Skip, Pete, and Ernie

[Millwood1Hitter]

So why don't these guys get the respect that they deserve?

I'm only bringing this up after watching documentary on Bob Uecker on MLB Network.

Now let me first start by saying I love Uecker, guy is absolutely hilarious and great announcer. Not a Brewers fan but guy is a legend, loved it when he was color guy for playoffs on NBC.

Same can be said for guys like Vin Skully, guy is a legend and an baseball encyclopedia. To this day love hearing him call a game.

Same goes for the smoothness of Ernie Harwell.

But why do our guys seemingly get pushed aside when it comes to time to

honor and discuss the all-time greats? Despite Pete's passing this last year and Skips a few yeas back, little attention was given besides a little side note in the newspaper or a little clip on ESPN.

These guys were great. They influencing many fans nationally including myself. I am grateful because when everyone talks Uecker, Skully, Harwell....we had them all in one booth. You had Skips sense of humor that kept one interested no matter what the score and he was our Uecker. Pete was flawless and seem less I'm his approach and explained, taught the game and told stories ala Skully. And Ernie was just pure gold listening to ala Harwell.

I'm thankful that I got to grow up with those guys on TBS watching nearly every inning of every game. Wish I

could go back.

But these guys deserve more respect outside Atlanta. And don't get me started about the HOF. How Skip and Pete aren't in there, and never got the chance to be honored before their passing is an absolute sham IMO. The trio should be there for their impact alone for promoting the game nationally, let alone the job they did calling games about as good as it gets.

 

[rico43]

Nicely stated. Always felt the Braves were "flyover country" for so much of the game's media. Since those awards are bestowed in secret meetings, we'll likely never know why they seem to fall short in favor of increasingly dubious selections for the Hall of Fame Broadcaster wing.

 

[rico43]

According to this, they have no chance to get in before 2017, it seems.

Read the following, right off the HOF website:

The Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball." The award, named after the late broadcaster, National League President, Commissioner, and Hall of Famer, has been presented annually since 1978. Frick was a driving force behind the creation of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and he helped foster the relationship between radio and the game of baseball.

Mel Allen and Red Barber were the first two recipients in 1978. A single winner has been selected in each year following.

A Hall of Fame "research team" (quotes mine) releases the list of eligible candidates each September. Beginning with the 2014 Award, the era in which each candidate broadcaster is deemed to have had the most significant impact is determined by the research team.

The “Living Room Era” – to be presented at the Hall of Fame Awards Presentation in 2015 – will consider candidates whose most significant years fell during the mid-1950s through the early 1980s, as the game spread through television and into homes across the country.

The “Broadcasting Dawn Era” – to be presented at the Hall of Fame Awards Presentation in 2016 – will consider candidates who contributed to the early days of baseball broadcasting, from its origins through the early-1950s.

The “High Tide Era” – presented during the annual Hall of Fame Awards Presentation in 2014 and next in 2017 – will consider candidates whose contributions have come during the regional cable network era, beginning with the mid-1980s through today.
Fans will have the online opportunity to select three of the 10 finalists. The research committee will set the remainder of the ballot and announce the final 10-name ballot in early October.

The 20-member Frick Award Committee casts ballots during November, and the results announced during the Baseball Winter Meetings in December. The Frick Award electorate is comprised of the 16 living Frick Award recipients and four broadcast historians/columnists.

Voters are asked to base their selections on longevity; continuity with a club; honors, including national assignments such as the World Series and All-Star Games; and popularity with fans. 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.

PREVIOUS WINNERS
1978: Mel Allen and Red Barber
1979: Bob Elson
1980: Russ Hodges
1981: Ernie Harwell
1982: Vin Scully
1983: Jack Brickhouse
1984: Curt Gowdy
1985: Buck Canel
1986: Bob Prince
1987: Jack Buck
1988: Lindsey Nelson
1989: Harry Caray
1990: Byron Saam
1991: Joe Garagiola
1992: Milo Hamilton
1993: Chuck Thompson
1994: Bob Murphy
1995: Bob Wolff
1996: Herb Carneal
1997: Jimmy Dudley
1998: Jaime Jarrin
1999: Arch McDonald (yay! Chattanooga guy)
2000: Marty Brennaman
2001: Felo Ramirez
2002: Harry Kalas
2003: Bob Uecker
2004: Lon Simmons
2005: Jerry Coleman
2006: Gene Elston
2007: Denny Matthews
2008: Dave Niehaus
2009: Tony Kubek
2010: Jon Miller
2011: Dave Van Horne
2012: Tim McCarver
2013: Tom Cheek
2014: Eric Nadel

 

[Javyz1fan]

I think one of the main problems comes from the simple fact that they were broadcasters for the Braves. The national media, and those who unfortunately have some semblance of say so in these things, favor certain teams and the Braves generally are not one of them. I'm sure as with many other things in life too, a lot of it also comes down to politics. The way the voting is, you just need one or two people with ballots who actively dislike one of the nominees, and they can do what they can to make sure the person they dislike isn't honored. There have been stories about this in the past in regards to Skip in particular, though I'm not sure how rooted in truth they are (or aren't).

The new format could either make things more difficult or a little easier, I'm not sure yet. On the downside, it drags it out more and more years go by before a person is up for consideration. On the upside, it limits the pool each year so the focus is more narrowed.

Ernie is a top ten finalist this year, which is about time. So that is another upside. However, it is shameless that all three of our guys did not go in while they were still alive.

It is also shameless that utter fools like McCarver and Miller are in there, period (especially McCarver).