Plainfield’s Charlie Long lives out broadcasting dream with the Chicago Cubs

They say everyone starts out as a kid from somewhere. A kid with a dream. Charlie Long happens to be from Plainfield, and his dream has been calling games alongside the great sportscasters since he was in second grade.

That wasn’t too long ago [he’s in ninth grade now], but earlier this month, he got one step closer to living that dream than most ever have.

Long, a freshman at Plainfield North, was the 2025 winner of Marquee’s Wintrust Junior Broadcaster Contest. As the winner of the contest, he got a chance to head to Cubs Live! and be on the air for the Cubs’ home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Aug. 16.

Again, though, it all started as a dream, just calling games out loud while playing baseball with his twin brother, Jake, in the backyard.

“In second grade, I started a writer’s journal where I normally just wrote down things that the teacher assigned,” Charlie said. “What I would do is write down commentary to different baseball games I’d make up in my head. That’s kind of where my love started.”

Charlie first got a taste for projecting his voice in the world of acting. He’s participated in Paramount Theater productions of “School of Rock,” “The Sound of Music,” and as the lead role in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” He said those experiences, combined with his love for sports, make broadcasting a natural future profession.

“I’ve done professional theater for three years, and I also love sports,” he said. “Combine theater and sports, what do you get? It’s basically commentary if you think about it the right way. I’ve always loved doing it, so it would be natural to go into it.”

This year wasn’t the first swing Long took at the Junior Broadcast contest. He previously submitted entries in 2023 and 2024 after first seeing an ad for the contest at a Cubs game two years ago. Although he wasn’t selected either year, he found the experience of submitting a video where he called a game to be rewarding all on its own.

“I definitely learned from the first and the second because there were things I wished I did better when I went back and watched,” he said. “Just doing the Cubs calls was really fun, though. ... What kept me going was getting to call a Cubs game, which was fun on its own. Then, this time, I also got to win.”

His third swing at the contest was out of the park. He submitted his call of Miguel Amaya’s home run against the Dodgers on April 22 to send the game to extras and was named the 2025 winner.

When his mother, Holli, got the email, it was near pandemonium in the Long household.

“My mom got the email and was like, ‘Oh my God, Charlie, you won!’ ” Charlie said with a laugh. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, yay!’ It was a lot of fun.”

Charlie, Jake, Holli and his father Scott got to go to the Cubs Live! pregame show with Cliff Floyd and Cole Wright before the game against the Pirates, where he did an interview. They then got to head down to Wrigley Field, catch Craig Counsell doing a pregame interview, and got a signed baseball from pitcher Matthew Boyd.

To Charlie and Scott, however, the highlight of the day was being in the booth and seeing what it was like to call a game from there.

“How can you beat that?” Charlie said. “The view from the booth, getting to see what it was like with the headset on, how can you beat that?”

Charlie got to help call the game in the top of the second inning before catching the rest of the game in the stands. The Cubs won 3-1.

So what’s next for the aspiring broadcaster? Charlie said there’s no broadcasting at Plainfield North at the moment, although he’d be open to getting something going in that regard. He’s considering playing volleyball in the spring, and acting remains a passion while he focuses on school and marching band right now.

As for broadcasting, he’s not sure. He knows it’s the ultimate goal, and he’s still pursuing it. His father said no matter what happens, the Long family will offer their support.

“He’s got that on-stage presence in acting and that passion for sports,” Scott Long said. “We’re going to keep supporting those interests of his, with broadcasting being one of them.”

As for Charlie, he only had one other thing to say.

“Go Cubs.”