Gellner makes history in Twins' booth

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Marney Gellner is chatting with reporters on the fourth-floor deck at Hammond Stadium on Monday when one of the stadium ushers -- Bob, from Indiana, according to his name tag -- perks up and ambles over. He recognizes Gellner's voice from watching four innings of the previous day's telecast.

"You act like you've done it all your life," he said. "I mean that."

Gellner, a longtime Minnesota sideline reporter and play-by-play broadcaster for the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA, became the first woman to serve as the play-by-play announcer for the Twins when she finished up a three-game stint for FOX Sports North during Monday's game against the Orioles.

But for those around the Twins' broadcast team, it all feels pretty normal.

"I wasn't trying to make this bigger than it was, like, 'Here I am. First lady! Let's go!'" Gellner said. "Because I feel like it's natural. I've been around this team. I've been around you guys. I've been around all these guys, and that's kind of how [analyst Dan Gladden] treated it, too.

"'OK, Marney's here. That's normal.' Even though it wasn't."

Gellner's broadcasts of the Twins' Spring Training home games against the Red Sox, Phillies and Orioles were carried on not only FOX Sports North and the Treasure Island Baseball Network, but they were also aired nationally by MLB Network, giving her debuts a much wider audience than the crew had originally expected.

Even if it weren't for the milestone, the experience was particularly meaningful to Gellner, who grew up a Twins fan in Minot, N.D., where she watched Gladden, her broadcast partner, during his playing days. It took her completely by surprise when executive producer Tony Tortorici called her into the office in November and told her that the Twins were interested in having her call Spring Training games.

Last December, Gellner had filled in as the play-by-play announcer for an NBA game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls.

"[The Twins] weren't even hesitant, saying, 'Come in the studio and do a practice game, and if it looks like you can handle it, we'll give you some games,'" Gellner said. "They just gave me three games. Their trust in my abilities kind of blew me away. I will never forget this."

The baseball flow wasn't new to Gellner -- she had done some softball play-by-play before -- but she had to feel out the challenges of simultaneously calling a game for radio and television while keeping track of the plethora of substitutions that occur in the late innings of Spring Training games.

She was also helped along by Gladden, a longtime friend and a 19-year veteran of the broadcast booth, and the pair drifted to topics like the pranks they used to play on each other. Though some listeners on social media were taken aback by Gladden's gruff tone at times during the broadcasts, it was all just part of the natural banter between the old friends.

"There were people who were concerned for my welfare after the first game, which shocked me," Gellner said. "But they must not know [Gladden] or know me, because he treated me the same way he would treat [radio broadcaster] Cory [Provus], the same way he treats [TV play-by-play broadcaster] Dick [Bremer], the same way he treats you guys."

Gellner will be back in her sideline reporting role during the regular season, but she wouldn't hesitate to return to the booth if she were asked. She has her broadcast partner's endorsement.

"If you know Marney Gellner, I don't care if you're doing broadcasts, on a plane ride, or on a bus trip -- you're having fun," Gladden said.

"Other than when I hear her sing."