COOPERSTOWN, N.Y., Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Dave Van Horne, the play-by-play broadcaster for the Florida Marlins, Wednesday was named the 2011 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award.
Van Horne previously broadcast Montreal Expos games.
"Dave Van Horne introduced Major League Baseball to English-speaking fans in Montreal, and his voice became the standard for two generations of Expos fans," baseball Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson said. "Since 2001, Dave has energized Marlins fans in South Florida with his infectious love for the game, his excitable play-by-play, and his signature 'Up, up and away' home-run calls."
Among the highlights of his three-plus decades broadcasting career are his descriptions of Willie Mays's 3,000th hit, Nolan Ryan passing Walter Johnson on the all- time strikeout list and Steve Carlton's 4,000th strikeout.
Other finalists for this year's Frick Award were Rene Cardenas, Tom Cheek, Dizzy Dean, Bill King, Ned Martin, Tim McCarver, Graham McNamee, Eric Nadel and French-language voice of the Expos Jacques Doucet.
Van Horne joins previous winners of the Frick Award including Mel Allen, Red Barber, Russ Hodges, Ernie Harwell, Vin Scully, Jack Buck, Lindsey Nelson, Harry Caray, Dave Niehaus, Harry Kalas, Bob Uecker and Tony Kubek.
