Chicago Cubs broadcaster Pat Hughes took his place in Cooperstown this week as he was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and he took the opportunity to send a heartfelt message to fans.
Hughes, who has called Cubs games on radio since 1996, was selected as the winner of the Ford C. Frick Award for 2023, and joins fellow Chicago broadcasters like Harry Caray, Ken “Hawk” Harrelson and Jack Brickhouse in the Hall of Fame.
During his acceptance speech on Saturday, Hughes read a letter to Cubs fans for their support during his career.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
“What an extraordinary group of people you are. I want to thank you so much for your unbelievable passion for the club and your support of me,” he said. “When I got the call from Cooperstown last December, I truly think there were some Cub fans who were just as happy as I was with the news.
“You make me feel like I’m part of your family. You invite me to special events like graduations, bar mitzvahs and birthdays. And I absolutely love those games at Wrigley Field, those close ballgames where you fans are not just part of the ballpark atmosphere, but you become part of the ballgame itself, and you play a significant role in a dramatic Cubs victory,” he added.
Hughes of course has the distinction of being the radio voice for the team that won the 2016 World Series, and he hopes that he will once again be able to do that in the future.
MLB
“As a broadcaster, I feed off of your energy. It has been my extreme privilege to be one of your announcers for these past three decades, and before my career ends, I hope I get at least one more chance to say something like ‘the Chicago Cubs win the World Series,’” he said.
Hughes was named play-by-play radio voice of the Cubs in 1996. He previously worked with the Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers.
Hughes originally partnered with Ron Santo until his death in 2010. Keith Moreland joined the booth for three seasons before Ron Coomer became the color analyst in 2013.