Joe Buck and Tim McCarver broadcast big league baseball together for 18 years, including calling 16 World Series, for Fox. They were close friends off the air and had deep ºüÀêÊÓƵ ties, including having been Cardinals broadcasters — Buck at the start of his career, McCarver at the end of his.
They were inducted on Monday into the National Sports Media Association’s Hall of Fame at the organization’s awards dinner in Greensboro, North Carolina. McCarver died last year, so Buck spoke on his behalf as well as his own, and it was fitting that both were induced in the same class.
“It made sense,†Buck told the Post-Dispatch afterward. “I assume they thought about it when they did whatever they do†to select the honorees. “It was unfortunate Tim wasn’t around to be there, but being able to talk about him and do some impressions (of his voice) made it fun.â€
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Buck said he had discussed doing the mimics with McCarver’s daughter beforehand.
“I had her blessing,†he said.
Both broadcasters have received numerous awards throughout the years as they reached the highest echelon of their professions, McCarver as an unparalleled baseball analyst and Buck a record-shattering play-by-play voice on NFL as well as MLB telecasts and now is the voice of “Monday Night Football†on ESPN and ABC.
Buck was introduced by his sister, Julie, a talk-show host on KTRS (550 AM). She pinch-hit for Buck’s wife, fellow sportscaster Michelle Beisner-Buck, who was with her ailing mother. Keeping it in the family, Buck’s father — legendary Cardinals announcer Jack Buck who also shined as the longtime radio voice of “Monday Night Football†and called two World Series on television — received the same Hall of Fame recognition in 1990.
“It was good to have that family affair, 34 years after my dad got in,†Buck said. “It was a lot of fun.â€
Buck was both straightforward and humorous in his acceptance speech, mirroring his broadcasting style.
“I didn’t expect this,†he said of the award while on stage. “I don’t think of myself in these terms yet. I don’t know when that switch will come, if it ever will come. Maybe I don’t want it to come.â€
He reflected on his father.
“The greatest gift my dad gave me as a kid was letting me know he wanted me around him,†Buck told the audience. “Letting me know that I was welcome behind that door. ... I learned so much watching him,†saying they made each other laugh. “That kind of got me a free ticket to this master class I got night after night.. ... It was a great way to grow up.â€
He has heard the “nepotism†cries throughout his career, something he always boldly acknowledges gave him an advantage at the start, and addressed it in his speech.
“Despite all the guilt that I’ve felt over all these years because of all the head starts I got, and man, I got all of them,†Buck said. “I was a ‘nepo’ baby times 10. And I make no excuses for any of that. The best thing was my dad was my best friend, and there was none of that pushing or prodding or any of that. But I know I’m lucky to be Jack and Carole Buck’s son.â€
“But tonight on this night ... I’m going to give myself five minutes to enjoy what I’ve done.â€
He did have some zingers, capped by referencing those who think he hates their team and don’t realize the difference between national and local broadcasters. National ones such as Buck take a down-the-middle approach as opposed to local announcers who are slanted toward their team, thus leading many fans to think that if the people in the booth aren’t favoring their team they must be against it.
Buck talked about gathering his belongings after a World Series game in San Francisco, where a man and a boy were yelling to try to get his attention.
“I look down and this little kid†makes an obscene gesture, which Buck clearly reenacted for the audience, drawing laughs. “I’d like to say (expletive) to that kid right now!â€
That got a big rise, which Buck reflected on a few days later.
“My dad had told me the quickest way to turn off a crowd was to be crude,†he said.
But this was different, as the story was told in a humorous light, and he said the response he got was “good. But I really don’t care what the reaction was.â€
Also in this year’s NSMA Hall of Fame class are sportscaster Andrea Kremer as well as sportswriters Roger Kahn and Jayson Stark.
How important was the night for Buck?
“My summer plans revolved around being in Greensboro for this,†he said. “It couldn’t have worked out any better.â€
Adding to the ºüÀêÊÓƵ flavor for the national awards was that Kevin Harlan was honored as the sportscaster of the year. He lived near Grant’s Farm until his family moved to Wisconsin when he was 10. Harlan and Buck started at Fox in 1994.
Recently retied Southern Illinois University-Carbondale football and basketball announcer Mike Reis was presented with the Woody Durham Voice of College Sports Award. He called Salukis games for 44 years.
Awards also were given to those named the top sportswriter and sportscaster for 2023 in each state, and ºüÀêÊÓƵ swept for Missouri, with the Post-Dispatch columnist Ben Frederickson and Bally Sports Midwest Cardinals announcer Chip Caray winning.
Numerous media members with ºüÀêÊÓƵ ties other than the Bucks have been inducted into the National Sports Media Hall of Fame, including Dan Kelly, Harry and Skip Caray, Bob Costas, Joe Garagiola, Bob Broeg, Dizzy Dean, Bob Uecker, and J.G. Taylor Spink.