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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Hannibal Courier Post: Tim McCarver is not a Hall of Famer

Lifting from Mountaintop Motel Massacre’s sweet Evelyn here…“Please do not piss off Cardinal fans. They already are.”

Tim McCarver, that biased broadcaster, has been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

From here on out, he’ll be referred to as a Hall of Famer.

But I’ll just call him Tim McCarver.

Because in my eyes, he is NOT a Hall of Famer. He is a dumbfounded broadcaster who, for whatever reason, has been on the air way too long.

...He is constantly negative toward the Cardinals and does not have any credibility. I can remember when he referred to former pitcher Donovan Osborne as Donovan “Os-burn.” Even during this past postseason, McCarver said the word strike was made up of five letters. Add all that to his sentence structure — that I’m sure makes English teachers squirm — that’s not excellence.

McCarver was a great ballplayer, I respect him for that. In that genre, he’s still not a Hall of Famer (didn’t have the numbers nor did he stand out), but he was certainly an impacting player for the teams he played on.

Losing out on the award this year is Texas Rangers broadcaster Eric Nadel, who is the best descriptive broadcaster there is; McCarver’s former teammate Mike Shannon, who is the most unique broadcaster in the game; and a large number of others who were so much more deserving.

Repoz Posted: December 13, 2011 at 11:02 AM | 28 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: announcers, cardinals, hall of fame, history, media, television

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1. JJ1986 Posted: December 13, 2011 at 01:21 PM (#4014869)

Add all that to his sentence structure — that I’m sure makes English teachers squirm — that’s not excellence.

Heh.

2. The District Attorney Posted: December 13, 2011 at 01:49 PM (#4014889)

in my eyes, he is NOT a Hall of Famer. He is a dumbfounded broadcaster who, for whatever reason, has been on the air way too long.

Well, that and the Frick Award doesn't make you a Hall of Famer. That seems a lot more relevant than that he pronounced a name wrong once, or that you're a fanboy who thinks every national media figure is biased against your team.

3. Bob Meta-Meusel Posted: December 13, 2011 at 04:27 PM (#4015090)

When he was doing the Mets games in the '80s he was actually very good, but like a lot of former-player broadcasters, the further removed he's gotten from his playing days, the worse he's gotten. He still occasionally comes up with a valid and interesting insight, but for the most part he's been pretty awful for the last decade or so.

4. John Northey Posted: December 13, 2011 at 04:47 PM (#4015120)

It is a shame when there are so many who really do deserve it. The fan vote is far more accurate an assessment of broadcasting skill than the winner they end up picking it seems.

5. TRBMB Posted: December 13, 2011 at 07:43 PM (#4015442)

This drives me nuts, the Writers and Announcers are only recognized via an award sponsored by the HOF, they are not thus 'elected' to the Hall. None of them are members and the continual suggestion of such is wrong. They have no plaques on the wall and there is no 'wing' where they are entered. Gee, even some of the Hosts on MLB Network state the same, ie. Hall of Famer Peter Gammons.

6. TRBMB Posted: December 13, 2011 at 07:44 PM (#4015445)

7. WhoWantsTeixeiraDessert Posted: December 13, 2011 at 07:50 PM (#4015449)

There's plenty here to complain about, but "impacting"? I'll never understand why impact became a verb unless editors just got tired of affect being misspelled.

8. Ray (CTL)

Posted: December 13, 2011 at 07:55 PM (#4015457)

I'll take Sportswriter Rants Based On Incorrect Premises for $200, Alex.

9. SoSH U at work Posted: December 13, 2011 at 07:59 PM (#4015467)

I'll take Sportswriter Rants Based On Incorrect Premises for $200, Alex.

Yeah, it's not easy to be wrong in a column about why Tim McCarver doesn't deserve the Frick Award, but this guy manages it.

10. Jose is Absurdly Correct but not Helpful Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:05 PM (#4015479)

This drives me nuts, the Writers and Announcers are only recognized via an award sponsored by the HOF, they are not thus 'elected' to the Hall. None of them are members and the continual suggestion of such is wrong. They have no plaques on the wall and there is no 'wing' where they are entered. Gee, even some of the Hosts on MLB Network state the same, ie. Hall of Famer Peter Gammons.

This is a pretty regular complaint around here but I don't know how accurate it is. Certainly in a very strict term, it IS accurate but it seems to me that within the field of baseball journalism/media the Frick Award is a de facto Hall of Fame.

Does anyone have any interaction with any of the folks who have received this honor? Is that how it is perceived by the recipients?

