John Beasley "Jack" Brickhouse (January 24, 1916 – August 6, 1998) was an American sportscaster. Known primarily for his play-by-play coverage of Chicago Cubs games on WGN-TV from 1948 to 1981, he received the Ford C. Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983. In 1985, Brickhouse was inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame along with the Voice of the Yankees Mel Allen and Red Sox Voice Curt Gowdy. Brickhouse also served as the organization’s Secretary/Treasurer and was a member of its Board of Directors.Brickhouse also called Chicago White Sox games prior to that team leaving WGN in 1968. He also covered national events from time to time, including three World Series for NBC television, although the Cubs never got there during his tenure. The voice on the audio track of the famous Willie Mays catch in Game 1 of the 1954 Series at the Polo Grounds belongs to Brickhouse, who was calling the Series along with the New York Giants' regular broadcaster, Russ Hodges. (Brickhouse himself had called Giants games locally in 1946.) Brickhouse also called the 1959 Series, which featured the White Sox with Los Angeles Dodgers announcer Vin Scully, and the 1950 Series with Jim Britt. In addition, Brickhouse partnered with fellow baseball broadcasting legend Mel Allen for NBC's coverage of the 1952 Rose Bowl, and with Chris Schenkel for the network's coverage of two NFL Championship Games (1956 and 1963).Brickhouse also covered many other events, sports and otherwise (such as professional wrestling for WGN and political conventions for the Mutual radio network). And for many years he called Chicago Bears football on WGN-AM radio, in an unlikely and entertaining pairing with the famous Chicago Sun-Times gossip columnist Irv Kupcinet. Brickhouse was also a boxing commentator. Fights he called include the 1949 fight between Jersey Joe Walcott and Ezzard Charles and the 1951 fight between Johnny Bratton and Charley Fusari. He did Chicago Bulls basketball games for WGN-TV from 1966 until 1973 as well.
When doing the play by play of a Chicago Cubs or Chicago White Sox game, his call when a home team player hit a home run was, "HEY! HEY!"
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Fact
1
Inducted into the Greater Peoria [Illinois] Sports Hall of Fame in 1981 (inaugural class).
2
Inducted into the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 1985, along with Mel Allen and Curt Gowdy.
3
While he was awarded the Ford Frick Award by the Hall of Fame, he (and all other recipients are) was not considered a member of the Hall.
4
Jack Brickhouse was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1996.
5
He was the first sportscaster to have his commentary sent live across from the United States to Europe. It was a Chicago Cubs day game at Wrigley Field, a segment of which was televised live, via the then-new Telstar Communications Satellite. This was in the summer of 1962.
6
Sportscaster and newscaster. Broadcast play-by-play for all of Chicago's sports teams at various times in his career.
7
Brickhouse underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor in the spring of 1998. Although the surgery was a success, Mr. Brickhouse died five months later of heart failure.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Baseball in the 80's
1990
Video
Narrator
The Duke
1979
TV Series
The Golden Gloves Story
1950
Ring Announcer
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
ESPN SportsCentury
2000
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Playing Field
1992
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Story of America's Classic Ballparks
1991
Video documentary
Himself
The Way It Was
1976
TV Series
Himself
1963 NFL Championship Game
1963
TV Special
Himself - Play-by-Play Announcer
1959 World Series
1959
TV Mini-Series
Himself - Play-by-Play Announcer
1956 NFL Championship Game
1956
TV Special
Himself - Play-by-Play Announcer
1954 World Series
1954
TV Mini-Series
Himself - Play-by-Play Announcer / Himself - Color Commentator
1953 MLB All-Star Game
1953
TV Special
Himself - Play-by-Play Announcer
1952 MLB All-Star Game
1952
TV Special
Himself - Play-by-Play Announcer
1952 Rose Bowl
1952
TV Movie
Himself - Color Commentator
1951 MLB All-Star Game
1951
TV Special
Himself - Play-by-Play Announcer
1950 World Series
1950
TV Mini-Series
Himself - Play-by-Play Announcer
1950 MLB All-Star Game
1950
TV Special
Himself - Play-by-Play Announcer
NFL Films Style
2002
TV Movie documentary
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
Cubs Forever: Celebrating 60 Years of WGN-TV and the Chicago Cubs
2008
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA
2006
Video documentary
Himself
ESPN 25: Who's #1?
2005
TV Series documentary
Himself
Summer of Sam
1999
Himself - 1954 World Series Announcer (uncredited)