I SAW IT ON THE RADIO

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.