Tim McCarver named Frick Award winner

Cooperstown, NY – National analyst Tim McCarver has been selected as the 2012 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for major contributions to baseball broadcasting.

"Tim McCarver has been the face and voice of baseball's biggest moments on national television," said Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson. "His wit and intuition, combined with his passion for the game and his down-home style, delivers a trusted insight for viewers. Tim's journey in reaching baseball broadcasting's highest honor has connected generations of New York Mets fans as well as audiences across the country for more than 30 years."

McCarver becomes the second primary television analyst to win the award, joining Tony Kubek, who received the honor in 2009. He will be honored as part of Hall of Fame Weekend 2012, July 20-23, in Cooperstown, New York.

After a 21-year big league career, McCarver began calling games for the Philadelphia Phillies for WPHL in Philadelphia. He moved on to the Mets in 1983, where he worked at WOR as the team's primary television analyst through 1998. During this time, McCarver debuted on NBC's Game of the Week before serving on ABC's baseball coverage from 1984-89.

When CBS took over the World Series package in 1990, McCarver teamed with Jack Buck - the 1987 Frick Award winner - and later Sean McDonough from 1990-93. He broadcast national games on The Baseball Network from 1994-95, before joining FOX in 1996 when that network took over the World Series rights. Throughout much of that time, McCarver continued to broadcast for teams, including the Yankees (1999-2001) and the Giants (2002).

McCarver also covered the 1988 Winter Olympic Games for ABC and served as an anchor for CBS's coverage of the 1992 Winter Olympic Games. He has won six national Emmy Awards for "Best Sportscaster/Analyst."

Other finalists for this year's Frick Award were Skip Caray, Rene Cardenas, Tom Cheek, Ken Coleman, Jacques Doucet, Bill King, Graham McNamee, Eric Nadel and Mike Shannon.

Previous winners of the Frick Award include legendary names such as Mel Allen, Red Barber, Russ Hodges, Ernie Harwell, Vin Scully, Jack Buck, Lindsey Nelson, Harry Caray, Dave Niehaus, Harry Kalas, Bob Uecker and Kubek. Jon Miller was honored last year.