HAMILTON, Ohio (Journal-News, December 9, 2008) -- Friends, family and fans of Joe Nuxhall will have to wait till next year to see if the Ol' Lefthander will get into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

In an announcement this afternoon, the Ford C. Frick Award committee selected former Blue Jays and New York Yankees broadcaster Tony Kubek.

Nuxhall, a longtime player and radio broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds, missed out on winning the Frick Award for the third time since 2004. The a Hamilton native and longtime Fairfield resident died Nov. 15, 2007 at age 79 after battling lymphoma, pneumonia and a failing heart.

The Frick Award is given annually to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball."

Aside from Kubek and Nuxhall, this year's finalists included Tom Cheek, Jacques Doucet, Dizzy Dean, Ken Coleman, Lanny Frattare, Dave Van Horne, Billy Berroa and Graham McNamee.

Nuxhall's son, Kim Nuxhall, said his dad was always grateful and honored just to be considered for the honor. Joe Nuxhall was known for his folksy broadcasting style and his penchant to root for the Reds even while broadcasting their games.

"He never made any apologies for being a homer," Kim Nuxhall said. "It's the community of where he grew up, and the community that gave him the career and the opportunities and the experiences he's had. One of Dad's best virtues was loyalty."

In 1944 at age 15, Nuxhall debuted with the Reds and became the youngest player to participate in a modern Major League Baseball game. He spent more than 60 years with the Reds, becoming a broadcaster with the team in 1967.

A Reds Hall of Famer, Nuxhall partnered with Marty Brennaman, a 2000 Frick Award recipient, for 31 years, retiring in 2004. Nuxhall continued to call games on a part-time basis until 2007.