Maggie Whitfield interviews Melanie Newman of the Salem Red Sox…

This Q&A was conducted and condensed by Maggie Whitfield, a third grader at St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas, on behalf of The Dallas Morning News.

 I like baseball because you never really know what’s going to happen. You never know whether he or she is going to hit a home run or strike out. And I also love that although there must always be a winner and a loser, the game’s still always fun. My favorite time is when two great teams are playing, and it seems the game’s going to go on forever.

My dad loves baseball, and I learned to love baseball too. But I’m a girl, but that’s OK. It’s more than OK! As a young girl, I didn’t know baseball was “boy’s” game. It wasn’t until I was 6 that I learned it was unusual for girls to play baseball. But that’s not right. I think girls and boys are equal, and a girl can love baseball. If she wants to play baseball, she should be able to. Because a girl can do anything she wants, and that includes baseball.

That’s why I loved talking to Melanie Newman. She does play-by-play for the Salem Red Sox as part of the first all-female broadcast team in professional baseball. She got the job after working for the Frisco Rough Riders. It’s cool because she shows that women can love baseball too and that they can do anything in baseball boys can do. Like Melanie does and someday hopefully like me.

How did you decide you wanted to get into sports broadcasting?

I just loved sports when I was a kid and I knew that I liked being around athletes, photographing them and talking to them. But it wasn’t until I came a little more out of my shell and got into college that I found out I could talk about them on TV for a living.

Do you think it’s hard for a woman to do what you do?

I think it’s all how you feel and how you think about it. If your family and friends and the people who matter support you and you’re willing to put in the time and effort and dedication to pursue what you love, it definitely pays off in the long run. It doesn’t matter how many people tell you no or how many people don’t want you to be a part of it. It’s that the people that matter most stand behind you and encourage you.

What are some of the challenges you’ve had to overcome in your job?

The schedule can be challenging just because usually from February until September and sometimes to Thanksgiving, I don’t have a day off. So, trying to find a balance, to still have a life outside of work, seeing friends, seeing family, can kind of be the hardest part of it. You really have to love your job to show up every single day for close to 200 days straight.

Who helped you the most along the way?

Definitely my teachers and the people I studied under at school. The people in the industry who saw how hard I worked as a student and that I wanted to be involved. When they learned of opportunities, I was usually the first person that they reached out to. From there, it was just my responsibility to get to know as many people as possible at each work event so that I could build my network and start to develop relationships.

Who’s your favorite female athlete?

That’s a tough one. I think Serena and Venus Williams are awesome because not only are they top athletes as females, but they’re also sisters. They carry their family into what they’re doing. Now they’re moms and wives, and it’s becoming even more of a family event. They’re showing that you can be a mom and have home life and still go out and be an amazing athlete.

Do you have a favorite athlete, male or female?

My favorite athlete overall is Bo Jackson. We grew up in an Auburn house. That was how I became familiar with him. My parents went on dates to games when he played football. But he didn’t just play football. He also played baseball and he ran track and was just a really amazing athlete to watch. Now that he’s retired, he spends a lot of time giving back to the community.

What do you think is so great about baseball?

I just think it’s special that anybody can watch it and anybody can play it. There’s no clock that moves it along. You’re just relying on the talent of every athlete to move the game. But it’s also a big part of America’s history and our past and our present. Every single athlete comes from such a different background that there’s always going to be something to relate to with every single player that comes through. And I haven’t had a day yet where something didn’t happen that I haven’t seen before. I don’t think there are many sports you can say that about.

My favorite player is Adrian Beltre. Who’s your favorite baseball player of all time?

Oh, boy. That’s a big one. Aside from Bo Jackson, I guess I’d have to say David Ortiz. Growing up in Boston, he just always had the biggest smile and the biggest heart. When Boston was attacked a couple of years ago, you could see his emotion and how much he cared for the community. I think that’s what I love about sports — it involves your community. Whenever you see athletes get attached to the people, and they make it more than about the money they’re paid, I think that’s special.

What’s your favorite baseball team?

Growing up it was the Red Sox. But I’ve also liked all the other teams that I’ve worked with; the Texas Rangers, the Arizona Diamondbacks have all been a lot of fun. Then you start becoming fans of the athletes themselves, not just the team, which is even more different.

Who’s your favorite mascot?

It’s actually not a baseball mascot. But he’s in the NHL. The Philadelphia Flyers’ mascot named Gritty. I just think he’s the funniest but also kind of intimidating. He’s funny to watch. Outside of him though in baseball, Orbit for Astros might be my favorite.

What’s your favorite ballpark food?

Probably a corn dog because I think if you do the corn dog just right, you really can’t go wrong with it. I tried the pickle dog last year at the Rangers game. That wasn’t bad either. I don’t really like pickles, but it’s on the stick. It’s easy to carry around.

Do you have a non-sports hero that inspires you, and why?

Honestly, my mom and my dad and my grandmother. They all have had their share of things that they’ve had to overcome to be there for us and to support us. But my mom was a teacher for over 30 years. That’s what she loved to do. I grew up knowing that I could do what I liked as well.

Then my dad. He’s just always had the biggest heart for us. It meant so much to have that sympathetic and understanding side.

Then my grandmother was kind of my best friend when I was a little kid. She was probably the biggest supporter of everything I ever did. She’s the reason that I got into pageants, which are what cracked me out of my shell and made me not such a mortifyingly shy human being. The three of them have meant a lot to me.

Do you think there will ever be a woman to play Major League Baseball?

Well, I really hope so. I know that a woman just became the first to sign a scholarship to play college football. I think when you see things like that happening and you see some of the girls that are making really big headlines with Little League teams and they’re playing with all boys, I don’t see why a woman couldn’t play Major League Baseball.

Really, you can do just about anything that you want to do. There’s no rule saying that she can’t do that if she’s not good enough. I’m really curious and kind of excited to see a day that that’s finally happened. There are some women playing overseas professionally. Then, of course, we have the women’s leagues over here. But actual Major League Baseball, I think it could happen.

My dream is to become a Major League Baseball player for the Texas Rangers.

Well, I think that’s an awesome dream! I’ll make sure I buy your jersey when that happens.

If you had anything to say to girls who love baseball, what would it be?

That girls don’t have to be ashamed of the fact that they love baseball. Even if they want to be just a fan, or if they decide that baseball’s something they want to work in, they can do whatever they please with it. It’s an open and fair country, and baseball is there for everybody.

Baseball doesn’t care if you’re young or old, if you’re in good or bad health, or if you’re a boy or a girl. Baseball’s meant for everybody who gets a chance to walk through the gates and watch it. I think that if it’s something you enjoy, then go pursue it. If it makes your heart happy, then you should stick to it all the more. So if baseball’s your thing, don’t give it up just because somebody else thinks it’s weird.