George Kell up for Ford Frick Award…but who isn’t?

George Kell is my all-time favorite baseball announcer and it’s not even close. (In case you missed it, I interviewed Kell on the podcast this past winter. Listen to it here.)

Today voting got under way for the Ford Frick Award and at first I was delighted to see Kell’s name on the ballot. Then I looked at the actual ballot.

Oy vey.

How do Kell’s fellow nominees strike you?

• Rod Allen
• Ed Farmer
• Ken Harrelson
• Al Kaline
• Steve Lyons
• Tim McCarver
• Bob Rathbun (!)
• Rick Rizzs (!!)
• Jim Price (!!!…)

Hell, I’m surprised I haven’t been nominated for my work on the podcast. There are, however, some high-quality names on the ballot, including:

• Dave Campbell
• Paul Carey
• Mario Impemba
• Jim Kaat
• Josh Lewin
• Al Michaels
• Larry Osterman
• Dan Shulman
• Steve Stone

You can read about the entire confusing process at the HoF Web site but here’s the gist:

The award was named after the former baseball commissioner and National League president who had been a broadcaster, sportswriter and public relations director for the NL. 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.

And this:

Fans may vote for up to three of their favorites in balloting conducted on baseballhall.org. Fans can vote up to once a day throughout the month of November.

Vote early and often.