(670 The Score) Pat Hughes, the iconic radio voice of the Chicago Cubs, was officially enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Saturday as the 2023 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, which is presented annually to a broadcaster for major contributions to baseball.
Hughes is the 47th recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award and the fifth Chicago broadcaster to earn that honor, joining Bob Elson, Jack Brickhouse, Harry Caray and Ken “Hawk” Harrelson. He has been the radio play-by-play broadcaster with the Cubs since 1995.
“It is my extreme pleasure to be with you today in this magical baseball village,” Hughes said on Saturday in Cooperstown as he accepted the honor. “I am delighted, proud and excited, but mainly I am grateful, because while the Ford C. Frick Award is a cherished and coveted individual honor, there is simply no way I could’ve gotten here by myself.
“Receiving the call from the Hall was one of life’s best ever experiences – so sublime, it’s almost incomprehensible.”
Hughes offered his gratitude to his wife, Trish, and daughters, Janell and Amber, who traveled to Cooperstown for the ceremony, and recognized his late parents, Vergil and Mary Margaret. Hughes also recognized his brother, Chuck, who was in attendance, and honored his late brother, John, who “more than anyone else got me started in broadcasting.” Many of Hughes’ in-laws and colleagues were also present, including Cubs Radio broadcast partners Ron Coomer and Zach Zaidman.
A graduate of San Jose State, Hughes was part of the Spartans’ men’s basketball program and shared the story of how his interest in broadcasting uniquely began.
“At the end of my modest athletic career, I’m playing college basketball – or more accurately, sitting on the bench most of the time,” Hughes said. “One game, out of sheer boredom, I just started doing play-by-play of my own team during the game.
“One of my teammates said, ‘Pat, you’re not that bad. Keep that going.’ So, you could say that in my play-by-play career, the first listening audience consisted of the other benchwarmers on my own college team. Sort of an inglorious beginning.”
Hughes began his career calling Major League Baseball in 1983 as the play-by-play broadcaster for the Twins. He spent 12 games calling games for the Brewers before being hired to call Cubs games in 1995.
Hughes was paired with Cubs legend Ron Santo, a Hall of Fame player who was inducted into Cooperstown posthumously in 2012.
“Ronnie would become a very important person in my life,” Hughes said. “Thoughtfully, he called me the night before our first Cactus League broadcast. He said, ‘Pat, I know you’re nervous. Don’t be. You do the play-by-play; you’re going to be fine. I’ll do the color. We’re going to have fun. OK? See you tomorrow.’ As he spoke those words, I know it sounds corny, but I could literally feel the tension leave my body. I felt very relaxed and ready to go to work the next day on Cubs radio.
“The next day, in the very first half inning, Ron Santo and I clicked immediately. After the third out, he stands up smiling and shakes my hand and the look on his face said, ‘Oh, boy, this is going to be great.’ I said, man, if he gets this excited about a Cactus League game, wait until we get into a pennant race. But it was a special time, and Ronnie and I shared a unique chemistry that became the Pat and Ron Show.
“Ronnie and Harry Caray both went out of their way to welcome me to Chicago way back when, and I will forever be grateful.”
Hughes has been broadcast partners with the former All-Star and Cubs third baseman Coomer since 2013.
“The 10 years with Ron Coomer have been wonderful,” Hughes said. “He’s simply one of the best people I’ve ever known in my life. A total team player, a Chicago native, lifelong Cubs fan, he played for the Cubs, he’s insightful, he’s smart, he’s funny, he explains the game in a way that is easy for the audience to understand. Great sense of humor. And by the way, we got to cover a world championship season for the Cubs. As long as I’m doing radio play-by-play for the Cubs, I want to have Ron Coomer next to me.”
Hughes credited his current broadcast partner Zaidman as well as former partners Andy Masur, Cory Provus, Judd Sirott, Mark Grote, as well as Bruce Levine and Len Kasper. He offered thanks to Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts and his family, along with team president of business operations Crane Kenney and 670 The Score brand manager Mitch Rosen.
In closing, Hughes offered his gratitude to Cubs fans.
“I want to thank you so much for your unbelievable passion for the ballclub and your support of me,” Hughes said. “When I got the call from Cooperstown last December, I truly thank there were some Cubs fans who were just as happy as I was for the news. You make me feel like I am a part of your family. You invite me to special events like graduations, bar mitzvah and birthdays, and I absolutely love those games at Wrigley Field, those close ballgames where you fans are not just part of the ballpark atmosphere, you become part of the ballgame itself.
“As a broadcaster, I feed off of your energy. Let me just say it has been my extreme privilege to be one of your announcers for the past three decades. And before my career ends, I hope I get at least one more chance to say something like, ‘the Chicago Cubs win the World Series!’ Thank you.”
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