Longtime SF Giants voice to be on Hall of Fame ballot

The SF Giants (and their predecessors in New York) have had a long history of talented voices bringing their games to fans through the mediums of radio and television.

A number of icons have spent time as broadcasters for the Orange and Black and gone on to earn recognition from the National Baseball Hall of Fame as recipients of the Ford C. Frick Award, with plenty of others throughout the years lending their vocal chords to memorable plays.

Now, former Giants player and longtime broadcaster Duane Kuiper looks to join them.

Kuiper was announced this week as one of 10 finalists for the 2023 Frick Award, given annually during Hall of Fame Weekend for "major contributions to baseball" by a broadcaster, according to the Hall of Fame's website. He is joined by Dave Campbell, Joe Castiglione, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Tom Hamilton, Jerry Howarth, Pat Hughes, Ernie Johnson Sr. and Steve Stone.

This is the second time Kuiper has been named a finalist for the award, following 2014 (won by Eric Nadel).

Kuiper, who spent 12 years in the Major Leagues as a player with Cleveland and San Francisco, entered the booth immediately after his 1985 retirement. He was a Giants broadcaster until 1993, when he left for the first year of the expansion Colorado Rockies, but he returned in 1994 and has been a stalwart and fan favorite ever since.

SF Giants have a rich history of broadcasters

To date, the list of notable former Giants broadcasters honored with the award include Russ Hodges, who won in 1980, 2004 winner Lon Simmons and 2021 recipient Al Michaels. Current Giants voice Jon Miller was the 2010 winner.

Other Frick Award winners who spent time at the microphone for the Giants include Al Helfer, the 2009 honoree who was a 1940s New York Giants broadcaster among working for many other teams, and 1988 winner Lindsey Nelson, a 1979-81 voice of the club.

Much to the chagrin of many Giants fans, current Frick Award rules only allow one winner each year - meaning Kuiper and longtime partner Mike Krukow are unable to be honored at the same time. Krukow was named a finalist once, for the 2017 award that went to longtime Oakland Athletics voice Bill King.