11. Best Dressed Chicken in Town Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:08 PM (#4015483)

This drives me nuts, the Writers and Announcers are only recognized via an award sponsored by the HOF, they are not thus 'elected' to the Hall. None of them are members and the continual suggestion of such is wrong. They have no plaques on the wall and there is no 'wing' where they are entered.

This drives me nuts. There *is* a "wing" of the HOF where their names are all listed and they give speeches at the HOF induction ceremony. You and all your fellow complainers are harping on a distinction without a difference.

12. TRBMB Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:18 PM (#4015491)

No, they don't give a speeches at the induction cermony, they are separated from such. And please go look at the HOF Web Page, 296 members listed, not one of whom is a writer or announcer. And I'll be happy to meet you in a wing for you to call me a complainer, pick a date.

13. Nasty Nate Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:19 PM (#4015492)

Add all that to his sentence structure — that I’m sure makes English teachers squirm — that’s not excellence.

Heh.

That amused me also. The most poorly structured sentence of this whole rant is the one mocking McCarver's sentence structure.

14. Best Dressed Chicken in Town Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:21 PM (#4015495)

I already called you a complainer above, I don't see the point of meeting in a wing to do so.

15. TRBMB Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:28 PM (#4015503)

Yup, you are brave, but really gutless. So, shut up.

16. Jesse Barfield's Right Arm Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:33 PM (#4015511)

That amused me also. The most poorly structured sentence of this whole rant is the one mocking McCarver's sentence structure.

I find that while I am grading student papers, I am unable to express myself in good grammatical terms. All eloquence leaves my writing, and I end up with short fragments instead. Maybe that's what happened to this dude.

17. Ray (CTL)

Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:33 PM (#4015512)

This drives me nuts. There *is* a "wing" of the HOF where their names are all listed and they give speeches at the HOF induction ceremony. You and all your fellow complainers are harping on a distinction without a difference.

I think "Is a Hall of Famer" vs. "Is not a Hall of Famer" is a pretty big difference.

In short, WTF are you talking about?

18. Nasty Nate Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:33 PM (#4015513)

Yup, you are brave, but really gutless. So, shut up.

...wait, this guy wants to get into a fistfight over how we refer to baseball broadcasters who have won this award?

19. Dr. Vaux Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:35 PM (#4015518)

I seem to recall Lon Simmons giving a speech at the induction ceremony. There is a large exhibit about the Frick winners, but it doesn't consist of plaques. It is sort of separated from the rest of the museum, if I recall correctly, but I wouldn't describe it as a "wing."

20. TRBMB Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:39 PM (#4015523)

No, I want to get into a fist fight for being labeled as a complainer. I find that annoying and untrue.

21. SoSH U at work Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:44 PM (#4015530)

No, they don't give a speeches at the induction cermony, they are separated from such.

They used to.

22. Nasty Nate Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:44 PM (#4015531)

I find that annoying and untrue.

eh, quit complaining

23. TRBMB Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:52 PM (#4015543)

New complaint, from this alleged complainer, you are Nasty, Nate. Sorry, I shouldn't label you, as Chicken did me. Just limit these to baseball discussions, not attacks.

24. shozzlekhan Posted: December 13, 2011 at 08:53 PM (#4015545)

I don't know what you guys are talking about. This:

Hannibal Courier Post: Tim McCarver is not a Hall of Famer

Is completely correct.

25. Jose is Absurdly Correct but not Helpful Posted: December 13, 2011 at 09:14 PM (#4015574)

"Complainer" is that big an insult?

26. mex4173 Posted: December 13, 2011 at 11:19 PM (#4015759)

And please go look at the HOF Web Page, 296 members listed, not one of whom is a writer or announcer.

He isn't listed as a writer, but there is one.

27. Bruce Markusen Posted: December 13, 2011 at 11:20 PM (#4015761)

There are actually two writers among those elected to the Hall of Fame. Ford Frick was a sportswriter at one point, and Henry Chadwick was also a writer.

Last year, the decision to move the writers and broadcasters awards to Saturday at Doubleday Field turned out to be a great decision. The crowd was good, and the inductees, based on their comments, felt like they were the centerpiece to the ceremony and not just an afterthought to the Sunday induction. It was a win-win, as some people like to say these days.

28. Vance W Posted: December 13, 2011 at 11:20 PM (#4015763)

The article is correct about Eric Nadel deserving the award. I never dreamed he was so good until I got satellite radio and realized what other people had to listen to.

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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Hannibal Courier Post: Tim McCarver is not a Hall of Famer

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