- Home
- Our Stories
- 2001 Ford C. Frick Award Winner Felo Ramírez
2001 Ford C. Frick Award Winner Felo Ramírez
Rafael "Felo" Ramírez, the Cuban-born radio voice of the Florida Marlins since the team's inception in 1993, was named the 2001 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award.
Ramírez first began calling sports action as a baseball announcer with Radio Salas in Havana, Cuba, in 1945.
He was been the play-by-play voice of professional baseball in Puerto Rico and Venezuela for over 30 years, calling action for the Caguas Natives, Santurce Crabs, San Juan Senators and Magallanes Navigators.
He has also broadcast more than 40 Caribbean World Series.
The energetic Ramírez often issued this warning on his broadcast – “If you have cardiac problems, back away from your radio now!”
Baseball wasn’t his only passion, as many believed he was just as good ringside when calling boxing matches.
He called fights for some of boxing legends such as Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson.
For three decades, Ramírez shared the microphone with 1985 Ford C. Frick Award recipient Buck Canel on the Gillette Cavalcade of Sports.
It was a show broadcast over the largest network of Hispanic radio stations ever assembled.
Ramírez has lent his voice to dozens of major league World Series and All-Star Game broadcasts throughout Latin America.
In addition, he has broadcast such landmark baseball events as Don Larsen's perfect World Series game and Roberto Clemente's 3,000th career hit.
He also called Hank Aaron's 715th home run.
Ramirez passed away on Aug. 21, 2017.
More Frick Award Winners
Hall of Fame Awards
Related Stories
Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith Featured in Oct. 3 Voices of the Game event at the Museum
Bill Veeck, Eddie Gaedel and the Birth of Legend
Griffey, Piazza honored by Hall election
1997 Hall of Fame Game
1963 Hall of Fame Game
Remembering Monte Irvin
Satch's Swan Song
Open and shut down
Tommy John visits Hall of Fame
#CardCorner: 1969 Topps Manny Mota
The Wendell Smith Archive
01.01.2023
Hall of Fame Class of 2015 Plaques to Visit Selected Ballparks Following Induction
01.01.2023