4,306

I'll keep this short, and simple: the process is bullshit. As The Tao of Stieb pointed out, even if Tom Cheek wins the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's poll to appear on the final ballot for the 2011 Ford C. Frick Award, there's no guarantee Cheek wins the honour, and takes his rightful place among baseball's legends in Cooperstown.

But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do our part. And while I'd love to tell you where the poll stands today, I just voted, and apparently only 80 votes have been cast. (Cheek's got 50 of them.) Like I said: bullshit. There's got to be a better venue for the poll than bloody Facebook. But that's not the point.

The point is: please vote for Tom at http://www.facebook.com/baseballhall?v=app_20678178440. Today, and everyday until September is done.

"Please pass this along to all the fans who are doing their best to get Tom this award that he so richly deserves. Please convey that to all the fans that the entire Cheek family says a HUGE THANKS!!"

- Shirley Cheek, Tom's wife (via Mike Wilner)

UPDATE: I got an email from reader Stephen, who had this to say: "Every year I have voted in every way possible for Tom Cheek for the Frick award. I am not on Facebook and never will be so I'm pissed that I can't be involved anymore."

You are so dumb, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museam. You are really, really dumb, for real.

Tom Cheek, The Voice Of Your Toronto Blue Jays

It's that time of year again, where we must all aspire to do our part to get the legendary voice of the Toronto Blue Jays, Tom Cheek, awarded the Ford C. Frick Award, for "major contributions to baseball." The award is basically the equivalent of a broadcaster being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, and there is no broadcaster more deserving than the late, great, Tom Cheek.

Cheek was the radio voice of the Blue Jays from 1977 to 2004, and he called a remarkable 4,306 straight games. Cheek's ridiculous streak of consecutive games ended on June 3rd, 2004, when he took two games off after the death of his father. Basically, Cal Ripken ain't got nothing on our man Cheek.

It's hard to believe that Tom left this world almost three years ago, on October 14th, 2005. It's our duty, as Jays fans, to make sure he gets this award. We owe him that much, wouldn't you agree? For more "About Tom," and what he meant to The Tao of Stieb's weekend editor The Ack, click here.

Where you really need to click, though, for the rest of the month, is here, to vote for Tom Cheek for the 2009 Ford C. Frick Award. It takes a couple of minutes to enter in your personal information once you've picked Tom as your selection but, honestly, take the time. If you're reading this blog, you've obviously got nothing better to do. Tom Cheek, the Blue Jays organization, your fellow Blue Jays fans, and especially Cheek's family, would appreciate it.

Voting for the Frick award will take place throughout the rest of September. You can vote once a day, so I'm encouraging you to please do so. Toronto Blue Jays blogs all across Al Gore's internet are spreading the word and if we all do our part, Tom will surely win. Tell your friends. Let's make it happen, folks. For Tom. He will forever be remembered as the voice of the Blue Jays. After a call like the one below, there's no doubt as to why.