IN BRIEF : Harry Caray Wins Frick Award

Harry Caray, one of baseball’s most flamboyant broadcasters for the last 44 years, was named today the winner of the Ford Frick Award, presented annually by the baseball Hall of Fame.

Caray, who will be honored next July at the annual induction ceremonies, has been with the Chicago Cubs for the last seven seasons and is best known for standing in the press box and leading the fans in singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch.

Caray, who declines to give his age but is believed to be between 68 and 73, began his career with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1944, broadcasting their games for 25 years. He spent 1970 with the Oakland Athletics, joined the Chicago White Sox the next year and switched to the Cubs 11 years later.

Until February, 1987, when he suffered a stroke in Palm Springs, Caray had never missed an inning of a game. After the stroke, he was unable to move his right side and temporarily unable to speak.

But he was back in the Cubs’ broadcast booth by May 20--after being replaced on a day-to-day basis by 32 “guest broadcasters” who included former baseball players and current broadcasting greats.