Red Sox radio voice Castiglione wins 2024 Frick Award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- This time, as Joe Castiglione received the biggest honor of his broadcasting life, his signature call could be directed at himself.

“Can you believe it?”

Castiglione has said it with wonder numerous times on the air when calling an amazing moment in real time.

Shortly before noon on Wednesday, Castiglione -- who has called Red Sox games on radio for the last 41 seasons -- could finally believe he is headed to Cooperstown, N.Y.

The humble and hard-working Castiglione was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for excellence in broadcasting by the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

• Castiglione honored for decades as voice of Red Sox

“It was really a ‘can you believe it?’ moment,” Castiglione said in a conference call. “You never dream of these things when you're starting. My first goal was to do Major League Baseball. My second was to do a World Series, then to win a World Series, but this was nothing that was on my radar ever, and it’s just such a thrill to be honored by my peers.”

Castiglione will be honored during the Hall of Fame Awards Presentation as part of Hall of Fame Weekend on July 19-22, 2024. Castiglione becomes the 48th winner of the Frick Award, as he earned the highest point total in a vote conducted by the Hall of Fame’s 15-member Frick Award Committee.

After being a finalist on the ballot three previous times, it was sweet for Castiglione to emerge as the winner.

“More stunning really than anything,” Castiglione said. “Absolutely stunned, I think, is the word I use to describe what it was like when that call finally came through. And maybe having been on the ballot three times before had something to do with that, but still, it’s great and certainly worth the wait.”

Castiglione beat out a loaded field that included nine other finalists: Joe Buck, Gary Cohen, Jacques Doucet, Tom Hamilton, Ernie Johnson Sr., Ken Korach, Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper and Dan Shulman.

“I've already heard from some of the other finalists that were [on the ballot], received their congratulations, which is very certainly welcome and heartwarming. And I think it's just wonderful,” said Castiglione. “Curt Gowdy is in. I think Ken Coleman and Ned Martin deserve to be in someday when they go back to the previous era. It’s just so meaningful to be in with some of the greats. Not that I put myself in that category, but it just is a tremendous honor.”

The Hamden, Conn., native had to leave New England to start his career in baseball, calling games for Cleveland and Milwaukee from 1979-82.

But after the 1982 season, when Jon Miller left Boston's radio booth for a job with the Orioles, Castiglione was hired to work alongside the legendary Coleman to call Red Sox games.

Castiglione’s rookie season in Boston was 1983, the final season of Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski.

Could Castiglione ever have imagined he would be in the same booth for over 40 years?

“No. I had a one-year agreement, not even a contract until late in the season,” Castiglione said. “So I was not counting on being there over 40 years later. Just wanted to get through to the next season. And of course, the first year was great. It was Yaz’s last year. I'm so glad I had a chance to be with him, especially for that final weekend, which was amazing. But no, I never thought this would culminate in this great award.”

Through the decades, Castiglione became the voice of summer in New England, calling the memorable moments provided Roger Clemens (both 20-strikeout games), Mo Vaughn, Pedro Martinez, Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Mookie Betts and so many others. There was also the exhilarating “Morgan’s Magic” in 1988, which remains special because former Sox manager Joe Morgan is one of Castiglione’s closest friends.

For Castiglione, the biggest thrill was calling the final out of the 2004 World Series, in which the Red Sox swept the Cardinals for their first championship since 1918.

Here was Castiglione’s call on Red Sox radio for that historic moment.

“Swing and a ground ball, stabbed by Foulke! He has it. He under-hands to first and and the Boston Red Sox are the world champions for the first time in 86 years. The Red Sox have won baseball’s world championship. Can you believe it?”

In 2007, Castiglione again called the final out of a World Series sweep, this one against the Rockies. The Red Sox won it all again in ’13 and ’18, giving Castiglione more chills and thrills, not to mention rings.

Castiglione’s enthusiasm for the games he calls and the players he covers remains his calling card.

“Well, I love the game,” Castiglione said. “I love the people in the game and the stories from the scouts, the managers, the coaches, and the players. I’ve already heard from some players almost instantly in Mikey Lowell and Jackie Bradley Jr. and Roger Clemens. My phone has been blowing up. It’s really been amazing to be part of that.”