Ford C. Frick | |
|---|---|
 Frick as commissioner in 1962 | |
| 3rd Commissioner of Baseball | |
| In office September 20, 1951 – November 16, 1965 | |
| Preceded by | Happy Chandler |
| Succeeded by | William Eckert |
| 11th President of the National League | |
| In office 1934–1951 | |
| Preceded by | John Heydler |
| Succeeded by | Warren Giles |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ford Christopher Frick December 19, 1894 Wawaka, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | April 8, 1978 (aged 83) Bronxville, New York, U.S. |
| Spouse |
Eleanor Cowing (m. 1916) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | DePauw University |
|
Baseball career | |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1970 |
| Election method | Veterans Committee |
Ford Christopher Frick (December 19, 1894 – April 8, 1978) was an American sportswriter and baseball executive. After working as a teacher and as a sportswriter for the New York American, he served as public relations director of the National League (NL) and then as the league's president from 1934 to 1951. He was the third commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1951 to 1965.
While Frick was NL president, he had a major role in the establishment of the Baseball Hall of Fame as a museum that honors the best players in baseball history. He extinguished threats of a player strike in response to the racial integration of the major leagues. During Frick's term as commissioner, expansion occurred and MLB faced the threat of having its antitrust exemption revoked by Congress. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970. The Ford C. Frick Award recognizes outstanding MLB broadcasters.