Vote For Vince Lloyd For The Hall Of Fame's Frick Award

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 9:00 AM CST in Chicago Cubs News

Every year, the Hall of Fame selects a broadcaster to receive the Ford C. Frick Award. Many former Cubs broadcasters have received this award -- Jack Brickhouse, Harry Caray, Gene Elston, and yes, even Milo Hamilton. Here's a complete list of all the Frick recipients.

There's one significant Cubs broadcaster who I believe deserves this honor and has been left out -- Vince Lloyd. For nearly 30 years, on both WGN radio and TV, Vince was one of the voices of my childhood (and that of many others here, I know). He took over the WGN radio play-by-play role under difficult circumstances in 1965, after the tragic death of Jack Quinlan in a car accident. For the next 22 seasons he and Lou Boudreau were the voices of the Cubs on radio.

Vince Lloyd was also the first sportscaster to interview a president of the United States on live TV when, while covering the White Sox at Senators Opening Day game in 1961, he was able to get a quick interview with President Kennedy.

I believe that Lloyd, who died in 2003, deserves this honor. You can vote for him at the Hall of Fame's Facebook page -- the top three vote-getters from the fan poll will be on the 10-person final ballot that will be considered by the following committee:

The Frick electorate includes all living Award-winners and five historians/veteran media members appointed by the Hall of Fame. The voting electorate consists of 20 members, featuring 2009 Ford C. Frick Award winner Tony Kubek and the other 14 living Frick Award winners: Marty Brennaman, Jerry Coleman, Gene Elston, Joe Garagiola, Ernie Harwell, Jaime Jarrin, Milo Hamilton, Denny Matthews, Dave Niehaus, Felo Ramirez, Vin Scully, Lon Simmons, Bob Uecker and Bob Wolff. The five historians and veteran media members also part of the electorate include: Bob Costas (NBC), Barry Horn (Dallas Morning News), Stan Isaacs (formerly of New York Newsday), Ted Patterson (historian) and Curt Smith (historian).

More details here. Voting will continue through the month of December. Let's get Vince Lloyd this honor he deserves.

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And before you ask....

… I can’t find the voting link on the Hall of Fame’s Facebook page, either.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 9:10 AM CST reply actions

I open up the HOF facebook page...

I vote in the favorite hall-of-famer poll…and an add for a gambling site pops up it.

That’s kinda funny. Where’s Pete Rose when you need him.

by doc_blume on Dec 1, 2009 9:15 AM CST reply actions

That IS funny.

Can you locate the broadcaster poll? I can’t.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 9:17 AM CST up reply actions

The poll is now available.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 9:31 AM CST reply actions

I vote

AGAINST/NOT

Joe Morgan
Joe Buck
Hawk Harrelson
Chip Caray
Joe Carter

I vote for:

Pat Hughes

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 1, 2009 9:55 AM CST reply actions

Chip is out of a job

Now let’s get the other nepotist, Joe Buck, out of here!

by Dan Serafini on Dec 1, 2009 9:58 AM CST up reply actions

Wait to vote for Hughes.

He’ll get this award, I think, eventually. Let’s vote for Vince Lloyd before people start forgetting him.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 10:08 AM CST up reply actions

Oh my, I know what you wrote, but I'm telling Pat you said

“He’ll get what’s coming to him.”

at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!

by N Oakley on Dec 1, 2009 11:11 AM CST up reply actions

Well, he will...

… but you know that’s not what I meant.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 11:30 AM CST up reply actions

A consummate pro

Not sure if the story was true, but I had always heard that the Cubs had a radio affiliate in Idaho so that Vince could hear games out there after he retired.

Growing up (I am 39), I prefered Vince to Jack, and remember that when they brought Vince, Lou and Jack back for 70s nights, Vince would call the game “straight up,” while Jack made those broadcasts more about himself.

Not a slam on Jack, but a vote FOR Vince.

by Dan Serafini on Dec 1, 2009 9:57 AM CST reply actions

This is a no-brainer! Vote for Vince!

by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Dec 1, 2009 10:00 AM CST reply actions

Why so many on that list?

