Harrelson, Hughes Nominated for Ford Frick Award

The Ford C. Frick Award has honored many legendary broadcasters, including Harry Caray, Vin Scully, and Ernie Harwell, and there are two more Chicago icons that have been nominated for the prestigious honor, which guarantees its recipient a place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Chicago Cubs radio play-by-play voice Pat Hughes was named as one of the eight nominees selected for the prestigious honor, and he will be joined on the ballot by Chicago White Sox television play-by-play man Ken “Hawk” Harrelson.

The final selection process will take place later this month, and the winner of the Frick Award will be announced during baseball’s Winter Meetings on Dec. 7.

Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Bill King, Mike Krukow, Ned Martin, and Dewayne Staats were also nominated for the prestigious honor, which is given to the broadcaster who has shown “commitment to excellence, quality of broadcasting abilities, reverence within the game, popularity with fans, and recognition by peers,” according to the Hall of Fame’s website.

Originally having worked as the play-by-play voice of the Milwaukee Brewers and Marquette University, Hughes joined the Cubs prior to the 1996 season, and he partnered with Cubs Hall of Fame third baseman Ron Santo for 15 seasons. After Santo’s death in 2010, Hughes has partnered with Keith Moreland and Ron Coomer, who has been in the booth for the last three seasons.

As for Harrelson, he has done play-by-play for national broadcasts and a brief spell with the New York Yankees, but he is primarily known for his work with the White Sox. He joined the booth in 1990 and has been a fixture there ever since, with Tom Paciorek, Darrin Jackson, and Steve Stone serving as his color commentators during his tenure on the South Side.

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