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Rene Cardenas Spanish broadcaster who is in the Houston Astros Hall of Fame is vying for a shot at the Ford C Frick Award and a spot in the MLB Cooperstown Hall of Fame (photo by the Houston Chronicle)

MLB Ford C. Frick Award must go to René Cardenas

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

Amaury Pi-González

The Ford C. Frick Award for Broadcasters is presented annually to one winner. The winner of the 2026 award will be announced on December 10, 2025, at baseball’s Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida. They will then be formally honored during the 2026 Hall of Fame Weekend in Cooperstown, NY.

I have recently written to MLB regarding the Ford C. Frick Award and have fully endorsed my good friend, colleague, and veteran Spanish-language pioneer broadcaster, René Cárdenas, who was the first Spanish-language announcer in Major League Baseball in 1958 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The nominees for the 2026 Ford C. Frick Award are: René Cárdenas, Skip Carey, Tom Hamilton, Ernie Johnson Sr, Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper, Dave Sims, and John Sterling. When I was broadcasting for the Giants, the Giants asked me to call my mentor and broadcaster, Rafael (Felo) Ramírez, who had already won the Ford Frick Award, and ask him to vote for Jon Miller of the Giants, who then won it (2010).

René Cárdenas (born February 6, 1930) is a Nicaraguan-born sports journalist and announcer. He currently lives in Houston, Texas. In 1958, as a pioneer for the Dodgers he called the games from a studio in Pasadena while listening to the English broadcast by Vin Scully, and translated the action for the Spanish-speaking market.

When I was broadcasting for the Giants, the Giants asked me to call my mentor and broadcaster, Rafael (Felo) Ramírez, who had already received the Ford Frick Award, to ask him to vote for Jon Miller of the Giants, who then won, it was 2010.

Giants Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow are among the nominees; they are good broadcasters and good people. In the 1990s, while Hank Greenwald was the Giants’ pbp announcer, I remember Duane Kuiper broadcasting some games from a small tape recorder in his hands; he was rehearsing for what would be his first MLB broadcast for the Giants.

He took over after Hank Greenwald and has been the Giants’ pbp man ever since. Regarding my friend René Cárdenas, who is 95 years young, he deserves to win this Award. It is about time Major League Baseball recognizes him as a Spanish-language announcer in the country, a pioneer.

To date, only three Spanish announcers have won the Ford C. Frick Award: Buck Canel, Jaime Jarrin, and Rafael (Felo) Ramírez. I have worked with Jaime and Felo during postseasons for the Latino Broadcasting Network in the US, together with Cadena Caracol for Latin America .

Between 50 and 60 million people speak Spanish in the US, making the U.S. the country with the second-largest Spanish-speaking population in the world, right after México’s 130 million citizens. In 1958, when René Cárdenas began broadcasting, there was not nearly as large a Spanish population as there is today, which has become the largest minority in the United States.

In Houston, the Astros honored Mr. Cardenas and inducted him into their Hall of Fame. He also once broadcast for the Houston Colt 45s. Interestingly enough, when I got my first break in MLB broadcasting, it was a few years after the Oakland A’s won three consecutive World Series (72-73-74), when Carl Finley informed me that Charlie had given him his OK to broadcast in Spanish for the Oakland Athletics.

Yes, Charlie Finley was a controversial owner, but also an innovative and revolutionary owner who did something only the New York Yankees have done to date: win three consecutive World Series. My first MLB game was with the A’s, and my last one was also with the A’s in 2024, the last year they were called the Oakland A’s.

I used to speak on the telephone with René, who always gave me great advice. The last time I spoke with René Cardenas in person was in 2009, Miami, Florida, when I was spending a few days at Miami Beach (my old stomping grounds as a kid).

He still had a great sense of humor as we spoke about what he called “the good old days” when he was behind the microphone. We also reminisce about when he was visiting Candlestick Park working for the Dodgers, but Jaime Jarrin did not make the trip with the team, because of a family emergency.

René (who was doing a solo) asked me to give him a hand, so I did, calling a few innings with him on the Dodgers Spanish Radio Network. It is time Major League Baseball recognizes René Cárdenas with the Ford C. Frick Broadcasters Award, while he is alive.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

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