Kubek and the Frick Award

Tony Kubek is this year's winner of the Ford C. Frick Award for broadcasters and will become the first pure analyst to obtain the award since the award's inception in 1978. And while the Fan was fond of Kubek and enjoyed those Saturday afternoons with Kubek and Garagiola, the award is a bit troubling.

The trouble goes beyond the name of the award, which calls to mind Frick and Frack or a replacement word for the F-bomb in polite company--such as what Congressman, Barney Frank, might say: "Frick, here comes Ford." The trouble comes from knowing that Kubek turned his back on the game in 1994.

Granted, Kubek seems to be a heck of a nice fellow and spends his time doing charity and foundation work. But after the labor strife of the early 90s in baseball, Kubek walked out on the remainder of his contract broadcasting Yankee games and by his own admission, has rarely watched a game or even read about the game since. He says he's never seen Jeter play and doesn't much care.

While many people made a vow after the strike of 1993 to never watch another baseball game, hardly any of us Fanatics actually followed through with the vow. After all, the sport is a passion that is in the blood and would leave a hole somewhere inside to shed it.

So the question formulated is: How can the Hall of Fame honor someone who turned his back on their game? Is there any comparison? hmm... A fairly young actor recently announced that he was finished with acting. The announcement came as a shock to many. If this actor sticks with the announcement and is serious, will the Academy Awards some day give him a Lifetime Achievement Award? Doubtful.

Should not this award be maintained only for those announcers and analysts who at least continued their passion for baseball until their retirement age? Nice guy and all, it seems odd to give Kubek this honor after he has spurned the game in every other way for fourteen years.