The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum today announced that Chicago White Sox television play-by-play announcer Ken "Hawk" Harrelson is one of eight finalists for the 2017 Ford C. Frick Award, which is presented for excellence in baseball broadcasting.
Harrelson, 75, joins fellow broadcasters Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Pat Hughes, Bill King, Mike Krukow, Ned Martin and Dewayne Staats as the eight finalists for the 2017 Frick Award.
"It is extremely humbling to even be considered within the company of the top broadcasters in our game, let alone a finalist for the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award," said Harrelson. "Nothing gives me more enjoyment than sharing the game of baseball with White Sox fans each season. Baseball is the greatest game there is, and it would certainly be the ultimate honor to be recognized among some if the great voices of the game in Cooperstown."
This year, the Hall of Fame selected only major-league, team-specific broadcasters based on commitment to excellence, quality of broadcasting abilities, reverence within the game, popularity with fans and recognition by peers. Candidates, active or retired, must have a minimum of 10 years of continuous major league broadcast service with a ball club, network or a combination of the two.
Harrelson, a 2007 and 2014 Frick Award finalist, completed his 27th consecutive season (31st overall) in the television booth as the White Sox broadcaster. He is a two-time Illinois Sportscaster of the Year and five-time Emmy Award winner. Harrelson was honored with the 2010 Ring Lardner Award for Excellence in Sports Journalism in the broadcast category at the Union League Club in Chicago and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the CSN Awards Dinner in February 2007.
Harrelson, who has 40 years of total broadcasting experience, also spent seven seasons in the television booth for the Red Sox from 1975-81 and two years with the Yankees from 1987-88.
Final voting for the 2017 Frick Award will be conducted by a 17-member committee, comprised of the 13 living Frick Award recipients and four broadcast historians/columnists, including David J. Halberstam (historian), Barry Horn (Dallas Morning News), Ted Patterson (historian) and Curt Smith (historian). Past living Frick honorees include: Marty Brennaman, Dick Enberg, Jaime Jarrin, Tony Kubek, Denny Matthews, Tim McCarver, Jon Miller, Eric Nadel, Felo Ramirez, Vin Scully, Bob Uecker, Dave Van Horne and Bob Wolff.
The 2017 Frick Award winner will be announced December 5 at the 2016 Winter Meetings at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. Induction ceremonies take place July 30, 2017 in Cooperstown, N.Y.