Another original Royals broadcaster could be honored with Frick Award at Hall of Fame
Late Kansas City Royals broadcaster Buddy Blattner is one of eight finalists for the 2021 Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for baseball broadcasting excellence, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced on Monday.
Denny Matthews and Blattner were on the Royals’ original broadcast crew from 1969-75. Matthews won the Frick Award in 2007.
Blattner, inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1980, died of lung cancer at the age of 89 on Sept. 4, 2009.
The other finalists for this year’s Frick Award are Joe Buck, Dave Campbell, Dizzy Dean, Don Drysdale, Ernesto Jerez, Al Michaels and Dan Shulman. The winner will be announced on Dec. 9 and honored during Hall of Fame weekend on July 24, 2021, in Cooperstown, New York.
A prep standout in St. Louis, Blattner played in second base in the majors for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants and Philadelphia Phillies. A stint in the U.S. Navy during World War II interrupted his playing career.
Blattner began his broadcasting career with the St. Louis Browns in 1950, and he went on to serve as the radio voice of the St. Louis Cardinals (1960-61) and Los Angeles/California Angels (1962-68) prior to broadcasting Royals games.
He also called the televised national Game of the Week for ABC (1953-54) and CBS (1955-59), as well as national radio broadcasts for the Liberty and Mutual networks alongside Hall of Fame pitcher fellow Frick Award finalist Dean.
Additionally, Blattner served as the radio voice for the NBA’s St. Louis Hawks from 1955-59.
This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Another original Royals broadcaster could be honored with Frick Award at Hall of Fame."
