Al Helfer Named 2019 Baseball Hall Of Fame Frick Award Winner

Helfer's In

This year's honoree for the BASEBALL HALL OF FAME's FORD C. FRICK Award for baseball broadcasters is the late AL HELFER.

HELFER's career spanned from the 1930s through the 1960s and included calling PITTSBURGH PIRATES, CINCINNATI REDS, NEW YORK YANKEES, BROOKLYN DODGERS, PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (on games telecasted by WOR-TV/NEW YORK after the DODGERS' move to LOS ANGELES), HOUSTON COLT .45S, and OAKLAND ATHLETICS games, plus the WORLD SERIES in 1951-55 and several All-Star Games as play-by-play broadcaster for CBS RADIO and the MUTUAL BROADCASTING SYSTEM.  HELFER also served as the voice of DENVER BRONCOS AFL football in 1962-63.  He died in 1975.

"AL HELFER helped grow interest in baseball exponentially as the voice of MUTUAL Game of the Day radio broadcasts during the sport's golden days of the 1950s," said HALL OF FAME President JEFF IDELSON. "Working in the dominant broadcasting medium with television in its infancy, HELFER was known as 'Mr. Radio Baseball,' bringing game action into living rooms across the country every week. A true fan of the game, HELFER's work with eight teams over four decades connected listeners in their markets to their team's heroes, as baseball spread its reach throughout AMERICA and around the world. His passion and delivery made him one of the iconic voices of his era."

HELFER will be inducted into the HALL in JULY, alongside fellow media member and J.G. TAYLOR SPINK Award honoree JAYSON STARK of THE ATHLETIC and MLB NETWORK (and formerly of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER and ESPN); HAROLD BAINES and LEE SMITH were also named to the HALL by the Today’s Game Era Committee.  The players elected by voting of the BASEBALL WRITERS OF AMERICA ASSOCIATION will be announced on JANUARY 22nd.

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