1980 Ford C. Frick Award Winner Russ Hodges
Russ Hodges, the "Voice of the Giants" for 22 years, was the 1980 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award.
Hodges, who passed away in 1971 at the age of 60, held a law degree from the University of Kentucky, his home state. He started his sports- announcing career in 1929 and quickly became one of the most versatile men in the business. Hodges broadcast games for the Reds, Cubs, and Senators, and then joined Mel Allen on Yankees broadcasts. In 1949 he was hired by the New York Giants and, nearly a decade later, followed the team west when the club moved to San Francisco.
The phrase "Bye-bye baby," describing a Giants home run, was his personal trademark, and his most memorable moment in the booth was describing Bobby Thomson's historic homer which defeated the Dodgers in the 1951 playoffs. "The Giants win the pennant, the Giants win the pennant …" remains one of the most popular play-by-play rebroadcasts in sports history.
Hodges boasted of the fact that he had seen all but two of the 633 home runs hit by Willie Mays during the announcer's lifetime. He was equally proud of the rapport he enjoyed with the athletes with whom he associated.