More than a few David Seguis and Pat Hengtens there… Evidently there are little to no criteria to be eligible? I realize it’s just a Facebook poll, but still… kinda dilutes the whole premise, doesn’t it?

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 1, 2009 10:37 AM CST reply actions

It's more than just a Facebook poll.

…. the top 3 from that poll go to the committee.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 10:44 AM CST up reply actions

I understand that

but I’m wondering who put that list together and what criteria they used. Players need 10 years in the majors and 5 years of retirement before they can be put on the ballot. And then there’s additional criteria to remain on the ballot for succeeding years. This just looks like a list of every announcer that’s ever announced (an exaggeration, yes, but by how much?).

So Facebook is just the vehicle being used here and if the Committee wanted to distribute to other communication vehicles and/or media outlets a list of all those eligible for the 2010 Ford Frick award, this is the list they’d use? If so, I think they need to tighten up their eligibility criteria a bit.

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Dec 1, 2009 11:23 AM CST up reply actions

Agreed - that is a ridiculously long list.

In any case, let the record reflect that I voted for Vince.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Dec 1, 2009 11:24 AM CST up reply actions

Yow

Agreed on the long list. You need to know who you are looking for.

"In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is." -- Yogi Berra

by vonde6 on Dec 1, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions

Me Too

I cast lucky vote #13 for Vince.

by FrankSereno on Dec 1, 2009 11:35 AM CST reply actions

Aw, sweet memories...

of listening to Vince and Lou back in the 70’s when I was a kid/teen in Northern Indiana.

I remember listening to them when helping my Grandpa on the farm. He had one of those old fender-mounted radios that he would put on his tractor in the summer and I would have the game on, from pre-game show to final recap, every chance I could get working in the fields. Absolutely mesmorized by those two announcers. they could literally paint a picture of what was going on during the game!

I think I even have a tape of one of their games from around 1979 or so.

If you think you've seen it all...just wait!

by CubFanSince1970 on Dec 1, 2009 11:43 AM CST reply actions

What about Lou?

He was great with Vince on the radio!

"Any player who gets the opportunity to play at Wrigley should welcome it"

by Itchy on Dec 1, 2009 11:49 AM CST reply actions

Lou's in the HOF

as a player/manager

by ChipSet on Dec 1, 2009 12:52 PM CST up reply actions

Noticed on the facebook page

that today is the anniversary of Ernie Banks retiring from baseball in 1971, found that to be interesting.

"It's been my policy to view the Internet not as an 'information highway,' but as an electronic asylum filled with babbling loonies." - Mike Royko

by DTJchris on Dec 1, 2009 1:16 PM CST reply actions

Does the vote count if you don't have a facebook login?

"Fasten those seatbelts"-Pat Hughes

by katie casey on Dec 1, 2009 1:33 PM CST reply actions

Yes.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 2:26 PM CST up reply actions

I beg to differ...

I contacted the HOF and asked the question if you needed a facebook account and I got the following response…

Kasey:

Thank you for your note. Yes, you need a Facebook account to vote. However, this can be accomplished easily and without divulging any of your personal information. Simply create a Gmail, Yahoo! or Hotmail email account that you do not intend to use and use that email as your Facebook logon. You can vote multiple times for the same candidate throughout December, and then after you are finished you needn’t worry about your Facebook logon ever again.

We hope you will be able to participate in the Frick Award voting. Thank you for your interest in the Baseball Hall of Fame!

Sincerely,

Craig Muder
Director of Communications
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

See the Cubs 2010 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2010.html
Also see what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html

by kaseyi on Dec 2, 2009 9:34 AM CST up reply actions

Thanks for posting this.

Everyone go join, and vote early and often!

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 2, 2009 10:16 AM CST up reply actions

Done

n/t

by MN exile on Dec 1, 2009 2:11 PM CST reply actions

for those who never heard Vince on the radio

Here is a mp3 file of the Cubs half of the 1st inning of the game on 8-6-1977. (It starts out with an old style commercial)

http://www.southtownstr.com/aug-6-77-cubs-1st.mp3

Kasey

See the Cubs 2010 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2010.html
Also see what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html

by kaseyi on Dec 1, 2009 2:17 PM CST reply actions

Thanks for posting the link, Kasey.

