career before, during, and after playing in Major League Baseball. Dowling began the interview by informing the audience that Montgomery played for the Red Sox in the 1970s, and he was a catcher who worked his way up from the minor leagues to the big leagues squad, despite not growing up playing the catcher position, but instead playing outfield or first base.
Montgomery shared that eventually a manager had suggested he could make it in the major leagues as a catcher, which led to him changing his position. "The people in Boston said, 'If you ever want to make it in the big leagues, you'll need to be a catcher.' So I said, 'When will I learn to be a catcher?'" Montgomery recalled. Montgomery then shared delightful and humorous stories about his time in the major leagues, sharing laughs with Dowling and the seniors in the crowd. It was plain to see the gratitude he held for the opportunity he was given to play for the Red Sox. "I was fortunate to play in the big leagues, but I was very fortunate to play during the 70s when baseball had very good players…I not only got to play with a lot of good players, but I got to watch a lot of great players play," he shared.
Dowling also inquired about Montgomery's time as a color commentator, which he began after retiring from the major leagues. Montgomery worked as a color commentator for baseball for ten years, which was a career path he clearly enjoyed and took much pride in. "I always wanted to give the fans or the listeners as much insight as I could as to what was going on during the games," Montgomery stated.
During the post-interview Q&A, "Monty" shared many tales about his time as a player and a commentator, as well as offered many insights into his thoughts about baseball today. The Hall of Famer gave in-depth analysis and opinions regarding every question the crowd asked. For all the Red Sox fans in attendance, it was a wonderful program.
