It’s Hall of Fame Sunday in Major League Baseball. It is
a day that the newest members are enshrined in the hallowed hall of
Cooperstown. Most of the attention will be geared toward the players who will
join the greatest of the greats. But there another ceremony that many people
over look during this weekend that holds special memories for those of us who
grew up in the rural parts of this great country. Those of us wo grew up far
removed from the Major League Parks.
More so than any other sport, Baseball is a game made
especially for radio. More so than any
other sport Baseball has some of the greatest Voices of the Game. And more so
than any other sport, Baseball honors those great voices.
Each year the Hall of Fame honors one of its great voice
with the Ford C. Frick Award for Broadcasting. This year recipient is the long
time voice of the California (yes I’m old school) Angels and more recently of
the San Diego Padres, Dick Enberg.
Today, Dick Enberg join the likes of Mel Allen whose
words painted those wonderful pictures from the House that Ruth built. The
great Red Barber who sat in the Catbird Seat in that Little Ballpark on
Bedford Avenue – Ebbets Field.
Growing in in rural Virginia I got to see a lot of
baseball through the eyes of these great voices. I was able to see Hammerin’
Hank hit historic home run 715 through the eye of Milo Hamilton. Marty Brennaman
introduced me to the Big Red Machine. I was able to watch Al Kaline through
the eyes of Ernie Harwell, and, “Hey, Hey,”
Jack Brickhouse introduced me to Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, and to Ron Santo, Billy
Williams.
I got to see the grace and power of Michael Jack Schmidt
through the eyes of Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn, and enjoy the antics of the Earl
of Baltimore and the magic of Brooks Robinson through the eyes of Chuck
Thompson. Jack Buck made me realize there really was a “Wizard of Oz.”
I got to see Maz, Roberto and Pops, through the eyes of
Bob Prince, and Vin Scully introduced me the Boys of Summer, with the names
like Pee Wee, Preacher, Jackie and The Duke.
Oh what great pictures they painted with those magnificent voices. So today as Dick Enberg joins the Great Voices of the Game in the Hallowed Halls of Cooperstown, all I can say is “OH MY,” I saw it on the Radio.
Oh what great pictures they painted with those magnificent voices. So today as Dick Enberg joins the Great Voices of the Game in the Hallowed Halls of Cooperstown, all I can say is “OH MY,” I saw it on the Radio.