The Cubs won the game 10-5. After that day they were tied for first place with a 63-44 record.

They went 18-37 the rest of the way.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 2:33 PM CST up reply actions

I recorded this game off the radio that day...

and I copied the cassette to CD a few years back. After looking at Retrosheet, I was going to put the Cubs 4th here, but when I listened to it, Lou Boudreau actually did the PBP that inning

See the Cubs 2010 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2010.html
Also see what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html

by kaseyi on Dec 1, 2009 2:46 PM CST up reply actions

You meant the 4th inning, right?

Boudreau wasn’t very good at PBP.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 3:03 PM CST up reply actions

thats what I thought I said

Cubs half of the 4th inning. Just because…here is a link to that half inning with Lou Boudreau doing the PBP

http://www.southtownstr.com/aug-6-77-cubs-4th.mp3

See the Cubs 2010 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2010.html
Also see what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html

by kaseyi on Dec 1, 2009 3:33 PM CST up reply actions

oh..and btw...

This half inning took about 20 minutes.

See the Cubs 2010 schedule at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/sched2010.html
Also see what old Cubs Scorecards looked like at http://cubsbythenumbers.com/scorecards.html

by kaseyi on Dec 1, 2009 3:34 PM CST up reply actions

That poll is going to get screwed up.

I have already voted four times — I don’t know if the poll is supposed to one vote per person, but it lets you vote over and over even if you are logged in.

So — go ahead and vote hundreds of times for Vince!

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 1, 2009 2:26 PM CST reply actions

I voted for Vince

he only has 3% at this point. We need more votes. I know any Cub fan who grew up in the 60’s loved Vince. I used a lot of transistor batteries listening to the night games in bed when I was supposed to be asleep.

by LT on Dec 1, 2009 8:45 PM CST up reply actions

I agree!

Vince Lloyd was damn good!

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Dec 1, 2009 2:56 PM CST reply actions

Lou .. whattaguy ..

Let’s remember some of his more erudite promotion for the Cubs.

Blue mountains high .. Blue valleys low
I don't know which way we will go ..
One summer dream .. one summer dream ..

coda

ELO, 1975

by cubnational on Dec 1, 2009 6:04 PM CST reply actions

Vince Lloyd was wonderful

An understated intelligent voice on the radio for so many years. He was just great. Not at all into self-promotion, and it was always about the Cubs and the game itself as opposed to the announcer.

It makes me weep thinking that we have Len Friggin Kaspar in the TV booth these days. Mind boggling.

"Cubs will win 79 to 83 games." BLou (7/21/09)

by BLou on Dec 1, 2009 7:07 PM CST reply actions

Vince & Jack Quinlan

Possibly the most underrated voice was that of Jack Quinlan. Don’t know if anyone could have really taken his place in my mind, but Vince came as close as possible. He deserves the honor.

"It's a funny old world. Man's lucky if he gets out of it alive." W.C. Fields

by KedzieKid on Dec 1, 2009 8:23 PM CST reply actions

Holy Mackeral!

Agree I voted for him but he’s still at "only’’ 4% will that cut it? Gotta keep pushing and get the big boys at Trib and S-Times behind this also.

He was terrific and exciting…could always tell if Cubs were winning/losing by the sound of his voice. I think they pushed him aside too soon (for Harry and Milo?). Pat Hughes is a pro, but lacks the descriptive abilities of Lloyd.

Speaking of veterans and HoF, haven’t read much about Santo’s chances this year. Is he up? I believe he’s very borderline but this could be the year….

by QuincyCub on Dec 1, 2009 8:54 PM CST reply actions

Pat Hughes

I want to see how Hughes sounds without having to carry Ron Santo in the booth all the time. I have to admit to hating Hughes in the beginning. But he has grown on me quite a bit. And I think if there was no Ron then we could really see Hughes flourish.

Len Kaspar? Awful. 100% terrible. And I know plenty of good Cub fans who agree with me. He is as bad as SMilo Hamilton.

The Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup in 2010.

by BLou on Dec 1, 2009 9:00 PM CST up reply actions