Baseball HOF Honors Denny Matthews With Ford Frick Award

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Matthews is just one of eight announcers in Major League Baseball history to spend an entire career with one club with at least 35 consecutive seasons behind the microphone. He joins Vin Scully (Dodgers, 56), Jack Buck (St. Louis, 47), Jaime Jarrin (Los Angeles, 44), Joe Nuxhall (Cincinnati, 40), Phil Rizzuto (Yankees, 40), Mike Shannon (St. Louis, 35) and Richie Ashburn (Philadelphia, 35) as the only broadcasters to accomplish the feat.

"Denny Matthews is synonymous with the Kansas City Royals, as his calm demeanor and comforting delivery has influenced generations of baseball fans throughout the Midwest," said Dale Petroskey, President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. "His memorable career has been justly rewarded with the 2007 Ford C. Frick Award, and we are looking forward to honoring him this summer."

No one has seen more Royals games than Matthews during his 38 years with Kansas City. He was chosen from more than 300 applicants for the number two announcer position alongside Bud Blattner prior to the Royals initial season in 1969, before taking over the number one job following the 1975 season. He teamed with Fred White on the Royals Radio Network from 1974-1998 before Ryan Lefebvre joined him in the booth in 1999.

The veteran broadcaster has also lent his play-by-play skills to the CBS Radio Network during portions of the regular season, and during the 1982 and 1985 World Series. He also worked with Frick winner Ernie Harwell, calling the CBS broadcast of the 1982 ALCS between the Angels and Brewers.

A 2005 Missouri Sports Hall of Fame selection, Matthews became the newest member of the Royals Hall of Fame in August 2004. Matthews is active in the Kansas City community and dedicates his time and resources to several area charities, including the SAFE program, a charity that provides for families of fallen policemen, firemen and emergency workers, as well as Operation Lifesaver, a railroad crossing safety and awareness program. He is also the author of the 2004 book, Tales from the Royals Dugout and co-author of the 1999 book Play by Play - 25 Years of Royals on Radio.

Matthews graduated from Central Catholic High School in Bloomington, Ill., and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in August 2001. He is a 1966 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan where he lettered in football and baseball for 3 years and finished 8th in the nation (NAIA) in pass receiving in 1965. Prior to joining the Royals, Matthews worked for WMBD-TV, WMBD Radio and KMOX-TV.

Matthews will be honored during Hall of Fame Weekend 2007, July 27-30 in Cooperstown, New York, along with 2006 J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, given annually to a writer for meritorious contributions to baseball. BBWAA Hall of Fame electees Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr., will be inducted during the ceremonies, along with any electees to emerge from 2007 Veterans Committee election, to be announced Feb. 27.

The Ford C. Frick Award is voted upon annually and is named in memory of the sportswriter, radio broadcaster, National League president and Baseball commissioner.

Ten finalists for the 2007 Ford C. Frick Award were selected in December, featuring three fan selections from an online vote conducted at www.baseballhalloffame.org and seven broadcasters chosen by a research committee from the Cooperstown-based museum. The final ballot contained a mix of pioneers and current-day broadcasters, and was voted upon by a 20-member electorate. Complete biographical information on the 10 finalists can be found at www.baseballhalloffame.org. The ten finalists: Tom Cheek, Dizzy Dean, Ken Harrelson, Bill King, Tony Kubek, France Laux, Denny Matthews, Graham McNamee, Dave Niehaus and Joe Nuxhall. Harrelson, Kubek, Matthews, Niehaus and Nuxhall are living candidates. Harrelson, King and Nuxhall were selected by an online fan vote held by the Museum in November.

A 20-member electorate, comprised of the 14 living Frick Award recipients and six broadcast historians/columnists, includes Frick honorees Marty Brennaman, Herb Carneal, Jerry Coleman, 2006 Frick Award winner Gene Elston, Joe Garagiola, Ernie Harwell, Jaime Jarrin, Milo Hamilton, Harry Kalas, Felo Ramirez, Vin Scully, Lon Simmons, Bob Uecker and Bob Wolff, and, historians/columnists Bob Costas (NBC), Barry Horn (Dallas Morning News), Stan Isaacs (formerly of New York Newsday), Ted Patterson (historian), Curt Smith (historian) and Larry Stewart (Los Angeles Times).

Voters were asked to base their selections on the following criteria: longevity; continuity with a club; honors, including national assignments such as the World Series and All-Star Games; and popularity with fans. This year's balloting process marked the second time fans had the opportunity to be a part of selecting the final ballot for the award, after changes to the voting process implemented by the Hall of Fame's Board of Directors to the voting process in 2003.

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. More than 160 broadcasters were eligible for consideration for this year's award, with bios of each candidate appearing at the Web site.