Cubs radio voice Pat Hughes is about to join two exclusive clubs. On Saturday, he’ll become the 47th recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, earning him induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. And within that club is a small group of longtime Chicago broadcasters who have won the award:
Bob Elson (1979), Jack Brickhouse (1983), Harry Caray (1989) and Ken “Hawk” Harrelson (2020).
As great as they were, Hughes is better than all of them.
Chicago sports fans are deeply attached to their broadcasters, so opinions might vary. But if I needed one of them to call the biggest baseball game in city history, it would be Hughes.
That’s not to disparage the others. Elson and Brickhouse were pioneers in the industry, and “Brick” was as jovial as they came. Caray was a showman and a much better broadcaster in his earlier days than the caricature he’s remembered as. Harrelson created his own lexicon and doubled as a play-by-play voice and analyst.
Hughes is unlike them all. He sees himself as a reporter on the scene of an event. In his open to a broadcast, he’ll say, “it’s Pat Hughes reporting … ,” and the listener immediately knows what type of broadcast to expect: an objective account of the game with as much specificity as possible.
To be sure, you know whose side Hughes is on. His voice rises with excitement for a Cubs home run and lowers with dejection for one by the opposition. But he’ll exude positivity without going overboard like Brickhouse would. He’ll have lots of fun in the booth without letting it interfere with the broadcast like Caray would. And he’ll pull for a big hit by the Cubs without it sounding like Hawk’s homerism.
Hughes has his trademark calls, too: “It’s got a chance … gone!” “Get out the tape measure!” Neither figures to appear on the foul poles at Wrigley Field or on T-shirts with a caricature of Hughes. That would belie Hughes’ understated nature. He’s more substance than style, although his style is quite appealing, especially in a media world driven by celebrity status and where the loudest voice wins.
It didn’t take Hughes long to endear himself to Cubs fans, thanks to the way he worked with former partner Ron Santo. Let’s face it, as entertaining as Santo was, he wasn’t a very good analyst. But the original “Pat and Ron Show” on WGN worked because Hughes made it work. Other announcers might’ve grown frustrated with Santo’s foibles, but Hughes made them part of the show, and fans loved it.
Hughes was the perfect straight man to Santo’s unintentional comedic routine. The stories from their nearly 15 years together are seemingly endless. There was Santo fleeing from a malfunctioning ice cream dispenser, his hairpiece catching fire and his mockery of Hughes’ wardrobe, all of it used as material for the show. Not that they needed more. Their in-game interactions provided plenty of entertainment.
The newer “Pat and Ron Show,” with Ron Coomer on The Score, leans more toward baseball discussion but still includes plenty of humor. Hughes remains the master of ceremonies with a voice that’s easy on the ears and an easygoing nature. And as listeners learn during blowouts, he could compete in any baseball trivia contest. He has a steel trap for a memory when it comes to the game.
Then there are the fundamentals. Hughes is as technically sound in the booth as an ace is on the mound. Pitches are introduced, the location is described and the count is shared. Hughes also is somehow able to calculate on-field distance, such as how far a fielder runs to catch a batted ball, as though he has a GPS device embedded in his brain. The man doesn’t miss a beat.
The 68-year-old Hughes has said he’ll continue as the Cubs’ radio voice for as long as they’ll have him. And there’s no indication the Cubs are looking to end his run prematurely. But as the landscape of Chicago sports media has shown in just the last few years, change is inevitable. Soak in Hughes’ sound and appreciate his work, because when it comes to broadcasting baseball in this town, he’s the best to ever do it.
Remote patrol
- Alex Faust, analyst Ryan Spilborghs and reporter Tricia Whitaker will call the Cardinals-Cubs game at 1:20 p.m. Friday on Apple TV+.
- Jason Benetti and analyst Eric Karros will call the White Sox-Twins game at 6:15 p.m. Saturday on FOX 32.
- The Fire’s Leagues Cup opener Thursday at Minnesota will be available for free on Apple TV+. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
PAT HUGHES’ BASEBALL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
What: The Cubs’ radio voice of 28 years will receive the Ford C. Frick Award, given to a broadcaster for “major contributions to baseball.”
When & where: 2 p.m. Saturday, Alice Busch Opera Theater at Glimmerglass Festival, Cooperstown, New York.
Webcast: Live stream at MLB.com.
