Ford C. Frick Award
The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball." The award, named after the late broadcaster, National League President, Commissioner, and Hall of Famer, has been presented annually since 1978. Frick was a driving force behind the creation of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and he helped foster the relationship between radio and the game of baseball.
Mel Allen and Red Barber were the first two recipients in 1978. A single winner has been selected in each year following.
The annual Frick Award ballot is created by a subcommittee of the voting electorate. A new election cycle has been established, with a composite ballot featuring local and national voices in four consecutive years, followed by a fifth year featuring a ballot of candidates whose broadcasting careers concluded prior to the advent of the Wild Card Era in 1994. The new cycle began with the 2023 Frick Award, with composite ballots of local and national voices continuing with the Awards in 2024, 2025 and 2026 before the pre-Wild Card Era ballot is considered for the 2027 Award. The cycle then repeats every five years. Each ballot will consist of 10 candidates, with a requirement that at least one candidate be a foreign language broadcaster.
The Frick Award Committee casts ballots during November, and the results are announced during the Baseball Winter Meetings in December. The Frick Award electorate is comprised of the living Frick Award recipients and four broadcast historians/columnists.
Voters are asked to base their selections on "Commitment to excellence, quality of broadcasting abilities, reverence within the game, popularity with fans, and recognition by peers." To be considered, an active or retired broadcaster must have a minimum of 10 years of continuous major league broadcast service with a ball club, network, or a combination of the two.
The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually during Hall of Fame Weekend. Each award recipient (not to be confused with an inductee) is presented with a calligraphy of the award and is recognized in the "Scribes & Mikemen" exhibit in the Library of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Below is a complete list of the Ford C. Frick Award recipients, linking to more information.
