 Ford C. Frick, the award's namesake | |
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | "Commitment to excellence, quality of broadcasting abilities, reverence within the game, popularity with fans, and recognition by peers." |
| Location | Cooperstown, New York |
| Presented by | National Baseball Hall of Fame |
| History | |
| First award | 1978 |
| First winner | Mel Allen |
| Most recent | Joe Castiglione (2024) |
| Website | Official website |
The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the United States to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball".[a] It is named for Ford C. Frick, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Prior to his career as an executive, Frick was a baseball writer and occasional broadcaster; he gained fame as a ghostwriter for Babe Ruth in the 1920s. The award was created in 1978, and named in tribute to Frick following his death that year.
Though they are sometimes erroneously referred to as "Hall of Famers", honorees are not inducted into the Hall of Fame.[3] Honorees (if living) give a speech at the Hall of Fame during induction weekend, and their names are added to a plaque in the Hall's library. As of 2024, none of the winners of the award have gone on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
- ^ "Baseball Honors Its Top Rookies". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyoming. UPI. December 23, 1965. p. 10. Retrieved July 25, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Fisk Gets Gold Plated". Star-Gazette. Elmira, New York. AP. April 10, 1973. p. 17. Retrieved July 25, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum: Hall of Famers FAQ". National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on April 16, 2009.
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