It’s a bright, sunny day at the beach. The waves from the ocean are crashing against the sand, people are lying across towels trying to get an even tan, and the smell of boardwalk fries and funnel cakes travels through the air.
Most people would be clamoring to snag a spot on the beach, but Gray Robertson’s eyes are fixed on the television in his hotel room. Former Texas pitcher Cat Osterman is in the circle, and for him, that’s must-watch television.
Little did Robertson know at the time that he, alongside his broadcasting partner Tom Canterbury, would start a podcast that would reach all kinds of college softball fans.
Walking up to the plate
Robertson and Canterbury are the voices of Alabama softball. Every time the Crimson Tide is on the diamond, the duo is either perched up high, in the box or among the crowd calling the action live through the radio.
Naturally, there is always something happening when college softball is in full swing. Canterbury and Robertson can’t cover it all on air, so a podcast centered around Alabama softball and the SEC was the next step.
Creating a successful podcast takes a lot of time and effort. But, for Canterbury, there was little hesitation joining alongside Robertson for this venture.
“I knew if Gray was doing it, that [it] was going to have a lot of that effort put into it,” Canterbury said. “So, I was down with it.”
The “Out of the Box” podcast was born, and its first episode was released four years ago in January of 2019.
Safe at first
The recording process for each episode is simple. Robertson compiles a list of storylines around Alabama and other collegiate teams. Then, Robertson adds in relevant stats, trends and notes for him and Canterbury to discuss. A guest is selected, and everyone sits down to talk softball.
Once the episode is recorded, the next step is to whittle down the initial recording into a nugget of the best audio the two hosts can offer.
“There are episodes where we have whipped out three and a half to, sometimes, four hours and I have to trim that down to something respectable that people will listen to,” Roberston said.
Every episode follows the same format: The listener takes a trip around the bases with Canterbury and Robertson. The listener starts “At the Plate,” where the two hosts recap the past week in Alabama softball. Then, the listener advances to first, where the hosts break down any SEC softball storylines. The listener steals second, where a guest joins the host to discuss national softball news.
As the listener rounds third and heads home, the focus shifts back to the SEC and Alabama softball as the duo wraps up the episode.
Rounding second and third
Canterbury and Robertson have built a community of ardent softball enthusiasts with this podcast. On X, formerly Twitter, the podcast has over 2,800 followers. More surprisingly to the pair, people have even stopped the duo to take pictures, strike up conversations or express support.
“The fact that somebody who is a donor at UCLA [and] lives all the way over there is such an adamant listener was really special,” Robertson said.
To the hosts, the vocal support is something both find it hard to wrap their head around because they simply weren’t expecting it. But it’s also special for Robertson and Canterbury to hear just how passionate softball fans are about what two radio personalities in Alabama have to say.
“I think there’s a lot of people that just appreciate that we do it [the podcast] in good humor,” Canterbury said.
Sliding home
Their four-year journey with “Out of the Box” has taken Robertson and Canterbury to new heights within the world of softball. On Feb. 7, Softball America, a media company dedicated to full-time coverage of all levels of softball, named Robertson as its new podcast director. The newly formed podcast network at Softball America was created to “amplify diverse voices and foster meaningful conversations across all levels of softball.”
“It’s an incredible thrill to join this amazing venture,” Robertson said in the official release. “Not only have I loved covering softball on radio and TV over the years, but one of my great joys has been podcasting about this growing sport. To get to do so in an even bigger way, and crucially alongside my friend Tara Henry, my long-time podcast partner Tom Canterbury, and our absolutely fantastic collection of voices from around the nation makes this announcement somehow even more exciting.
In addition to Robertson’s new role at Softball America, the dynamic duo are now the hosts of “It Just Means More Softball,” a show centered around SEC softball, which just launched its first episode featuring Missouri softball head coach Larissa Anderson.
What started off as long “therapy sessions” after a loss to analyze what happened on the diamond has turned into not only a successful podcast, but a way for Robertson and Canterbury to build lifelong friendships.
A sport can produce so many storylines, and softball is no different. Going all in on this podcast has helped Canterbury and Robertson cover the stories they once couldn’t cover.
“Once you’re in softball, you realize there is so much content, so many stories, [and] frankly, so much drama,” Robertson said. “You never really know what you’re going to get, and it’s truly incredible to cover this sport.”
