Jon Miller, who has been broadcasting San Francisco Giants games since 1997, is this year’s Ford Frick Award winner. Widely respected for his work, Miller broadcast games for four teams prior to working for the Giants, including those of the Baltimore Orioles from 1983 to 1996. Since 1990, he has described ESPN’s nationally-televized Sunday night game in partnership with Joe Morgan.
2006 – Gene Elston is selected by the Hall of Fame to receive the Ford C. Frick Award. During his 47 years in the broadcast booth, the former Houston Astros announcer brought a no-nonsense approach to reporting the happenings on the diamond.
1971 – Legendary broadcaster Russ Hodges dies from a heart attack in Mill Valley, California, at the age of 61. Hodges announced the Giants games in New York and San Francisco for 22 seasons, after working for four other teams. Hodges was best known for his famed “The Giants win the pennant!” call of Bobby Thomson’s home run in 1951. Hodges will be the fourth recipient of the Ford Frick Award, posthumously, in 1980.