Ford Frick Award
In 1978, the Ford C. Frick Award was created to honor recipients for excellence in baseball broadcasting. While the winners are not actually considered inductees of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, their names are added to a plaque in the “Scribes and Mikemen” exhibit in the Library of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Since 2004, fans have been allowed to vote for three of the award's 10 annual nominees. The remaining seven candidates are selected by a committee consisting of previous Frick Award winners and broadcast historians and columnists.

Who was Ford Frick?
Frick began his career as a sportswriter and broadcaster before becoming the public relations director for the National League and eventually the NL President. In 1951, he became Commissioner and many believe he made the controversial decision to place an asterisk next to Roger Maris’ record 61 home runs in 1961. However, Frick decided that "some distinctive mark," not necessarily an asterisk, should accompany any record set with the benefit of a longer season. Those records are marked with an annotation that states 162-game schedule. Maris established the record in the new 162-game season.

Ford Frick Award winners--Click on name for official National Baseball Hall of Fame Biography.

1978-Mel Allen, Red Barber           
1979-Bob Elson                            
1980-Russ Hodges                        
1981-Ernie Harwell
1982-Vin Scully
1983-Jack Brickhouse
1984-Curt Gowdy
1985-Buck Canel
1986-Bob Prince
1987-Jack Buck
1988-Lindsey Nelson
1989-Harry Caray
1990-By Saam
1991-Joe Garagiola
1992-Milo Hamilton
1993-Chuck Thompson
1994-Bob Murphy
1995-Bob Wolff
1996-Herb Carneal
1997-Jimmy Dudley
1998-Jaime Jarrin
1999-Arch McDonald
2000-Marty Brennaman
2001-Felo Ramirez
2002-Harry Kalas
2003-Bob Uecker
2004-Lon Simmons
2005-Jerry Coleman
2006-Gene Elston
2007-Denny Matthews
2008-Dave Niehaus
2009-Tony Kubek
2010-Jon Miller
2011-Dave Van Horne
2012-Tim McCarver
2013-Tom Cheek