Few individuals, if any, have experienced a career quite like that of Joe Buck.
He’s gone from a polarizing nepobaby broadcaster to one of the more respected people in sports media. Even his staunchest critics have to admit that his voice is part of the soundtrack to some of the greatest moments in sports. His memorable calls will outlive the rest of us.
On Sunday, Buck will receive the ultimate acknowledgment of his outstanding work in Cooperstown as part of Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame Induction Weekend. He is the 2026 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award for major contributions to baseball broadcasting. In advance of that honor, MLB Network Special: Bob Costas with Joe Buck will air Saturday at 5 p.m. ET.
On the show, Buck is interviewed by Costas, the 2018 Ford C. Frick Award recipient. Even the casual sports fan knows Buck, who is, of course, the son of the late broadcast legend Jack Buck, the 1987 Ford C. Frick Award recipient.
No broadcaster in MLB history has called more World Series (24) than @Buck 🎙️
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 21, 2026
Joe Buck joined Bob Costas to share what it was like to be on the call for the end of several World Series droughts.
📺 MLB Network Special: Bob Costas with Joe Buck – Saturday at 5pm ET pic.twitter.com/Xfh3rD9EGQ
Long before Noah Eagle, Kyle Shanahan, Maya Hawke, people associated Joe Buck with nepotism. He was viewed as a guy whose rapid career advancement was aided because he was Jack Buck’s offspring. That seems unfair and perpetually annoying, if you’re Joe Buck.
Bob Costas with Joe Buck aims to help viewers better appreciate Buck. At the age of 57, he has accomplished so much, and he wouldn’t still be broadcasting if he weren’t exceptional at his job. He’s already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and now he’s going to be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This ends all arguments. You couldn’t blame Buck for wanting to use the MLB Network special to take a victory lap.
But that’s not Buck’s style. He speaks freely and honestly to Costas, a peer and friend. Buck acknowledges that being Jack Buck’s son gave him a ‘leg up’ in the broadcasting business. But you also see Buck’s point of view. When you’re the son of a broadcaster, you’re going to learn things about the business from an early age that outsiders don’t.
Following in your father’s footsteps is tricky enough, especially for someone who was universally beloved like Jack Buck. Joe Buck never really felt that warmth from the start. He was criticized for being a nepobaby before the word entered the popular lexicon. He was also criticized because some fans accused him of rooting against their teams during his national broadcasts.
In Bob Costas with Joe Buck, he admits that he let the negativity get to him at times. He cited his game-ending national TV call for the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series. In his effort to sound neutral, he came across as unenthusiastic. It’s refreshing candor, and it’s a credit to Buck that when he stopped caring what the public thought about him, he became more likable.
There are still the stubborn few who will never like Buck for whatever reason. But no matter what team or sport you follow, in MLB or the NFL, chances are you’ve heard Buck on the call. One of the key reasons he is entering the Hall of Fame is that he has broadcast a record 24 World Series. His voice is forever connected to those moments.
That’s the greatest of Joe Buck. Not someone content to live off the family reputation.
“He built this name,” Joe Buck said of his father. “I got to draft in behind all that hard work, and I wanted to make him proud every time I put a headset on or sat in front of a stick mic doing a ball game.”
About Michael Grant
Born in Jamaica. Grew up in New York City. Lives in Louisville, Ky. Sports writer. Not related to Ulysses S. Grant.