Tim McCarver has wowed fans recently with his spelling acumen, with educating us about things we learned in 2nd grade baseball. Our very own Tim Ryan has suggested he should probably be done butchering World Series broadcasts.

So yes, this announcement that Tim McCarver is the 2012 Ford C. Frick Award Winner for Broadcast Excellence has led to lots of online angst, but keep in mind that, even though the Ford C. Frick committee may very well be trolling us for more page views, this is a career award, and they only give it to someone once. The award began in 1978, with Mel Allen and Red Barber. Vin Scully got his back in 1982.

So even though McCarver needs to stop broadcasting World Series games, there is no doubt that he had a long career as a broadcaster, served as a very good announcer for the Mets and Yankees, and has called many big games. According to MLB, “Frick Award voters consider a number of criteria, including longevity, continuity with a club, honors, national assignments such as the World Series and All-Star Games, and popularity with fans.”

So congratulations, Tim McCarver. It was a great honor to receive after you called your last World Series game.

[photo via Getty]